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 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.
Mike Golding is an English yachtsman, born in Great Yarmouth and educated at Reading Blue Coat School. He is one of the few yachtsmen to have raced round the world non-stop in both directions. He held the solo record for sailing round the world westabout between 1994 and 2000.
The Ecover Sailing team competed in the 2009 iShares Cup, showcasing world class racing around Europe. The races take place in Venice, Hyères, Cowes, Kiel, Amsterdam and Almeria, and the rebranded, 2010 Extreme Sailing Series.
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.
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.
Yannick Bestaven is a French offshore sailor. He won the Transat 6.50 in 2001, was twice winner of the Transat Jacques-Vabre, and won the Vendée Globe in 2020-21.
Arnaud Boissières is a French professional offshore sailor. Boissières is the first sailor to start and finish four consecutive Vendée Globe races.
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.
Foncia 2 is a IMOCA 60 class offshore racing monohull sailing yacht launched in 2010.
Christophe Fourcault de Pavant, also known as Kito de Pavant, is a French sailor.
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 Ecover 3 was designed by Owen Clark Design, made by the New Zealand-based Hakes Marine and launched in September 2006. The boat is a sister ship to Aviva.
The IMOCA 60-class yacht Aviva was designed by Owen Clark Design and launched in September 2006 after being made by Hakes Marine based in New Zealand. The boat is a sistership to the Ecover 3. Note during the run up the original Group 4 was branded as Aviva "111" and used for initial training events while this boat was in build.
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 Gitana 80 was designed by Farr Yacht Design, assembled by Southern Ocean Marine based in New Zealand and was then shipped to France where it was launched in 2007. The boat is a sister ship to Paprec Virbac 2, also built by the same builder from the same moulds.
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 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.
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 and built by Multiplast. The boat is a sistership to IMOCA 60 Charal but produced afterwards by Multiplast in France. The boat was launched on 2 September 2019.
