with a fleet of thirteen yachts. Titouan Lamazou of France on The race starts in the Biscay port of Les Sables D’olonne,
Ecureuil d’Aquitaine II led the fleet to the finish line, in 109 days, heading south through the Doldrums, round the Cape of Good
8 hours, 48 minutes. Jeantot entered in Crédit Agricole IV, and Hope, across the southern seas of the Indian ocean, heading east
finished in fourth place in just under 114 days. of the thirteen into the Pacific, before venturing round the infamous Cape Horn,
yachts that entered seven completed the course, with the last where gales are experienced between 200 and 250 days a year
competitor trailing in two months behind the winner; four retired and an unexpected shift in the continental shelf can throw up
and two were eliminated. hugley violent seas. The final stages and the ‘uphill’ stretch head
north through the Atlantic, returning to France, encounters the
tropical high pressure area of the Doldrums which can serve up
either dead calm or violent squalls.
The race is open to monohulls between 59 and 60 ft
conforming to the open 60 class criteria. Prior to 2004, the
race was also open to open 50 boats. The open classes are
unrestricted in certain aspects but a box rule governs parameters
such as overall length, draught, appendages and stability, as
well as numerous other safety features. The rules of the race are
stringent – competitors may stop at anchor to make essential
repairs, but may not draw alongside a quay or another vessel;
and they may receive no outside assistance, including customised
weather or routing information. The only exception is that a
competitor who has an early problem may return to the start for
repairs and then re-start the race, as long the re-start is within
ten days of the official start.
To mitigate the risks, competitors are required to undergo
medical and survival courses. They must also be able to
demonstrate prior racing experience; either a completed single-
handed trans-oceanic race, or a completion of the previous
Vendée Globe. The qualifying passage must have been completed
on the same boat to be raced in the Vendée; or the competitor
must complete an additional trans-oceanic observation passage
of not less than 2,500 miles in that boat, at an average speed
of at least seven knots. Since trans-ocean races typically have
significant qualifying criteria of their own, any entrant to the
Vendée will have amassed substantial sailing experience. u
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Weather forecast training session for skippers of the Vendée
Globe, Marc Guillemot and Roland Jourdain.
DeCeMbeR 2008 YACHTWORLD.COM 25
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