The fleet of the Vendée Globe crossed the starting line at Les Sables d’Olonne on France’s Atlantic coast on Nov. 10, 2012. Twenty sailors are competing in the seventh edition of the Vendée Globe, single-handed, non-stop, around the world sailing race.
The race is sailed west to east via the three major capes — Good Hope, Leeuwin, and Horn. It begins with a long leg down the Atlantic to the Southern Ocean, across the Indian Ocean and the Pacific with a final leg back up the Atlantic finishing in Les Sables d’Olonne, France.
The Vendée is sailed during a three-month period in Open 60s, IMOCA class boats (International Monohull Open Class Association) and has become a premier record setting, international yachting event.
Competitors in the 2012-2013 Vendée Globe include Vincent Riou (France), Jean Le Cam (France), Mike Golding (U.K.), Dominique Wavre (Swiss), and Samantha Davies (U.K.), all veterans of the 2008-2009 event.