The conception of this Volvo Ocean 60 began in 1996. The design was confided to Bruce Farr and the consctruction of the boat to Cookson Boats. In 1997 the boat was ready to race and participated in it’s first official race the Whitbread Round the Word Race 1997-98 with a Swedish team. The boat was then aptly called Swedish Match.

 

During this race, the crew will finish first in the second leg between South Africa and Australia but will finish 3rd in the final rakings of the race, behind EF Language and Merit Cup.

 

In 1999, the sailboat will be rebaptised Nokia and blong to a Danish crew. The boat will then win the Sydney-Hobart 1999 with less than an hour of distance from it’s competitior Brindabella. The record set by Nokia of 43h 48min 02 sec will stand until 2005.

 

In 2003, the boat will return to Sweden, more precisely the Swedish Royal Yacht Club, where it becomes Avant and will stand out for its 3rd place finish in the Volvo Baltic Race this same year.

 

It’s in 2009 that Quebecois Skipper Georges Leblanc will bring the boat back to Canada. It’s new name will then be Ocean Phoenix IV and i twill race in it’s 5th Quebec St-Malo Transat in 2012.

 

Back from Europe, the skipper and Gilles Barbot meet and both of them see an opportunity in collaborating. The boat is then given it’s current name, Esprit de Corps II in 2015 and joins the fleet sailed by the Atlas Sailing Team to help them train in the St-Lawrence and race across oceans.