The skippers of the Vendée Globe 2024 are more connected than ever. Discover how technology is transforming this legendary solo race around the world…
Imagine yourself alone in the middle of the ocean, on a sailboat racing at high speed in a race around the world. This is the daily life of skippers engaged in the legendary Vendée Globe, an extraordinary maritime adventure. But unlike their predecessors, the solo sailors of the 2024 edition will not be completely cut off from the world. Technology will allow them to stay connected like never before.
The digital revolution on board sailboats
Gone are the days when skippers had to make do with sporadic contact by radio or satellite telephone. Today, thanks to technological advances, they can correspond regularly with their loved ones and their teams on land via instant messaging. Even in the middle of the Atlantic or the Pacific, it is now possible to send photos and videos to share your journey in near real time.
This increased connectivity is made possible in particular by the system Starlink de SpaceX. These satellites provide high-speed Internet access to the most remote areas of the oceans. As Yannick Bestaven, winner of the last edition, humorously points out: “We can receive 5G all the way to Kergelen!”. The Kergelen Islands being located in the Howling Fifties, to the south of the Indian Ocean, this is a testament to technological prowess!
Keeping the connection despite the distance
If solitude remains an essential component of this extreme sporting challenge, the skippers appreciate being able to maintain a link, however tenuous, with dry land. Samantha Davies, who will be competing in the Vendée Globe for the fourth time, is delighted to now be able to correspond with those close to her “just about anywhere, anytime”whether by videoconference or instant messaging. A radical change compared to his first participation in 2008:
You had to take the cassette out of its waterproof box, digitize the film and pray that the connection worked long enough to send the file. Today we are much more connected, we feel less isolated.
Samantha Davies, skipper of Initiatives-Cœur
However, long-distance sailors want to maintain a certain disconnection, necessary to fully concentrate on their objective. Yannick Bestaven and Alan Roura, another participant, limit themselves to only one videoconference per week with their loved ones. The rest of the time, they prefer to communicate in writing, probably to better immerse themselves in their solitary browser bubble.
Share the race with the general public
This permanent connection also benefits sailing enthusiasts and sports enthusiasts who follow the race remotely. Via the skippers' social networks and the official Vendée Globe website, they have access to numerous contents which allow them to experience the adventure from the inside:
- Photos and videos of boats in action
- Excerpts from daily life on board
- Anecdotes and impressions from navigators
- Real-time navigation data
A real 2.0 logbook that allows the public to immerse themselves in the race as if they were on board. Skippers are also required by the regulations to regularly share this type of content throughout their journey. Enough to fuel the suspense and inspire vocations among the younger generations!
A new challenge within the challenge
Despite these developments, the essence of the Vendée Globe remains intact. It is always an extraordinary sporting, technological and human challenge, where sailors must push their limits in total autonomy for months. Digital tools are there to support them, not to distort the spirit of the legendary race. It is up to each skipper to find the right balance between hyper-connection and saving disconnection. A new challenge in the race!
One thing is certain: thanks to this digital revolution, the public will experience the 2024 Vendée Globe as close as possible to the sailors, in an unprecedented immersion at the heart of the adventure. Get ready to cast off for a breathtaking digital world tour!
