Fabrice Amédéo - Newrest Art & Fenêtres
For his second consecutive participation, the former journalist will sail on board of a new boat equipped with foils . If he had come full circle in 2016/2017, he intends to play the winner this year.
"It is a great privilege to participate for the second time. I'm very happy to be back. I'm very excited as a former journalist to face the best sailors on this round the world race. On this penultimate generation boat, I hope to sail around the world and, with the help of the dropouts, to have a nice place. I'll try to share my adventure as I did on the previous ambition. This year, I also have an oceanographic ambition, with two sensors installed in my boat to probe the oceans."
Romain Attanasio - PURE - Best Wester
After a 15th place in the 2016/2017 Vendée Globe, Romain Attanasio is back for another edition. But this one will have a special flavour, as his partner, Samantha Davies, will also be taking part.
"My partners offered me the chance to take part in the 2020 Vendée Globe and Samantha had the opportunity too. When she was hesitating about leaving on this project, I told her "go", we'll get organised afterwards. It's the first time we'll be sailing around the world together.
The Vendée Globe is the race of a lifetime, but it's also a pain in the ass every day. I had a lot of problems in the previous edition, notably the broken rudders, but I managed to get through it. Eric Bellion told me that this experience would bring a lot to my life as a man, and it did."
Yannick Bestaven - Master Rooster IV
This 2020 edition marks the comeback of Yannick Bestaven after a first abortive experience in the Bay of Biscay on the 2008 edition. The co-inventor of the Watt & Sea hydrogenerator returns more ambitious than ever after an 11th place in the Transat Jacques Vabre 2019 and a victory in this same Class40 race in 2015.
"In 2008, I dismasted and couldn't race. At the same time, I was able to attend the birth of my daughter. I waited 12 years to come back in very good conditions with Maitre Coq. This edition has nothing to do with the one of 2008. I have a real sporting project with a boat in my hand. It's the old Safran, the first IMOCA boat fitted with foils four years ago, which at the time was the best boat with Banque Populaire"
Didac Costa - One planet
The Catalan sailor experienced a few mishaps during his first participation in the 2016 Vendée Globe. His boat had been struck by lightning a month before the start, and as soon as the start was given, he was forced to return to the pontoons, where he benefited from an incredible chain of solidarity from his colleagues in Les Sables. Able to set off again, the technical problems had not spared him, but he had nevertheless finished the race in 14th place.
"The boat is almost ready to go, we still have some time to work. We've worked a lot over the past few months and I'm very happy to be at the start of this new Vendée Globe. It's a fantastic opportunity for me to sail around the world."
Sébastien Destremau - Merci?!
Four years ago, he finished 18th in the Vendée Globe, after 124 days at sea, 50 days after Armel le Cléac'h, winner of the 8th edition. This year, he is back on a new boat - the one on which Conrad Colman sailed the 2016-2017 Vendée Globe under jury rigging - which he christened Merci?! to evoke the gratitude he has received from all his fans.
"I finished the last Vendée Globe with a deep sense of gratitude for those who supported me and were there at the finish. On the podium, I said thank you to those who were there and by displaying this word in my sails, I am thanking everyone in general. I have this feeling of being a very privileged person. Of course, it's hard and there's a lot of trouble. We get hurt, but I'm happy and lucky to be here."
Stéphane le Diraison - Time for Oceans
Forced to retire from the previous edition of the Vendée Globe due to a dismasting, Stéphane Le Diraison intends to come full circle this time around. With his boat now fitted with a new mast and with an eighth place in the Route du Rhum in 2018, he is ready for this new challenge.
"My dismasting has been instructive. It's been a great lesson in humility. I thought I'd finish the race, I felt strong and then I dismasted. Today my boat has been completely rebuilt. Everything has been modified: mast, deck, foils, ballast..."
Alan Roura - La Fabrique
He was the youngest in the race 4 years ago and will be again this year. In 2016, he finished the race in 12th position, but since then, water has flowed under the bridge. The North Atlantic Record holder hopes to compete with some of his rivals who have boats of the same generation as his own.
"In 2016, I had a very old boat - which, by the way, will be on the start line for this edition. We had prepared with a small budget and at the last minute. I bought an old generation boat from 2007, which has been completely modified and I learnt a lot with it. My goal on my return from the 2016 Vendée Globe was to race with Fabrice (editor's note: Amédéo) and Arnaud Boissières. I'm going to be able to achieve that and I hope to get my revenge."
Thomas Ruyant - LinkedOut
Embarked on the 2016 Vendée Globe on Le Souffle du Nord for Le Projet Imagine, he was forced to abandon his first circumnavigation of the globe. His boat broke up midway through the race, off New Zealand and his return to land will mark the 8 e edition.
Determined to come back with a high-performance project, he had a brand new boat of the latest generation built thanks to investors. She is one of the contenders for the podium and may frighten many of her rivals.
"I have a great machine prepared by a real dream team with quality partners. I have a great desire to get up to the level of the people around me in terms of competition. But I also have a nice message to pass on. Advens, its main partner, has chosen to highlight the professional LinketOut network on the hull of my boat. The idea is to help 80 people get back to work before the end of my round-the-world trip."
Kojiro Shiraishi - DMG Mori
We remember the Japanese skipper wearing a kimono, greeting his public during the descent of the channel in Les Sables-d'Olonne during the 2016 edition. While he had the privilege of being the first Asian sailor to take part in the Vendée Globe, his adventure ended in the Indian Ocean after dismasting. He is returning this year with a latest-generation boat, sistership to Charal.
"I'm going to sail on a new boat. It's the first time I've had a boat like this. The goal is to sail it and finish the race. Four years ago, the most important moment for me was the start, it was fantastic. I got into this ocean racing world, and now I really have to try and finish. That's my main goal."
