Batch. The Gouffre de Padirac in the spotlight during the 10th edition of the Vendée Globe

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The “top start” of Vendée Globe was given in Les Sables d'Olonne, this Sunday at 1:02 p.m. by Alain Leboeuf, president of the Vendée Globe a you Department of Vendée.

The skippers thus set off on the most famous world tour, more than 24,000 miles (45,000 km estimated) to sail alone, without stopover and without assistance. A start given in an erratic wind, between 4 and 7 knots. The opportunity to gently immerse yourself in the race after a particularly emotional morning.

500,000 spectators

The sailors cast off between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m., after greeting their loved ones on the pontoons. Then, they descended the channel in front of hundreds of thousands of spectators who had gathered there for the occasion. Only Conrad Colman (MS Amlin) was unable to cross the starting line for technical reasons.

500,000 spectators came to cheer the 40 skippers along the channel and near the start site. Banners, smoke bombs, shouts of supporters: it was the atmosphere of a football stadium which reigned on the port pier on Sunday.

one of the sponsors of the association Vaincre la cystic fibrosis

Among the 40 entered we find on this 10^e Maxime Sorel edition. Maxime is a skipper that the Gouffre de Padirac chose to sponsor for his first Vendée Globe in 2020, which he finished in 10^e position. Sensitive to exceptional natural environments, he conquered the Gouffre de Padirac with his explorer's soul, his courage and his generosity: strong values ​​shared by the Gouffre de Padirac.

Maxime Sorel was confronted with cystic fibrosis at a very young age: one of his childhood friends was affected by the disease. Committed, he has today become one of the sponsors of the Vaincre la cystic fibrosis association.

Padirac, without forgetting Rocamadour…

“I will do everything to best convey the messages dear to Overcoming Muco, to make patients dream and to act for research. » This year again the Gouffre de Padirac is alongside Maxime in this new adventure, the opportunity to put the Lot department at the forefront, without forgetting that for its third year, the Virgin of Rocamadour has joined the Sables d 'Olonne several weeks ago in a pilgrimage called “Roca Globe”; the statue of Our Lady of Rocamadour being the protector of sailors, to bless the skippers and their boats, before departure.

The competitors in the Vendée globe 2024/2025 have left for more than two months of regatta. A solo journey of more than 45,000 km around the world without stopovers and without assistance.

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