The Vendée Globe returns for its 10th edition. The start of the most prestigious offshore race in the world, solo and non-stop, is given on Sunday November 10 from the port of Les Sables d'Olonne. Winner four years ago, Yannick Bestaven is a candidate for his own succession, but there are many who can prevent him from achieving the double. Before following the skippers for more than two months, franceinfo: sport presents the competition to you.
A record number of participants, but only one former winner
The first edition of the Vendée Globe, with its 13 boats at the start, seems a long way away. This year, there are 40 of them setting off on this solo, non-stop and unassisted world tour. A record. “In the history of the race, 200 of them have tried to complete this solo circumnavigation, only 114 have finished it. This shows how extremely demanding the race is. It is an event that is reserved for heroes of the sea”recalls Alain Leboeuf, president of the Vendée Globe as well as of the Vendée department.
Winner of the 9th edition (2020-2021), Yannick Bestaven (Maître Coq) will try to achieve what no skipper has managed until now: win the race a second time in a row. But with Charlie Dalin (Macif), Nicolas Lunven (Holcim-PRB), Jérémie Beyou (Charal) and Thomas Ruyant (Vulnerable), many want to challenge him for victory. Six women are also at the start in Les Sables d'Olonne with high objectives in this race which is becoming international. For the first time, a Chinese, Jingkun Xu, will start the Vendée Globe.
An unchanged route, but new restrictions
For 35 years, skippers have always taken the same route in the Vendée Globe. The port of Les Sables d'Olonne returns to its public for the big departure after a 2020 edition in the midst of Covid-19. The sailors will begin with the crossing of the Bay of Biscay to begin the descent of the Atlantic, with the famous passage of the doldrums and the circumvention of the Saint Helena anticyclone.
The competitors will cross the first of the three capes of the Vendée Globe, the Cape of Good Hope, to enter the Indian Ocean. Without entering the Antarctic exclusion zone, they will then reach Cape Leeuwin, in Australia, before heading to the far south, on the Pacific Ocean, with the objective of reaching Cape Horn before going up the Atlantic Ocean to Les Sables d'Olonne.
The only change compared to the previous edition is that boats will have to avoid certain biodiversity protection zones. “It is out of the question to imagine collisions with large marine mammals. I want this race to be exemplary, to respect this biodiversity that we talk about so much. The Vendée Globe is paying extra attention to this and wants to protect marine megafauna “explained Alain Leboeuf. Avoiding this type of collision also reduces the risks for skippers.
A first under 70 days of racing?
Will the record of Armel Le Cléac'h, winner of the eighth edition (2016-2017) in 74 days, 3 hours, 35 minutes and 46 seconds, hold for four more years? During the 2020-2021 edition, the skippers suffered from bad weather conditions and did not do better. With more favorable conditions, and ever more efficient Imoca boats (18.28 m long boats), the future winner could set a new benchmark in the history of the Vendée Globe. If this “is not a goal” for Charlie Dalin, the skipper of MACIF believes that with ideal conditions, it would be possible to cross the finish line approaching the 70 days of racing.
Twelfth four years ago – and 100th athlete to cross the finish line in the history of the race – Clarisse Crémer beat Ellen MacArthur's women's record, in 87 days, 2 hours, 24 minutes and 25 seconds . “I wouldn't be surprised if the women's record is broken by one of us sixexplained the navigator. But it's not a personal goal. I have mixed feelings about this record, because it's a mixed sport, and this women's ranking is not official.”
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