Assessment of the first edition and crowning of VDH
On April 22, 2019 - exactly 50 years after Sir Robin Knox-Johnston arrived in Falmouth after 312 days at sea - the French sailor Jean-Luc Van Den Heede was crowned the winner of the event. At 73 years of age, he is following in the footsteps of the Anglo-Saxon sailor, the first sailor to complete a solo round the world voyage in 1969.
The start was given on July 18 from Sables-d'Olonne with 18 sailors ready to fight it out. But quickly, the conditions encountered impacted the entire fleet After 25 days at sea, there are already 3 of them who have given up, 2 to run in the Chichester category and 1 who has retired from the race to take part independently in the "Carozzo" category.
Assessment of the race: 12 retirements, 1 Chichester, 5 finishes and 1 navigator still in course?!
A new edition in 2022
The difficulty of the race did not dampen the enthusiasm of the participants since a next edition is already planned. It will take place in 2022 and 20 sailors of 10 different nationalities are already engaged for a departure on 22 September 2022 (7 British, 3 Australians, 2 French, 2 American, 1 Austrian, 1 Canadian, 1 Irish, 1 Italian, 1 New Zealander, 1 Norwegian). Of the 20 future participants, 12 already have a loan boat.
Ertan Beskardes (GBR) who competed on his Rustler 36 Lazy Otter in 2018 announced his return to racing.
The organization also announced that another class of boats will start in 3 years. If the first edition honoured Robin Knox Johnston's Suhaili, the next edition would focus on Moitessier's Joshua.
Finally, if logic would have it that this new beginning should be given from the Vendée, nothing is less certain. In addition, changes to the regulations are announced, starting with safety.
The participants
- John Clarke (47) GBR - Nicholson 32 MKX
- Ian Herbert Jones (49) GBR - Tradewind 35
- Guy Waites (52) GBR
- Ertan Beskardes (57) GBR - Rustler 36
- Simon Curwen (60) GBR - Biscay 36
- Robin Davie (67) GBR - Rustler 36
- GBR Confidential
- Arnaud Gaist (47) FRA Barbican 33 MKII (long keel version)
- Confidential FRA
- Guy deBoer (63) USA
- Doug Dean JOHNSON (53) USA - Rustler 36
- Matthew Wright (49) AUS
- Michael Date (57) AUS Aries 32
- Confidential AUS
- Michael Guggenberger (41) AUT - Endurance 35
- Gaurav Shinde (32) CAN
- Pat Lawless (62) IRE Saga 36
- Guido Cantini (50) ITA Vancouver 34
- Confidential NZL - Rustler 36
- Confidential NOR
