Vendée Globe: Horses are on the track

Les Sables d’Olonne, France (November 10, 2024) – The official start for the 40 skippers in the 10th Vendée Globe took place today at 13:02. They have now set off on the most famous and challenging of circumnavigations, with more than 24,000 nautical miles to cover solo, non-stop, and without assistance. Only one boat, Conrad Colman (MS Amlin), was not able to cross the line on schedule, due to a technical problem (more details to follow).

Light winds of only 4 to 7 knots and bright sun provided a smooth entry into the race, following a particularly emotional morning. The sailors cast off their lines between 08:00 and 10:00, after saying goodbyes to loved ones on the docks. They then descended the legendary Les Sables d’Olonne canal in front of hundreds of thousands of spectators who had gathered for the occasion in the early hours of the morning.

The last team members on board jumped into the water to be picked up by support RIBs five minutes before the start, leaving skippers finally alone and able to focus solely on the race. The wind is expected to increase slightly later today, before competitors face the first night of many alone on the vast oceans of the world.​​

Event information – Entry list – Tracker – Facebook

The Vendée Globe, raced in the 60-foot IMOCA, is the elite race round the world, solo, non-stop, and without assistance. On November 10, 40 skippers start the 2024-25 edition which begins and ends in Les Sables d’Olonne, France. Armel Le Cléac’h, winning in 2017, holds the record for the 24300 nm course of 74 days 03 hours 35 minutes 46 seconds. Only one sailor has won it twice: Michel Desjoyeaux in 2001 and 2009. This is tenth running of the race.