If they are 36 registrants (Editor's note: Yann Eliès has withdrawn), not everyone will be able to participate in the 2020/2021 Vendée Globe. Indeed, for safety reasons, but also for berths, the race organization has limited the number of places to 34. This is an increase compared to the 2016 edition, where the number of participants was limited to 30 (NLDR: for 29 starters).
However, 36 skippers are pre-registered for the next edition; applications were to be submitted until 1/11/2019. So how to get the precious sesame? There are several ways to qualify.
To have finished one of the five races of the circuit
To enter the Vendée Globe, each skipper must have completed at least one of the following races. This condition is essential to hope to participate in the round the world race:
- Vendée Globe 2016/2017 (solo)
- Route du Rhum 2018 (solo)
- Transat Jacques Vabre 2019 (duo)
- The Transat 2020 (solo)
- New York euros Vendée 2020 (solo)
Which format, which boat?
If the skipper has qualified in a double-handed race or has finished the previous Vendée Globe on a different boat than the one he will be racing in 2020, then he will have to complete 2000 miles of solo qualification on a boat at the start of 2020.
If he/she has qualified as a solo sailor or has participated in the Vendée Globe on the same boat on which he/she will start the 2020 edition, then the registration is final. The skippers will then have to finalize their registration file by the deadline of 01/07/2020.
More than 30 registrants?
If more than 30 skippers are registered for the Vendée Globe, a new selection will take place.
To decide between the participants, the organization will use two criteria:
- Did the skipper finish the 2016 Vendée Globe?
- Has he built a new boat since 01/01/2017?
If one of these two conditions is met, then the skipper is guaranteed to participate in the round the world race. Conversely, the organization will give preference to the sailors who have accumulated the most miles on the Globe Series (solo and duo race over four years, from 2018 to 2021 with VG) which includes :
- The Monaco Globes Series
- The Route du Rhum
- The Bermuda 1000 Race
- The Rolex Fastnet Race
- The Transat Jacques Vabre
- The Transat
- The Transat NY Vendée
Finally, the organization will allocate 4 Wild Cards, meaning that it reserves the right to invite 4 additional registered skippers.
