The 2024 Vendée Globe will start on Sunday November 10 (1:02 p.m.) from Les Sables-d'Olonne. Who are the big five favorites? Here are those from the editorial staff of West France.
Thomas Ruyant (Vulnerable 2)
Double title holder of the Transat Jacques Vabre and winner of La Route du Rhum 2022, Thomas Ruyant (Vulnerable 2) is necessarily a heavyweight at the start of the Vendée Globe 2024. He has the experience, since he has already participated in the last two editions (retiring in 2016-2017, 6e in 2020-2021), knows how to hurt yourself over time and win. Vulnerable 2Finot-Conq/Koch design released from the water in March 2023, has already won in the transatlantic race (Jacques Vabre 2023), is now reliable and is one of the very best foilers in the fleet (5e of New York – Vendée 2024).
The 43-year-old Dunkirk, winner of six transatlantic races on four different supports, must however still prove that he can shine on a course as imposing as a round-the-world trip. During the last edition, he did it in the first part of the race, containing Alex Thomson and Charlie Dalin, before a foil damage which dashed his hopes of victory. Will 2024 mark its revenge?
Points forts : excellent sailor, tenacious, a high-performance mount
Weak points: less “Figarist” than his direct opponents.
Charlie Daly (Macif)
Crossing the finish line of the Vendée Globe in first position, Charlie Dalin (Macif) knows how to do it. The 40-year-old from Le Havre, now based in Concarneau, had proven it during the last edition but had not been crowned (Yannick Bestaven had finally passed him thanks to his time compensation). Since then, the Norman has done everything to ensure that history does not repeat itself. He pushed his preparation to the maximum in all areas and today seems at the top of his game.
He has finished placed in all the races he has participated in since 2021, and won the New York – Vendée 2024, the last transatlantic race before the Vendée Globe, by dominating the race. Since leaving the construction site in 2023, his Imoca Macif greatly impresses and is surely the best boat in the fleet on paper. For those who have very often had to settle for second places in the past (Mini Transat 2009, Vendée Globe 2020, Solitaire du Figaro 2015 and 2016, Route du Rhum 2022, etc.).
Points forts : high-performance boat, skipper at the top of his art.
Weak point: difficulty in winning solo in very big events.
Yoann Richomme (Paprec Arkéa)
Often, when Yoann Richomme (Paprec Arkéa) touches something, it turns it into gold. An example: with a Class40 launched just four months before the start of La Route du Rhum 2022, he dominated the race and won the event for the second time, hands down. An excellent sailor, capable of taking risks when he feels the right move, the native of Fréjus, based in Lorient, is also an expert in weather analysis as he showed on land during the last Vendée Globe.
Double winner of La Solitaire du Figaro (2016 and 2019), he quickly proved that he could also shine in Imoca, by winning Retour à La Base 2023 and The Transat CIC 2024. Proof, also, that his boat is very efficient on water. The only question mark at the start of the world tour: the 41-year-old from Lorient will take part in his first Vendée Globe and has never sailed in the South Seas. So can he amaze us even more?
Points forts : high-performance boat, weather expertise.
Weak point: lack of experience in the South Seas.
Jérémie Beyou (Charal)
Jérémie Beyou (Charal) has a track record as long as an arm, immense experience, the seamanship of the greatest and a monster slab at the start of this Vendée Globe 2024. Bruised by his encounter with an Ofni on the fourth day of the last edition, a new episode of bad luck after his retirements in 2008 and 2012, the Trégorois has everything to win the race of his dreams but still has not done so, despite his podium in 2016 (3e).
What is certain is that the core record holder for victories on the Solitaire du Figaro (3) is not condemned to always suffer fate and that he once again has an ultra-efficient boat, designed to win around the world. Although he has not yet won any major races aboard CharalManuard plan launched in 2022, the 48-year-old from Finistère has always finished placed and this time does not have the sign of big favorite, which could free him from a weight. So can his turn finally come?
Points forts : great experience, extraordinary seamanship.
Weak point: puts a lot of pressure on himself.
Boris Herrmann (Malizia-Seaexplorer)
Boris Herrmann (Malizia-Seaexplorer) is not the type to show off. The proof: no one, or almost no one, has seen him since the opening of the Vendée Globe 2024 village. Enough to raise questions (we are talking about a back injury…). The 43-year-old German likes to move forward masked and cultivate secrecy anyway. On the starting line, it's impossible not to mention him among the big favorites if he is 100%.
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During the last edition, he was winning until his collision with a trawler 90 miles from the finish line (he finally finished 5e under makeshift rigging). Since then, his Imoca Malizia-SeaexplorerVPLP plan launched in 2022, which has a new pair of foils, showed its power, particularly in the South Seas, during The Ocean Race, finished in second place. Also second in the last two transatlantic races (The Transat CIC and New York – Vendée), can the Hamburger become the first foreigner to win the Vendée Globe?
Point fort : boat designed for the South Seas.
Weak point: boat heavier than the others.
