The Vendée Globe is a single-handed (solo) non-stop, unassisted 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 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.
VPLP design is a French-based naval architectural firm founded by Marc Van Peteghem and Vincent Lauriot-Prévost, responsible for designing some of the world's most innovative racing boats. Their designs presently hold many of the World Speed Sailing records.
Brian Thompson is a British yachtsman. He was the first Briton to twice break the speed record for sailing around the world, and the first to sail non-stop around the world four times. He is highly successful offshore racer on all types of high-performance yachts, from 21-foot Mini Transat racers to 140-foot Maxi Trimarans.
Pip Hare, earlier known as Pip Hildesley, is a British yachtswoman, journalist and sailing coach. She was an entrant in the 2020 and 2024 Vendée Globe round-the-world yacht races.
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.
Charlie Dalin is a French offshore sailor. He placed first in the 10th edition of the quadrennial Vendée Globe race around the world that took place in 2024–2025 completing the race within a time of 64 days, 19 hours, 22 minutes and 49 seconds, smashing the previous record by 9 days, 8 hours, 12 minutes and 57 seconds. The edition before that he also finished second in the Vendée Globe race that took place in 2020–2021, with a time of 80 days, 6 hours, 15 minutes and 47 seconds. He covered 28,268 nautical miles at a race average of 14.67 knots. He has a Naval Architecture degree from the University of Southampton.
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 2024–2025 Vendée Globe is a non-stop round the world yacht race for IMOCA 60 class yachts crewed by only one person. It is the tenth edition of the race; it started, and will finish, in Les Sables-d'Olonne, France.
The IMOCA 60 class yacht Banque Populaire VIII was launched on 9 June 2015. It was designed by Guillaume Verdier and VPLP and constructed by CDK Technologies in France.
Launched as MACIF - FRA 301, the yacht is an IMOCA 60 monohull sailing yacht, designed by Guillaume Verdier and VPLP and built jointly by Green Marine in the United Kingdom and CDK Technologies in France.
The IMOCA 60 Class yacht FRA 101 - Foncia designed by Farr Yacht Design and launched in the year 2007.
The IMOCA 60 Class yacht DCNS was designed by Finot-Conq and launched in the 2008 after being built at Multiplast shipyard in Vannes, with the deck made by the Larros shipyard in Arcachon.
The IMOCA 60 Class yacht Hugo Boss 6 was designed by VPLP, Guillaume Verdier and Alex Thomson Racing and launched in 2015 after being built by Green Marine based in Hythe, England.
The IMOCA 60 Class yacht L'Occitane en Provence, FRA 2, was designed by Sam Manuard and launched on the 31st January 2020 after being assembled by Black Pepper Yachts based in Nantes, France. Pauger Composites in Hungary did the hull moulding.
The IMOCA 60 Class yacht Paprec-Virbac 2 was designed by Farr Yacht Design, assembled by Southern Ocean Marine based in New Zealand and then shipped to France where it was launched in 2007. The boat is a sister ship to Gitana 80, also built by the same builder from the same moulds.
The IMOCA 60 Class yacht LinkedOut, FRA 79 was designed by Guillaume Verdier, built by the Italy-based Persico Marine and launched on 9 July 2019.
The IMOCA 60 Class yacht Charal was designed by VPLP Design Office in partnership with Gurit for the structural design. The boat was launched on 20 August 2018 after being assembled by CDK Technologies based in Port La Forêt, Lorient in France.
V&B Monbana Mayenne is an IMOCA 60 monohull sailing yacht, designed by Guillaume Verdier and constructed by Mer Concept (FRA) in France, launched on 27 of June 2022. It is designed for the Vendée Globe 2024, a solo tour of the world. Its skipper is the French Maxime Sorel.
MACIF Santé Prévoyance, is an IMOCA 60 monohull sailing yacht, designed by Guillaume Verdier, built by CDK Technologies and Mer Concept in France, and launched on 24 June 2023. It has been designed for the Vendée Globe 2024, a solo tour of the world. Its skipper is the French Charlie Dalin.
