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.
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 was Juan Sebastián Elcano and the remaining members of Ferdinand Magellan's crew who completed their journey in 1522. The first solo record was set by Joshua Slocum in the Spray (1898).
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 Vendee Globe in 2020-21.
Arnaud Boissières is a French professional offshore sailor.
The 2008–2009 Vendée Globe is a non-stop solo Round the World Yacht Race for IMOCA 60 class yachts this is the sixth edition of the race.
The 2004–2005 Vendée Globe is a non-stop solo Round the World Yacht Race for IMOCA 60 class yachts this is the fifth edition of the race starting on 7 November 2004 from Les Sables-d'Olonne.
Foncia 2 is a IMOCA 60 Class offshore racing monohull sailing yacht launched 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 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 Ecover 3 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 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 Gitana 80 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 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 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 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 MACF 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 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,
