1989-1990 Edition: Aquitaine Squirrel 2 skippered by Titouan Lamazou
For the first edition of the Vendée Globe, Titouan Lamazou is setting sail on a Bouvet-Petit design built by Thierry Euluere in La Teste. Rigged as a sloop, the boat has 11 winches on board, holds 3.50 m for a displacement of 11 tonnes. Titouan will complete the first Vendée Globe in 109 days. Skippered by Bertrand de Broc and then by the late Gerry Roof, she took third place in the 96 Vendée Globe in the hands of Hervé Laurent. After wandering under several names in the United States, she was summarily refitted for cruising. To this day, the boat is in an unfortunate position in Venezuela.
1992-93 Edition: Bagages Superior skippered by Alain Gautier
Alain Gautier will be the only sailor to win a Vendée Globe aboard a Ketch. Designed by the Finot-Conq design firm, Bagage Superior will finish his round the world race in 110 days. He finished 4th in the 1996 edition with Éric Dumont . After several transatlantic races, he races one last time around the world with Zbigniew Gutkowski on the Velux 5 Oceans 2010. His mizzen mast has been removed, but he is still armed for the race. It is now on sale in Poland, for 130,000 euros.
1996-97 Edition: Geodis skippered Christophe Auguin
Chrisophe Auguin won the 1996 edition aboard a large, powerful but unstable prototype. He will arrive victorious in Les Sables after 105 days of racing. A dramatic edition: Raphaël Dinelli's boat sank under his feet, Tony Bullimore lost his keel, Thierry Dubois was recovered in his raft. Gerry Roof will never be found... On board, Bernard Gallay finished 8th in the 2000 Vendée Globe. He was then taken over by Hervé Laurent, who retired in the 2004 edition on broken rudders. The former Geodis is now based in Cherbourg and has been renamed Oxigen.
2000 & 2004 Edition : PRB 2 skippered by Michel Desjoyeaux then by Vincent Riou
A fact that will remain unique in the history of ocean racing, the same boat has won two Vendée Globe editions, but with two different skippers. Plan Finot Conq, she combines innovations: lift-up and interchangeable rudders, wing mast with spreader bar, circular vang track... On board, Michel Desjoyeaux will complete the course in 96 days, 9 days better than in the previous edition.
It was then Vincent Riou, who took the helm for the 2004 Vendée Globe. He modernised the boat with a textile rig, installed a coffee grinder and modified the ballast tanks. Thus prepared, he took first place after 87 days at sea. She then passed into the hands of Anne Liardet, and Sam Davies finished fourth in the 2008 Vendée Globe. She is currently moored in Brest, but has not benefited from any maintenance since 2013.
2008-2009 Edition : Foncia skippered by Michel Desjoyeaux
Farr designs are in fashion for this edition and Michel Desjoyeaux is no exception to the rule. Built at CDK, this large hull is equipped with a rig fitted with outriggers and a satellite life cell. After a forced stopover in Les Sables after the start, Michel Desjoyeaux made an incredible comeback, overtaking all the competitors to finish as the winner in Les Sables, after 84 days at sea. This IMOCA will be racing around the world four times before being taken over by Jean Le Cam in 2015. It was on board that King Jean took the start of the 2020 Vendée Globe.
2012-2013 Edition: Macif skippered by François Gabart
It is on a VPLP -Verdier plan that François Gabart will set off around the world in 2013. After many passes at arms with Armel Le Cléac'h, François wins in Les Sables-d'Olonne after 78 days at sea. The boat will then win the Route du Rhum twice, before being taken over by the Banque Populaire team in 2019. She is currently skippered by Clarisse Crémer, who is one of the favourites for the 2020 edition of the race.
2015-2016 Edition: Banque Populaire VIII skippered by Armel Le Cléac'h
Banque Populaire VIII, which left the CDK yard in Port la Forêt in 2015, is one of the six boats from the VPLP-Verdier design office's drawing board, designed for the 2016 Vendée Globe. After 74 days at sea, Armel Le Cléac'h will be the winner in Les Sables-d'Olonne after an epic duel with Alex Thomson. Taken over by Louis Burton in mid 2016 in order to line up for the 2020 edition, this machine has been upgraded thanks to a lot of work on the foils.
