The Everest of the sea
A contingent of 33 solo sailors are confirmed for the start of this year's Vendée Globe, breaking the entry record for one of the world's toughest offshore races.
09 September 2020
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A record sized fleet will compete in the 2020 edition of the Vendée Globe, with organsiers already confirming 33 competitors are registered to be on the start line off Les Sables d’Olonne on 8 November.
The field sees a notable return of women skippers as a record six female solo racers are set to take the line, while there is an almost equal balance between first time rookies and skippers returning for another crack at the solo ocean racing challenge.
Alex Thomson has been busy training on board Hugo Boss since relaunching his IMOCA 60. Asked about his ambitions for the 2020 Vendée Globe, the answer was simple.
“To win. For our team, that can be the only goal. After finishing third and second in the past two editions of the race, a win is the only result that will satisfy us,” said Thomson.
“Our team brings an enormous amount of experience to this race.”
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“We’ve faced many challenges and setbacks, and so I feel confident in our ability to always find a way past those.
When I take to the start line, I certainly take some confidence in the fact that I have been there before and I understand this race.”
Entrants have until 15 October to provide a valid IMOCA class measurement certificate. This additional time will allow teams to work on any late modifications before finally setting up the configuration of the boat for the race.
A few competitors validated their qualification by finishing the Vendée – Arctique – Les Sables d’Olonne race, and in doing so completed their required solo course. Isabelle Joschke (MACSF) and Kojiro Shiraishi (DMG Mori) did this by crossing the finish line near the Nouch Sud buoy.
They were joined by Clément Giraud who, following his participation in the Vendée Arctic Les Sables d’Olonne will be able to participate in the Vendée Globe on Erik Nigon’s boat, as he was unable to raise the necessary funds to be at the start.
Nicolas Troussel (Corum L’Épargne) and Louis Burton (Bureau Vallée 2), two sailors who already have the Transat Jacques Vabre to their credit, qualified with their own Race Direction approved 2000-nautical-mile solo course, as did Didac Costa (One Planet One Ocean) recently from his native Catalonia.
Penalised by the breakage of one of his foils in the early hours of the Vendée – Arctique – Les Sables d’Olonne race, Sébastien Simon (Arkéa-Paprec) was able to rely on a replacement route to complete his required qualifying miles as a debuting skipper with a new build boat. Likewise, Armel Tripon (L’Occitane en Provence), who suffered a damage in July, completed his registration by making a clean passage on a substitution course.
Given the fact that he had last completed in the Vendée Globe in 2016, Sébastien Destremau (Merci) had to complete a solo course of 2,000-nautical-miles.
He had done most of a required passage when a broken spreader base forced him to retire. As a common sense dispensation, the race director suggested that he complete an additional 1,000-mile course before 15 September.
Sébastien, who holds dual French and Australian nationalities, completed his solo course on the Thursday before entires closed, becoming the 33rd and last registered in the Vendée Globe for 2020.
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