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Vendée Globe

Coordinates: 46°29′42″N 1°47′19″W / 46.4951°N 1.7886°W / 46.4951; -1.7886
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Vendée Globe
First held1989
Typesingle-handed non-stop round-the-world race
ClassesIMOCA 60
StartLes Sables-d'Olonne
FinishLes Sables-d'Olonne
Length24,000 nmi (44,000 km)
ChampionsMaître Coq IV
Yannick Bestaven
Most titlesMichel Desjoyeaux (2)
Websitewww.vendeeglobe.org

The Vendée Globe is a single-handed (solo) non-stop, unassisted round the world yacht race.[1][2] The race was founded by Philippe Jeantot in 1989,[3] and since 1992 has taken place every four years. It is named after the Département of Vendée, in France, where the race starts and ends. The Vendée Globe is considered an extreme quest of individual endurance and the ultimate test in ocean racing.[4][5]

The race

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History

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The race was founded as "The Globe Challenge" in 1989 by French yachtsman Philippe Jeantot.[6] Jeantot had competed in the BOC Challenge in 1982–83 and 1986–87, winning the 60-foot class ("Class I") both times. The BOC Challenge was sailed in stages with sailors being given the chance to rest and repair their boats at ports around the world.[6]Unsatisfied with the race's format, he decided to set up a new round-the-world non-stop race, which he felt would be the ultimate challenge for single-handed sailors.[7]

The first race was run in 1989–90, and was won by Titouan Lamazou; Jeantot himself took part, and placed fourth.[8] The next race was in 1992–93; and it has since then been run every four years. The inaugural race included 11 Frenchmen, one South African (Bertie Reed) and one American (Mike Plant).[9]

Yachts

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Hommage au Vendée Globe by Raphaël Toussaint, 1999

The race is open to monohull yachts conforming to the Open 60 class criteria. Prior to 2004, the race was also open to Open 50 boats. The Open classes are unrestricted in certain aspects, but a box rule governs parameters such as overall length, draught, appendages and stability, as well as numerous other safety features.

The race presents significant challenges; most notable are the severe wind and wave conditions in the Southern Ocean, the long unassisted duration of the race, and the fact that the course takes competitors far from the reach of any normal emergency response. A significant proportion of the entrants usually retire, and in the 1996–97 race Canadian Gerry Roufs was lost at sea.[10]

Course

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The race starts and finishes in Les Sables-d'Olonne, in the Département of Vendée, in France; both Les Sables d’Olonne and the Vendée Conseil Général are official race sponsors.[11] The course is essentially a circumnavigation along the clipper route: from Les Sables d’Olonne, down the Atlantic Ocean to the Cape of Good Hope; then clockwise around Antarctica, keeping Cape Leeuwin and Cape Horn to port; then back to Les Sables d’Olonne.[12] The race generally covers approximately 24,000 nautical miles (44,000 km) and runs from November to February, timed to place the competitors in the Southern Ocean during the austral summer.[13]

Ice Exclusion Zone

Additional waypoints may be set in the sailing instructions for a particular race, in order to ensure safety relative to ice conditions, weather, etc.[14] There is also an exclusion zone set around Antarctica where competitors are prohibited to sail due to risk of ice-bergs. [15]

The competitors may stop at anchor, but may not draw alongside a quay or another vessel; they may receive no outside assistance, including customised weather or routing information. The only exception is that a competitor who has an early problem may return to the start for repairs and then restart the race, as long as the restart is within 10 days of the official start.

Qualification

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To mitigate the risks, competitors are required to undergo medical and survival courses. They must also be able to demonstrate prior racing experience; either a completed single-handed trans-oceanic race or the completion of a previous Vendée Globe. The qualifying race must have been completed on the same boat as the one the sailor will race in the Vendée Globe; or the competitor must complete an additional trans-oceanic observation passage, of not less than 2,500 miles (4,000 km), at an average speed of at least 7 knots (13 km/h), with his or her boat.

Race Editions

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1st Edition: 1989–1990

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Main article: 1989–1990 Vendée Globe

2nd Edition: 1992–1993

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Main article: 1992–1993 Vendée Globe

3rd Edition: 1996–1997

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Main article: 1996–1997 Vendée Globe

4th Edition: 2000–2001

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Main article: 2000–2001 Vendée Globe

5th Edition: 2004–2005

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Main article: 2004–2005 Vendée Globe

6th Edition: 2008–2009

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Main article: 2008–2009 Vendée Globe

7th Edition: 2012–2013

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Main article: 2012–2013 Vendée Globe

8th Edition: 2016–2017

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Main article: 2016–2017 Vendée Globe

9th Edition: 2020–2021

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Main article: 2020–2021 Vendée Globe

10th Edition: 2024–2025

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Main article: 2024–2025 Vendée Globe

