How to Follow Sunday's Vendee Globe Start

9th November 2024

Afloat.ie Team

This Sunday 40 Vendée Globe skippers start the 10th edition of the legendary solo round-the-world race from Les Sables d’Olonne in France Credit: Yvan Zedda

On Sunday, 10 November, the 40 Vendée Globe skippers start the 10th edition of the legendary solo round-the-world race from Les Sables d’Olonne in France. And so from 0800hrs (local time/0700hrs UTC) they and their IMOCA boats will leave the pontoon one-by-one, every three minutes.

The first to cast off will be Charlie Dalin (MACIF Santé Prévoyance), one of the favourites for the event.

The sailors will then go down the famous channel to the open sea, an opportunity to bid them farewell one last time. For the sailors, their teams and the thousands of well-wishers who turn out and line the sides of the channel, these are emotional, historic moments. The Vendée Globe will start at 1302hrs (1202hrs UTC).

The final preparations will continue on Saturday, November 9, with the teams' activity reaching a peak. To guarantee safety and efficiency of operation for the skippers and their teams, the pontoon will be closed to the public from Saturday until Sunday afternoon. The number of visitors to the village is expected to be very high on this eve of the start.

Follow the start from home

Two Start Live programs will be produced by the organisation, the first from 0730hrs 1030hrs for the pontoon and channel departures, then from 1215hrs to 1400hrs for the sea start. Thanks to advanced technical means, real-time data and new graphic design, these live broadcasts promise to be exciting, informative and entertaining for the public.

Several options are available to spectators to follow the start from home:

The Start Live on television

Will be broadcast all over the world, across 190 territories.

In France, viewers will be able to follow the event on France 3, the L'Equipe channel, Infosport+, the MAX platform or as part of the TF1, France 2 and M6 newscasts. All day long, the main non-stop news channels (CNEWS, BFM TV, FranceInfo, LCI) will cover the start while many regional channels (TV Vendée, Tébéo, Tébésud, etc.) will also broadcast the start live.

In the rest of the world, and particularly in the countries where the international skippers come from, the crossing of the line of this round the world race will be widely broadcast:

in the United Kingdom on the TNT Sports channel
in Germany: the platforms of the ARD/ZDF Group
in Belgium: the platforms of RTBF, VRT and DH as well as the channels LN24 and Sport10
in Switzerland: the RTS platform and the Leman Bleu channel
in Hungary: MTVA and Hir TV
in the United States: the Outside TV channel
in China: CCTV in China
in New Zealand: Sky Sports

In total, 66 TV channels and digital platforms will broadcast the exceptional images of the live start.

Digital

The event will be broadcast live on the Vendée Globe's YouTube channel, the race's website, and the official Facebook page.

Follow the start in Les Sables d'Olonne

In the Vendée Globe village

The village will open its doors at 0700hrs on the day of the start. On the day, the same as for all other days, you will need to bring your e-ticket. Giant screens will broadcast the live shows and the stands will remain open until 8 p.m. to extend the experience.

The Les Sables d’Olonne channel

Spectators will be able to gather along the channel, which is equipped with sound for the occasion, to accompany the passage of the 40 boats. As the public is expected to be present in very large numbers, the organization calls for mutual respect and help to guarantee everyone an optimal experience. On the La Chaume side, a giant screen will be installed at the foot of the Arundel Tower.

The embankment

It is also possible to see the start from the main beach of Les Sables d'Olonne, binoculars are nevertheless recommended to better appreciate the show.

A giant screen will be positioned at the nautical base, close to the channel, oriented towards the large beach in order to enjoy the Start Live.

Be careful, traffic will be considerably disrupted in Les Sables d'Olonne from the evening of 9 November, all the information can be found on the city's website.

Published in Vendee Globe

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Vendee Globe

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Vendée Globe Race FAQs

How many entries are there in the 2020 Vendée Globe Race?

33 participants.

How many women are in the 2020 Vendée Globe Race?

Six women (Alexia Barrier, Clarisse Cremer, Isabelle Joschke, Sam Davies, Miranda Merron, Pip Hare).

How many countries are racing in the 2020 Vendée Globe Race?

Nine nations (France, Germany, Japan, Finland, Spain, Switzerland, Australia, and Great Britain)

Is Ireland racing in the 2020 Vendée Globe Race?

After much speculation following Galway man Enda O’Coineen’s 2016 race debut for Ireland, there were as many as four campaigns proposed at one point, but unfortunately, none have reached the start line.

What is the Vendee Globe Race?

The Vendée Globe is a sailing race round the world, solo, non-stop and without assistance. It takes place every four years and it is regarded as the Everest of sailing. The event followed in the wake of the Golden Globe which had initiated the first circumnavigation of this type via the three capes (Good Hope, Leeuwin and Horn) in 1968.

What is the Vendée Globe Race record time to beat?

The record to beat is Armel Le Cléac’h 74 days 3h 35 minutes 46s set in 2017. Some pundits are saying the boats could beat a sub-60 day time.

How many miles is the Vendée Globe Race?

The number of theoretical miles to cover is 24,296 miles (45,000 km).

How many sails does each IMOCA boat carry?

A maximum of eight sails.

What is an IMOCA 60?

The IMOCA 60 ("Open 60"), is a development class monohull sailing yacht run by the International Monohull Open Class Association (IMOCA). The class pinnacle events are single or two-person ocean races, such as the Route du Rhum and the Vendée Globe.

How many previous winners are competing in the 2020 Vendée Globe Race?

Zero past winners are competing but two podiums 2017: Alex Thomson second, Jérémie Beyou third. It is also the fifth participation for Jean Le Cam and Alex Thomson, fourth for Arnaud Boissières and Jérémie Beyou.

Who is the youngest competitor in the 2020 Vendée Globe Race?

The youngest on this ninth edition of the race is Alan Roura, 27 years old.

Who is the oldest competitor in the 2020 Vendée Globe Race?

The oldest on this ninth edition is Jean Le Cam, 61 years old.

How many of the 33-boat Vendée Globe fleet are first-timers?

Over half the fleet are debutantes, totalling 18 first-timers.

How does the Vendée Globe 2020 race start?

The start procedure begins 8 minutes before the gun fires with the warning signal. At 4 minutes before, for the preparatory signal, the skipper must be alone on board, follow the countdown and take the line at the start signal at 13:02hrs local time. If an IMOCA crosses the line too early, it incurs a penalty of 5 hours which they will have to complete on the course before the latitude 38 ° 40 N (just north of Lisbon latitude). For safety reasons, there is no opportunity to turn back and recross the line. A competitor who has not crossed the starting line 60 minutes after the signal will be considered as not starting. They will have to wait until a time indicated by the race committee to start again. No departure will be given after November 18, 2020, at 1:02 p.m when the line closes.

When will the Vendée Globe 2020/2021 race finish?

The first boat could be home in sixty days. Expect the leaders from January 7th 2021 but to beat the 2017 race record they need to finish by January 19 2021.

What is the cost of an IMOCA 60?

Today, building a brand new IMOCA generally costs between 4.2 and €4.7million, without the sails but second-hand boats that are in short supply can be got for around €1m.

©Afloat 2020

Vendee Globe 2024 Key Figures