Japanese skipper Masa Suzuki is launching his 2028 Vendée Globe programme at the helm of a 2006 straight daggerboard IMOCAs: ‘Milai 22’. He will be the second Japanese sailor to take on the challenge of a solo, non-stop round-the-world race. But what really sets Masa Suzuki’s sporting programme apart is his desire to bridge cultures, and even break down barriers.
“Beyond performance, I want to show that the ocean, dreams and challenges know no borders. And that with strong determination, it is possible to go beyond cultural and geographical boundaries.”
Finally, through this international programme, Masa hopes to inspire other Japanese skippers to take up ocean racing…
His first objective? To secure partners to consolidate his project and compete in the Route du Rhum – Destination Guadeloupe 2026.
Masa Suzuki aspires to become the second Japanese skipper in the history of the Vendée Globe, whilst embodying a new generation of Japanese ocean racers, bridging the gap between Japan and the international sailing scene through a multicultural programme.
“To date, Kojiro Shiraishi is the only Japanese sailor to have competed in the Vendée Globe. I want to be the second, and I hope in the future to pave the way for a third, a fourth and other sailors from Japan and Asia.”
Masa Suzuki’s career has been resolutely international, driven by a strong desire to integrate: “I really enjoy the world of ocean racing: there’s a great sense of camaraderie, lots of interaction, and I learn something new and meet new people every day. Because with a little effort, you can break down language barriers and cultural differences.
My offshore racing projects have always been built with people from different countries (French, Italian, British and others). Even with different nationalities and cultures, it is possible to establish such a level of trust that, at sea, we entrust our lives to one another. The experience I had with Louis Duc last year was a fine example of this*.”
This Vendée Globe campaign has been launched thanks to the commitment of 22 sponsors: the purchase of the boat has just been finalised, and the technical team is at work on the final touches before ‘Milai 22’ is launched.
“All that remains is to bring partners on board for this exciting challenge in order to establish a sustainable and competitive campaign ahead of the Vendée Globe,” explains the skipper.
The aim is to progress step by step. And the next stage is none other than the 2026 Route du Rhum Destination Guadeloupe, an essential qualifying race for the Vendée Globe.
Masa Suzuki, skipper of Milai 22: “My career as an ocean sailor has been built thanks to the support of many people who believed in me. I am truly grateful to them because I have always dreamed of taking on this wonderful challenge and promoting its values of international openness.
Many obstacles still lie ahead, and they are significant. But, step by step, I have managed to get this far and I will continue to move resolutely towards the Vendée Globe, alongside those who believe in this project.”
Louis Duc and Masa Suzuki, a French-Japanese duo, finished the Transat Café l’Or Le Havre Normandie 2025 in 14th place and second among centreboarders. In sporting terms, they could not have achieved a better result, and on a personal level, these two sailors got to know, appreciate and respect one another as the miles passed, embodying the fine values of openness with humour and sincerity.
They did not speak the same language, but their values of sharing, listening and kindness, combined with their humour, showed that cultural differences were no barrier to performance or to getting on well together.
Masa Suzuki: leaving everything behind for the open sea and a broader outlook on the world
Masa is one of those skippers who has seawater running through his veins. From the age of five, his parents took him on sailing trips. As a student, he sailed with the Hosei University sailing club. However, he embarked on a professional career (whilst racing assiduously in the International Moth class) before being caught up by his passion…
In 2018, he left his job and his country to settle in Lorient and prepare for the 2019 Mini Transat. He achieved a creditable 24th place.
This only strengthened his desire to go further, and in 2023 he set sail in the Globe 40 (a double-handed round-the-world race with stopovers, contested in Class40). This 10-month adventure ended with a podium finish.
For Masa, the next step was obvious: the Vendée Globe.
In 2025, he therefore signed on as co-skipper to Louis Duc on the Transat Café l’Or: a transatlantic race designed to familiarise him with the IMOCA class and to prepare for the purchase of this 2006 Farr-designed yacht.
“My career as an offshore sailor has been built with the support of the French sailing community, which continues to play a central role in this Vendée Globe campaign. Louis Duc’s technical team will be working with me: they know the boat inside out, which will be invaluable. And the programme is managed by Estelle Greck, who was already heavily involved in my Mini and Class40 projects.”
The IMOCA MILAI 22
- Design: Farr Yacht Design
- Builder: CDK Technologies (France)
- Launch year: 2006
Deano
Sport Trivia: Who captained the South African 1992 Olympic squad? Answer: Oscar Chalupsky. Elana Meyer won silver in the 10000m in Barcelona. Malcolm Todd represented South Africa in archery, and Penny Heyns was the youngest member of the squad at just 17. Oscar Chalupsky is a rower/paddler and has been in the limelight in this arena since his first competition in 1979. He placed second in the Molokai World Surf Ski Championship in 2006, at the age of 43.
Divine Quasar
The Nelson is a term used to refer to a score of 111 by an individual player or a team. This is also used for multiples of 111, such as 222 (double Nelson), 333 (triple Nelson), and so on. The Nelson is considered unlucky because the number 111 is similar in appearance to a bail-less wicket. Players and fans believe that something bad or unlucky would occur when a player or team reaches that score.