Results

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Overall winners

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Overall winners' times

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Ed Year Skipper Boat Name 24hr Run Equator Cape of Good Hope Leeuwin Cape Horn Equator Finish Line
1 1989–1990  Titouan Lamazou (FRA) Écureuil d'Aquitaine II 304 nm 109d 08h 48m
2 1992–1993  Alain Gautier (FRA) Bagages Superior 339 nm 110d 02h 22m
3 1996–1997  Christophe Auguin (FRA) Geodis 105d 20h 31m
4 2000–2001  Michel Desjoyeaux (FRA) PRB 2 93d 03h 57m
5 2004–2005  Vincent Riou (FRA) PRB 2 10d 12h 13m 24d 02h 18m 36d 09h 48m 56d 15h 13m 72d 11h 24m 86d 32h 13m
6 2008–2009  Michel Desjoyeaux (FRA) Foncia 466 nm 13d 15h 41m 27d 00h 34m 37d 31h 23m 56d 15h 08m 71d 17h 12m 84d 03h 09m
7 2012–2013  François Gabart (FRA) Macif 534 nm 11d 00h 20m 23d 03h 43m 34d 10h 23m 52d 06h 18m 66d 01h 39m 78d 02h 16m
8 2016–2017  Armel Le Cléac'h (FRA) Banque Populaire VIII 09d 09h 56m 18d 03h 30m 28d 20h 12m 47d 00h 32m 61d 12h 21m 74d 03h 36m
9 2020–2021  Yannick Bestaven (FRA) Maître Coq IV 481.8 (7th) 35d 01h 25m 55d 00h 22m 69d 13h 16m 80d 03h 44m

Farthest distance covered in 24 hours

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Edition Year Skipper Boat Name nautical miles/24h
1 1989–1990  Titouan Lamazou (FRA) Écureuil d'Aquitaine II 304
2 1992–1993  Alain Gautier (FRA) Bagages Superior 339
3 1996–1997  Yves Parlier (FRA) Aquitaine Innovations 374
4 2000–2001  Dominique Wavre (SUI) Union bancaire privée 430
5 2004–2005  Roland Jourdain (FRA) Sill et Veolia 439
6 2008–2009  Michel Desjoyeaux (FRA) Foncia 466
7 2012–2013  François Gabart (FRA) Macif 534
8 2016–2017  Alex Thomson (GBR) Hugo Boss 6 536
9 2020–2021  Thomas Ruyant (FRA) LinkedOut 515

Winners' participation and equipment

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Skipper Previous Participation and Boat Information
Year Skipper Previous
Start/Finish (Best)		 Name of Boat Sail No. Designer Builder Year Launched Notes Ref.
1989–1990  Titouan Lamazou (FRA) N/A Écureuil d'Aquitaine II Luc Bouvet
Olivier Petit		 Chantier Capitaine Flint 1989 [16]
1992–1993  Alain Gautier (FRA) 1 / 1 6th Bagages Superior Finot-Conq CDK Technologies (FRA) 1992 Aluminum Construction [17]
1996–1997  Christophe Auguin (FRA) Never Geodis Finot-Conq JMV Industries (FRA) 1994 [18]
2000–2001  Michel Desjoyeaux (FRA) Never PRB 2 FRA 85 Finot-Conq Mag (FRA) 1999 [19]
2004–2005  Vincent Riou (FRA) Never
2008–2009  Michel Desjoyeaux (FRA) 1 / 1 (1st) Foncia FRA 101 Farr Yacht Design CDK Technologies (FRA) 2007 [20]
2012–2013  François Gabart (FRA) Never Macif FRA 301 Verdier / VPLP CDK Technologies (FRA)
Green Marine (GBR)		 2011 [21]
2016–2017  Armel Le Cléac'h (FRA) 2 / 2 (2nd) Banque Populaire VIII FRA 18 Verdier / VPLP CDK Technologies (FRA) 2015 [22]
2020–2021  Yannick Bestaven (FRA) 1 / 0 Maître Coq IV FRA 17 Verdier / VPLP CDK Technologies (FRA) 2015-03-02 Hydrofoil [23]

