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.
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.
Gitana 16, her name when launched, is an IMOCA 60 monohull sailing yacht, designed by VPLP and Guillaume Verdier and constructed by Multiplast in France. She was later known as Malizia II. The yacht's hull has a tumblehome shape and is equipped with foils, which were upgraded in 2016 and again in 2020. The boat was commissioned for the Gitana Sailing Team founded by Benjamin de Rothschild. Her first skipper was Sébastien Josse who was later replaced by Boris Herrmann. The yacht does not use any fossil fuel for power. In 2019, solar panels with an output of 1.3kw were installed, and power is also generated by two hydro-electric generators at the stern that can be raised and lowered as needed.
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.
Armel Tripon is a French sailor who finished 11th in the 2020–2021 Vendée Globe. sailing the first SCOW influenced IMOCA designed by first time design Samual Manard and build by Black Pepper Yachts.
The 2016–2017 Vendée Globe was a non-stop solo Round the World Yacht Race for IMOCA 60 class yachts and the eighth edition of the race.
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.
Foncia 2 is a IMOCA 60 Class offshore racing monohull sailing yacht launched 2010.
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 Banque Populaire VIII was launched on the 9 June 2015, designed by Guillaume Verdier and VPLP and constructed by CDK Technologies in France.
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 DCNS was designed by Finot-Cong and launched in the 2008 after being built Multiplast shipyard in Vannes, the deck was made by the Larros shipyard in Arcachon.
The IMOCA 60 Class yacht Brit Air (2) sail number FRA 62 was designed by Finot-Conq and launched in the July 2007 after being built Multiplast in France. Not to be confused with the IMOCA 60 Sodebo was rebranded for the 2006 season and competed as Brit Air while this boat was inbuild.
The IMOCA 60 Class yacht Apivia Mutuelle, FRA 79 was designed by Guillaume Verdier and launched in 2019 after being built CDK Technologies based in Lorient, France. The boat initial skipper who is also a Naval Architect Charlie Dalin had significant input as did MerConcept the company headed by François Gabart.
The IMOCA 60 Class yacht Hugo Boss 6 was designed by VPLP, Guillaume Verdier and Alex Thomson Racing and launched in the 2015 after being built Green Marine based in Hythe, England.
The IMOCA 60 class racing yacht Groupe Bel was launched in 2007 to a designed by VPLP and Guillaume Verdier and constructed by Indiana Yachting in Italy.
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 the 20th August 2018 after being assembled by CDK Technologies based Port La Forêt, Lorient in France.
The IMOCA 60 Class yacht Spirit Of Hungary, HUN 77 was designed by Nandor Fa and Attila Dery-Hu for him to compete in the Barcelona World Race and Vendee Globe and launched in the 7 April 2014 after being built Pauger Composite based in Kápolnásnyék in Hungary.
Charal 2, is an IMOCA 60 monohull sailing yacht, designed by Sam Manuard and constructed by CDK Technologies in France, launched on 11th July 2022. It is designed for the Vendée Globe 2024, a solo tour of the world. Its skipper is the French Jérémie Beyou.
The IMOCA 60 Class yacht Initiative Coeur 4, FRA 109 was designed by Sam Manuard and launched on the 30th July 2022 With the hull moulding done by Pauger Composites in Hungary under the guidance of Black Pepper Yachts.
