Vendée Globe 2024: Epic race around the world, innovating for an eco-responsible sail

The history of the Vendée Globe

The Vendée Globe is the heir to the Golden Globe Challenge, which was the first solo, non-stop round-the-world race organised in 1968 by The Sunday Times.

Of the nine pioneers who set off in 1968, only one managed to return to Falmouth, the great port of Cornwall, England. On 6 April 1969, after 313 days at sea, the Briton Robin Knox-Johnston finally reached his destination. Twenty years later, it was the sailor Philippe Jeantot who, after his double victory in the BOC Challenge (the solo round-the-world race with stops), proposed the idea of a new race around the world, solo, but... without stops! The Vendée Globe was born. On 26 November 1989, thirteen sailors set off for the first edition, which would last more than three months. Only seven would return to Les Sables d’Olonne.

This race is founded on 3 pillars: solo, non-stop and without assistance. "One man, one woman, the round-the-world, one boat." Simple as a concept, isn't it? The Vendée Globe is a unique solo race in the world, where the skipper is the only one on board to face the round-the-world challenge, without assistance or crew. The only exception to this strict rule concerns the rescue of another competitor in distress. This was notably the case during the previous edition, where Jean Le Cam rescued Kévin Escoffier.

Non-stop…The only technically feasible stop for a competitor in the Vendée Globe is to return to Les Sables d’Olonne, within a maximum of 10 days after the start. In 2008, Michel Desjoyeaux actually returned to the Vendée pontoons and set off again with a 40-hour delay. This did not prevent him from winning the race!

Without assistance… During the Vendée Globe, the sailor is alone on board. The only assistance allowed occurs in the case of a return to Les Sables d’Olonne after the start, a choice that carries significant consequences for the competitor. Apart from this exception, skippers must face the round-the-world journey relying solely on their own resources.

Towards a more sustainable world

In 2016, Conrad Colman made history in the Vendée Globe by becoming the first skipper to complete his round-the-world trip without using fossil fuel.

For this edition, Fabrice Amedeo follows in his footsteps, and by 2028, all participants will have to respect this ecological transition. On Tuesday 6 February, the organisation of the Vendée Globe officially announced the ban on the use of diesel engines for electricity production on board the sailing boats from the 2028 edition. This decision commits the entire IMOCA class to abandon fossil fuels, thus accelerating the ecological transition in this mythical race.

The regulation will include a "Carbon Cap", a threshold aimed at limiting CO₂ emissions in the construction of new IMOCAs. The race towards a more environmentally friendly Vendée Globe is therefore well underway!

It is essential to go even further in ecological commitment. At the start of the Vendée Globe, a fleet of boats accompanies the sailing boats, the number of which varies according to the editions and weather conditions. For example, during the 2020 edition, around thirty boats were present to supervise the start. For the 2024 edition, although the exact number is not yet known, it is likely that the fleet will be similar, if not larger, in order to ensure the safety of the 40 participating skippers.

At Weenav, we have the solution to equip this support fleet with electric motors, allowing for environmentally friendly navigation and fitting into a decarbonisation approach. We firmly believe that it is time to move to a clean mode of navigation to support these sailing boats that move thanks to the elements. Ready to take on this challenge, we are determined to contribute to a sustainable future while preserving the beauty of our oceans.