Starters, finishers and nationalities

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1989–90 1992–93 1996–97 2000–01 2004–05 2008–09 2012–13 2016–17 2020–21 2024–25 Total
Finishers Overall
Total Finishers 7 7 6 15 13 12 11 18 25 114
First Time Finishers 7 5 6 13 10 9 5 11 18 84
Start/Finish Percentage 54% 50% 40% 62.5% 65% 40% 55% 62% 75.8% 56%
Male 7 7 5 14 11 10 11 18 21 104
Male - First Time 7 5 5 12 8 7 5 11 14 74
Female - - 1 1 2 2 0 - 4 10
Female - First Time - - 1 1 2 2 0 - 4 10
Starters
Total 13 14 15 24 20 30 20 29 33 40 238
First Time 13 10 12 15 12 16 5 14 18 15 130
Male 13 14 13 22 18 28 19 29 27 34 217
Male - First Time 13 10 10 13 10 14 5 14 13 13 115
Female 0 0 2 2 2 2 1 0 6 6 21
Female - First Time 0 0 2 2 2 2 0 0 5 2 15
Starter Age
Youngest 27 30 29 24 29 25 27 23 27 23 26
Oldest 89 92 57 59 54 58 57 66 61 65 66
Mean 42 46 39 39 40 41 42 44 43 43 42
Starters' Nationality
AUS 1 0.5 0.5 2
AUT 1 1 2
BEL 1 1 1 3
CAN 1 0.5 1 2.5
CHN 1 1
ESP 1 1 1 1 1 1 6
FIN 1 1
FRA 11 8.5 10 12.5 12.5 17 12.5 19.5 22 26.5 152
GBR 2 2 4 3 7 3 1 4 3 29
GER 1.5 1.5 3
HUN 1 1 1 1 4
ITA 1 2 0.5 1 1 5.5
IRL 1 1
JPN 1 1 1 3
NED 1 1
NZL 0.5 0.5 1
POL 1 1
RSA 1 1
RUS 1 1
SUI 0.5 2.5 1 2 2 1 1 3 13
USA 1 1 1 1.5 0.5 5

Note * Some sailors' dates of birth unknown

See also

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IMOCA races
Other races
Former races including
Other speed sailing records

References

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  1. ^ SSN Staff (13 November 2016). "Vendée Globe: Thomson Leads into the Doldrums". Scuttlebutt Sailing News. Retrieved 13 November 2016.
  2. ^ VendéeGlobe.org Staff (13 November 2016). "Home Page, Vendée Globe 2016–2017 [race]". vendeeglobe.org. Retrieved 13 November 2016.
  3. ^ BBC Staff (27 January 2013). "Vendee Globe 2012–13: Francois Gabart Breaks Solo Record [BBC Sport: Sailing]". BBC Sport. Retrieved 13 November 2016.
  4. ^ Museler, Chris (9 November 2008). "Racers in Vendée Globe Start Nonstop Solo Quest". New York Times. Retrieved 8 December 2008. Compared with other global ocean races […] the Vendée Globe is considered the most extreme sailing event in the world
  5. ^ "Vendée Globe: Sailing's Everest". The Independent. 11 November 2008. Archived from the original on 11 August 2022. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
  6. ^ a b The Museum of Yachting (14 November 2016) [1990]. "Philippe Jeantot, 1952–". The Single-Handed Sailors' Hall of Fame. Newport, RI: The Museum of Yachting. Retrieved 14 November 2016 – via Windlass Creative [Sally Anne Santos]. [Quote:] Inducted to Single-Handed Sailors' Hall of Fame, 1990.
  7. ^ "Introduction". Vendée Globe. Archived from the original on 15 May 2008. Retrieved 8 December 2016.[third-party source needed]
  8. ^ "Edition 1989/1990 : Une grande course est née". Vendée Globe (in French). Archived from the original on 22 October 2004. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
  9. ^ "Vendée Globe 1989–90". Vendée Globe. Retrieved 13 September 2017.
  10. ^ Evans, Jeremy (1 April 2008). Sailing. Dorling Kindersley Ltd. p. 317. ISBN 978-1-4053-3472-3. Tragically, another life was lost as French Canadian Gerry Roufs was lost at sea
  11. ^ VendéeGlobe.org Staff (13 November 2016). "Partners – Vendée Globe 2016–2017". vendeeglobe.org. Retrieved 13 November 2016.[third-party source needed]
  12. ^ Nielsen, Peter (11 May 2016). "Inside the Vendée Globe". Sail Magazine. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
  13. ^ "Vendee Globe: The race to the end of the world". BBC Sport. Retrieved 9 November 2020.
  14. ^ Laven, Kate (3 December 2012). "Vendee Globe 2012–13: Dicing with ice as fleet heads into desolate Southern Ocean". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
  15. ^ "What is the Vendée Globe? | Vendée Globe 2024".
  16. ^ "Boat History Page". Retrieved 28 January 2021.
  17. ^ "Boat History Page". Retrieved 28 January 2021.
  18. ^ "Boat History Page". Retrieved 28 January 2021.
  19. ^ "Document sans titre". Histoiredeshalfs.com. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
  20. ^ "Boat History Page". Retrieved 28 January 2021.
  21. ^ "Boat History Page". Retrieved 28 January 2021.
  22. ^ Thierry Tazé-Bernard (15 January 2015). "Armel Le Cléac'h dévoile son novateur Banque Populaire VIII". francetvsport.fr. Retrieved 20 January 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  23. ^ "IMOCA Class Website Boat Profile". IMOCA Class Association. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
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