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 Velux 5 Oceans Race was a round-the-world single-handed yacht race, sailed in stages, managed by Clipper Ventures since 2000. Its most recent name comes from its main sponsor Velux. Originally known as the BOC Challenge, for the title sponsor BOC, the first edition was in 1982. In the late 1990s the race was renamed the Around Alone. After attracting just five entries in the 2010-11 race, the event has not been held since.
The IMOCA, is a 60ft development class monohull sailing yacht administered 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.
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.
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 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 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 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 PRB 5 was designed by Verdier Design Team headed by Guillaume Verdier and is due to be launched in 2022, after being built by Carrington Boats in Hythe, England. The boat was shipped to France for final fitout. The hull was moulded for an Ocean Race project that was cancelled during the COVID-19 pandemic. The PRB team used the part completed as a way to accelerate their build process and get back out on the water following the sinking of PRB 4.
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. 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 Gartmore Investment, GBR 55 was designed by Finot-Conq, and launched in May 1998 after being made by JMV Industries in Cherbourg, France. Note during 1996-1997 the IMOCA 60 Coyote was branded Gartmore while this boat was being built.
The IMOCA 60 class yacht Temenos (2) was designed by Owen Clark Design and launched in September 2006 after being made by Southern Ocean Marine in New Zealand. The boat is a development of Ecover 2 and Aviva made by the same builder and designer and looks like the same moulds.
The IMOCA 60 Class yacht Whirlpool-Europe 2 was designed by Marc Lombard and launched in the August 1998 after being built Mag in France.
The IMOCA 60 Class yacht Safran 2, FRA 25 was designed by Lauriot-Prévost and G. Verdier and launched in the August 2007 after being built Chantier Naval de Laros in France.
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 Yukoh V, JPN 11 also known as DMG Mori was designed by VPLP Design Office in partnership with Gurit for the structural design. The boat is a sistership to IMOCA 60 Charal but produced afterwards by Multiplast in France. The boat was launched on the 2nd September 2019.
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.
The IMOCA 60 Class yacht Arkéa Paprec, FRA 4 was designed by Juan Kouyoumdjian and launched on 19 July 2019 after being built CDK Technologies in Port La Forêtin, France
The IMOCA 60 Class yacht No Way Back, NED 160 was designed by VPLP design and Guillaume Verdier and launched in the 18 August 2015 after being built Persico in Italy. The boat had structural issues during the 2022 Route de Rhum when the ballast tanks demounted themselves. This while retiring from the race the previous day and heading back towards Portugal led to an onboard fire and the boat was lost,
The IMOCA 60 class yacht Hexagon, NZL 8 was designed by Owen Clark Design and launched in 2001 after being made by Southern Ocean Marine in New Zealand. The boat was built for Graham Dalton (NZL) brother of Whitbread and America Cup fame Grant Dalton (NZL).
