The Vendée Globe is a single-handed (solo) non-stop round the world yacht race. The race was founded by Philippe Jeantot in 1989, and since 1992 has taken place every four years. It is named after the Département of Vendée, in France, where the race starts and ends. The Vendée Globe is considered an extreme quest of individual endurance and the ultimate test in ocean racing.
The IMOCA, is a 60ft development class monohull sailing yacht governed by the International Monohull Open Class Association (IMOCA). The class pinnacle event are single or two person ocean races, such as the Route du Rhum and the Vendée Globe and this has been intimately linked to design development within the class. The class is recognised by World Sailing.
Guillermo Altadill is a Spanish yachtsman. In addition to the Barcelona World Race, Altadill has also competed in 18 Atlantic crossings, six circumnavigations, 300,000+ miles sailed in competition, two Volvo Ocean Race, and two Whitbread Round the World Race. He also was on board the maxi-catamaran Cheyenne when it set the Jules Verne’s record for fastest tour around the world with crew.
Damian Foxall is an Irish sailor from County Kerry.
The Transat Jacques Vabre is a yachting race that follows the historic coffee trading route between France and Brazil. It is named after a French brand of coffee.
The first around the world sailing record for circumnavigation of the world can be attributed to the surviving crew of Ferdinand Magellan's expedition, including the last captain Juan Sebastián Elcano who completed their journey in 1522.
Juan Kouyoumdjian is a naval architect. He has designed ocean racing yachts, three of which have won the Volvo Ocean Race. He studied at the University of Southampton doing an Engineering Degree in ship science degree specializing in Yacht and Small Craft. During his studies, he did an internship with Philippe Briand in La Rochelle. On graduating in June 1993 he went on to work for Philippe Briand in La Rochelle for two years to work on the America's Cup Class boats, then he started his own business in 1996.
Alex Pella is a Spanish yachtsman. In 2014 he became the first and only Spanish to win a transoceanic single-handed race, the Route du Rhum. Alex Pella made history once again, on the 26th of January 2017, when he broke, with the rest of the team, the absolute round-the-world speed sailing record, known as the Jules Verne Trophy., aboard the sophisticated maxi-multihull IDEC 3. They circumnavigated the planet in 40 days, 23 hours, 30 minutes and 30 seconds.
The International Monohull Open Class Association (IMOCA) is the governing body of the IMOCA class. Its main task is to design the class regulations for the ocean racing yachts IMOCA 60 and organising single-handed regattas. It was established in 1991. IMOCA has been a member of World Sailing (governing body of international sailing sport) since 1999.
The 2020–2021 Vendée Globe was a non-stop round the world yacht race for IMOCA 60 class yachts crewed by only one person. It was the ninth edition of the race, which started and finished in Les Sables-d'Olonne, France. The race began on 8 November 2020, with the first finishers completing the course on 27 January 2021 with the 25th and final yacht to complete the race arrived on 5 March 2021.
The 2012–2013 Vendée Globe was a non-stop solo Round the World Yacht Race for IMOCA 60 class yachts and the seventh edition of the race.
The 2008–2009 Vendée Globe was a non-stop solo Round the World Yacht Race for IMOCA 60 class yachts and the sixth edition of the race.
The 2004–2005 Vendée Globe was a non-stop solo Round the World Yacht Race for IMOCA 60 class yachts. The fifth edition of the race started on 7 November 2004 from Les Sables-d'Olonne.
Jean-Pierre Dick is a French professional yachtsman.
Bernard Stamm, is a Swiss professional yachtsman, born on 29 November 1963 in Geneva, Switzerland.
The 2024–2025 Vendée Globe is a non-stop round the world yacht race for IMOCA 60 class yachts crewed by only one person. It will be the tenth edition of the race, and will start and finish in Les Sables-d'Olonne, France. The race is scheduled to begin on 10 November 2024.
The IMOCA 60 Class yacht Estrella Damm was designed by Farr Yacht Design and launched in the 2007 after being built by Offshore Challenges who are not a boatbuilder but brought in specialist to build the boat in Cowes on the Isle of Wight in England. Not to be confused with Estrella Damm 2 which competed in the 2010 Barcelona World Race.
The IMOCA 60 Class yacht Paprec-Virbac 2 was designed by Farr Yacht Design and launched in 2007 after being assembled by Southern Ocean Marine based in New Zealand the boat was then shipped to France before being launched. The boat is a sistership to Gitana 80 also built by the same builder from the same moulds.
The IMOCA 60 Class yacht Paprec-Virbac 3 was designed in partnership with VPLP and Guillaume Verdier and launched on 18 May 2010 after being built by Cookson Boats in New Zealand. It is named after the companies that sponsored its construction, Virbac and Paprec. The boat was lost during the 2016 Vendee Globe where the skipper was rescued and in November 2018 the remains of written of yacht were found on the east coast of Madagascar.
The IMOCA 60 Class yacht Saint Michel - Virbac, FRA 06 was designed by VPLP design and Guillaume Verdier and launched in the 11th September 2015 after being built Multiplast in Vannes, France.
