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HomeVendee Globe - Round The World Yacht RaceIntroduction and Warm UpVendée Globe: Favourites, Rookies, and Everything You Need to Know

Vendée Globe: Favourites, Rookies, and Everything You Need to Know

The Vendée Globe has a strong lineup of sailors, with seven top contenders leading the pack. Charlie Dalin, a frontrunner after winning multiple prestigious races since the 2021 Vendée, will race with his new vessel, MACIF Santé Prévoyance. Not far behind, Thomas Ruyant and Jérémie Beyou both bring experience and competitive new boats. Ruyant’s VULNERABLE and Beyou’s Charal have shown impressive performances, each skippered by veterans driven to clinch victory. Newcomers Yoann Richomme and Sam Goodchild join these ranks, bringing skill and solid vessels with proven capabilities. Rounding out the Gang of Seven, Boris Hermann and Samantha Davies, both experienced sailors, have kept busy with podium finishes since the last Vendée Globe, making them serious threats in this year’s race.

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A Coveted Top 10 Finish

For many skippers, a top 10 finish is both achievable and ambitious. Justine Mettraux and Sébastien Simon are veterans with proven vessels who aim to keep up with the foilers. Louis Burton, who placed third in the last Vendée Globe, and Damien Seguin, racing with a former winning boat, are both hoping to shake things up. Paul Meilhat and Nicolas Lunven, equipped with latest-generation foilers, tested the Southern Ocean in previous races and are keen for a top finish.

Benjamin Dutreux, Photo Credit: Vendée Globe

Previous Vendée competitors like Benjamin Dutreux and Maxime Sorel will also leverage their experience to push for a top 10 spot, alongside notable names like Yannick Bestaven, the previous winner, and Alan Roura, racing a former Hugo Boss boat. With additional strong contenders like Romain Attanasio and Clarisse Crémer, the top 10 is shaping up to be highly competitive.

The Battle of the Daggerboard Boats

A fascinating “race within the race” unfolds among the 16 boats with straight daggerboards, which, while slower than foilers, excel in certain conditions. Jean Le Cam, a top finisher in the previous edition, debuts a new daggerboard boat, while competitors like Benjamin Ferré and Guirec Soudée join the lineup with aspirations to surprise the field. Seasoned sailors like Violette Dorange, Tanguy Le Turquais, and Louis Duc add to the daggerboard category’s suspense, showing that these boats, when handled well, remain competitive. Notable participants from the previous Vendée include Manuel Cousin and Fabrice Amedeo, while rookies like Jungkun Xu from China and Szabolcs Weöres from Hungary bring diversity to the lineup.

Conrad Colman, Kiwi Sailer In The Vendée Globe, Round The World Race Photo Credit: Colman

This year’s Vendée Globe promises high drama, from seasoned veterans aiming to retain titles to newcomers challenging the status quo. With an eclectic mix of top-tier vessels and skilled skippers, the race embodies the spirit of endurance, grit, and competitive edge that has defined the Vendée Globe for decades.


#VendeeGlobe #Sailing #OceanRacing #TopContenders #Foilers #Daggerboard

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