Vendée Globe

For fans of the Vendée Globe, the “Boss Boat” and its skipper Alex Thomson have long been favorites. In a race so heavily dominated by the French, the charismatic, boisterous Englishman stood out both for his skill and personality, with onboard media that was more accessible to ...read more

After 116 days at sea, Ari Huusela (Stark) has crossed the line and brought a close to the 9th edition of the Vendée Globe. He is the first Finnish skipper to complete the race. In a race this difficult, making it to the finish is a victory in its own right. Though the last ...read more

As a spectator event, France’s Vendée Globe never disappoints, and the 2020-21 edition of the quadrennial round-the-world race was no exception. From equipment failures to climactic rescues, heartbreaking abandonments and a breathtakingly close finish, this edition, which ...read more

The past three months have seen a Vendée Globe like no other. 80 days at sea concluded with an unimaginably close finish as the first seven competitors finished within 24 hours of each other. Charlie Dalin aboard APIVA took line honors with a finish of 80 days, 6 hours and 15 ...read more

A week ago, the canting keel on Isabelle Jocshe's IMOCA 60, MACSF, failed. She managed a jury rig with a replacement ram, which held the keel centerline and allowed her to keep sailing, but with a major hit to her speed potential. Jocshe had been in 8th at the time and remained ...read more

A devastated Hare talks about the breakage Pip Hare (Medallia) is back in the game after an emergency rudder repair deep in the Southern Ocean. “Every part of my body aches. I have bloody knuckles on every finger, bruises all down my legs and muscles I didn't know I had that ...read more

The first five Vendée Globe boats have passed Cape Horn and are beginning the final leg through the Atlantic, back to Les Sables d'Olonne, while the remaining 22 boats continue to battle the Southern Ocean, trying to hold it together until calmer waters. As Pip Hare (Medallia) ...read more

In the early afternoon of November 30, Kevin Escoffier was dashing through the Southern Ocean aboard his IMOCA 60, PRB, one of 33 skippers competing in the Vendée Globe nonstop solo around-the-world race. By any measure, things were going well. He was in third place, hot on the ...read more

Alex Thomson on the dock in Les Sables d’Olonne, wearing earbuds to drown out the roar of the madding crowd, the day before the start of the Vendée Globe this past November As I write this the two leading sailors in the Vendée Globe, Armel Le Cléac’h on Banque Populaire and ...read more

New Zealander Conrad Colman (who is also a longtime resident of the United States) has finished 16th in the Vendée Globe, after sailing the better part of the last month under jury rig: a truly epic effort. Despite his setbacks, Colman’s total elapsed time was 110 days 1 hour 58 ...read more

It’s a Lucky 13th for Rich Wilson American sailor Rich Wilson has not only completed his second Vendée Globe but finished in 13th place out of 29 starters—a great feat for the oldest competitor in this solo race around the world. In completing the event, the 66-year-old ...read more

Amel Le Cléac'h, 39, from Brittany, France, crossed the finish line of the Vendée Globe Race in Les Sables d'Olonne, France, earlier today at 1537hrs UTC after 74 days, 3 hours, 35 minutes and 46 seconds at sea aboard his 60ft racing yacht Banque Populaire VIII. Le Cléac'h’s ...read more

With less than a day to go in the Vendée Globe, it appears Armel Le Cléac'h aboard Banque Populaire VIII will successfully fend off the recent challenge by British sailor Alex Thomson aboard Hugo Boss and finish first in Les Sables d'Olonne, France: despite Thomson’s having cut ...read more

British sailor Alex Thomson aboard Hugo Boss has been playing catch-up ever since pre-race favorite French sailor Armel Le Cléac'h aboard Banque Populaire VIII took the lead on December 2—thanks in no small part to Thomson losing his starboard daggerboard following a collision ...read more

The sailors who compete in the Vendée Globe truly are a breed apart As I write this the two leading sailors in the Vendée Globe, Armel Le Cléac’h on Banque Populaire and Alex Thomson on Hugo Boss, are heading up the Atlantic Ocean toward the Doldrums, and what I’m wondering is ...read more

For all the advances made in IMOCA 60 design and safety, when it comes the Vendée Globe solo nonstop race around the world, there’s still an element of Russian roulette to the event, especially in the Southern Ocean portion of the race—and the 2016-17 installment has been no ...read more

French Vendée Globe competitor Kito de Pavant is currently awaiting rescue after his IMOCA 60 Bastide Otio struck an unidentified floating object that destroyed his keel housing, ripped off his aft keel mountings and left the appendage supported by only its hydraulic ram. De ...read more

France’s Vendée Globe has to be seen to be believed Before leaving for Les Sables d’Olonne on the southwest coast of France this past November I told some curious non-sailing friends of mine that I was off to witness the start of the most popular sailboat race in the world. “You ...read more

The Vendée Globesolo round-the-world race is off to a fast start, following a spectacular sendoff in sparkling conditions this past Sunday. Not surprisingly, given the robust conditions out on notoriously rough Bay of Biscay, the newest generation of IMOCA 60s with their ...read more

What to make of the Vendée Globe solo, nonstop round-the-world sailboat race set to start off Les Sables d’Olonne, France, November 6? Is it the ultimate expression of France’s insatiable appetite for all things offshore sailing? The ultimate in monohull sailing technology? The ...read more