An impressive crowd is present this Sunday, November 10, 2024 to accompany the 40 skippers towards the start of the 10th edition of the Vendée Globe, in Les Sables-d'Olonne. The departure will be given at 1:02 p.m. The journey up the channel started at 8 a.m.
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The last hours spent on land by these heroes of the sea have, at each edition since 1989, attracted a much wider audience than simple sailing enthusiasts, allowing the event to acquire an almost mystical aura.
► Follow the start of the 10th Vendée Globe live
“Compressed by emotion”
We all find ourselves very small in the middle of the crowd. Everyone on the boat is crying, the people on the docks are crying, you can't hold back, you're overwhelmed with emotion all over.
says the Swiss Alan Roura (Hublot), who leaves for the third time.
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Four minutes before the gun goes off, the last crew member on the sailboats will jump into the sea to leave their skipper alone to get to the starting line. It can be a pretty brutal moment to go from this emotion to the great emptiness all of a sudden.
says the British Samantha Davies (Heart Initiatives), on the eve of his 4th participation.
“Refocus on the race”
You tell yourself that you have three months ahead of you, alone, and at the same time you have to quickly refocus on the race
adds the 50-year-old sailor. In front of the bows, 24,300 theoretical miles, or 45,000 km, to be covered without outside help.
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