Vendée Globe

The Vendée Globe is a solo, non-stop, unassisted yacht race around the world, starting and finishing in Les Sables-d'Olonne, France. Held every four years since 1989, it challenges sailors to complete a 24,000-nautical-mile circumnavigation alone, facing the extremes of the world's oceans.

• Solo, non-stop, unassisted round-the-world yacht race
• Starts and finishes in Les Sables-d'Olonne, France
• Held every four years since 1989
• Covers about 24,000 nautical miles
• Open to IMOCA 60 class yachts

What it is

The Vendée Globe is a single-handed, non-stop yacht race that circles the globe without any outside assistance. Sailors set off from Les Sables-d'Olonne in France, braving the Atlantic, the Southern Ocean, and the treacherous waters around Antarctica. The event is seen as the ultimate test of endurance and seamanship, pushing competitors to their limits as they navigate alone for weeks or months. For many, finishing the race is a triumph in itself, and the Vendée Globe holds a special place in the world of ocean racing for its demanding nature and spirit of adventure.

Where it comes from

The race was founded in 1989 by Philippe Jeantot, a French yachtsman who wanted to create a more challenging alternative to existing round-the-world races. Inspired by his experiences in the BOC Challenge, which allowed stops and assistance, Jeantot envisioned a non-stop, unassisted race that would truly test a sailor's skill and resolve. The first Vendée Globe saw 13 competitors, mostly French, and has since become a fixture every four years, drawing solo sailors from around the world.

How it is celebrated

Competitors in the Vendée Globe sail IMOCA 60 class monohull yachts, designed for speed and resilience. The route takes them from France, down the Atlantic, around the great capes of Good Hope, Leeuwin, and Horn, and back to Les Sables-d'Olonne. Sailors must cope with isolation, extreme weather, and the risk of equipment failure far from help. The race is unassisted—no outside help or docking is allowed, except for a brief return to the start for repairs within the first ten days. The atmosphere at the start and finish in Les Sables-d'Olonne is electric, with crowds gathering to cheer on the sailors as they set off and welcome them home after their epic journey.

Joining in

Visitors can experience the excitement in Les Sables-d'Olonne, where the race village comes alive with fans, families, and sailing enthusiasts. The town hosts festivities and public events around the start and finish, offering a chance to meet the sailors, see the boats up close, and soak in the anticipation or celebration. Expect a vibrant, international crowd and a sense of shared adventure as the community rallies around the competitors.

Sources and attribution

This page is Mela's own summary, written in new words. Its facts are drawn from the Wikipedia article Vendée Globe, whose text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). Each photo is credited to its author beside it. For the full account, read the originals below.

Read more

• Vendée Globe on WikipediaEncyclopedia
• Official websiteOfficial site
• More photos on Wikimedia CommonsPhotos
• Wikidata recordOpen data

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