On September 19, 2024, the Vendée Globe press conference took place, with the start scheduled for November 10. The event was an opportunity to (re)discover the 40 skippers who will be taking part in the 10th edition of the race. As the Vendée Globe president explained, 200 skippers have attempted this solo round-the-world race, and only 114 have managed to complete it. "A hyper demanding event, reserved for heroes of the sea."> Alain Leboeuf, President of the Vendée Globe, explained: "p1"first"It's an exceptional line-up for this 10th edition. It's a totally inclusive race. It's certainly the only race with such difficulty. On the same starting line, there are 34 men, 6 women, young talents with 15 newcomers, but also some old hands. 25 skippers will be setting off for at least a second round-the-world race and more. There are also handisport skippers, and projects with more modest budgets rubbing shoulders with those of bigger teams. Everyone is pitted against each other on the same ocean. 14 international skippers of 6 different nationalities are also present, which proves that the race is becoming more and more international and more and more interesting
Vendée Globe rookies
The parade began with the newcomers. While some of them have already completed several round-the-world tours, or have had successful careers as skippers, this 10th edition will be their "We've put in a lot of hard work, expended a lot of energy and I hope to enjoy myself as much as possible.".
Antoine Cornic - Human Immobilier
After finishing 10th in the 2001 Mini Transat, he set his sights on the 2004 Vendée Globe. Lacking partners, he changed course, set up two restaurants and started a family. Several years later, the race caught up with him and he set up a Vendée Globe project for 2021. "We're working hard with my team and I'm starting to get the boat under control."
Violette Dorange - DeVenir
The youngest competitor in the event, she will be taking part in her first Vendée Globe at just 23 years of age. She crossed the English Channel and the Straits of Gibraltar in an Optimist before taking part in three editions of the Solitaire du Figaro, finishing 10th in 2022. She bought Jean Le Cam's boat - Hubert - and benefited from his experience. "The sea is the last space of freedom. I went to the South Seas with a boat not made for it and I'm going back with a boat made for it."
Louis Duc - Fives Group - Lantana Environnement
first Swiss-German to start the Vendée Globe."> After several years sailing in Class40s, he will join the IMOCA circuit in 2021. Determined, he's a jack of all trades. It wasn't easy to get to the start. "The Volvos and Ocean Races allow us to get a better grasp of the course, to discover how to sail its boats around the world."
Benjamin Ferré - Monnoyeur - Duo For a Job
sail."> A lover of the open sea, he took part in the 2019 Mini Transat, which introduced him to the world of racing. He. Takes on the challenge of setting sail in the Vendée Globe 2024. At the forefront of drifting boats, he was able to count on Jean Le Cam's support to move forward. "s1"
Tanguy Le Turquais - Lazarus
Cape Horn, I'm going back!"> A merchant navy graduate, he has a long sailing career: 2 Mini Transat, 2 French Mini champion titles, 3 Transat AG2R en Figaro, 5 Solitaires du Figaro. He wears the colors of an association helping the homeless. "First of all, I hope to finish the race and experience lots of happy moments, have a great race. But I wouldn't give precise figures."
Nicolas Lunven - Holcim PRB
Double winner of the Solitaire du Figaro , he may be a rookie, but he's no stranger to round-the-world sailing. He has 3 participations in the Volvo Ocean Race and finished 3rd in the last The Ocean Race with Team Malizia. "The Vendée Globe is an incredible adventure, but so is preparing for it. We worked hard with the team to get Biotherm back in the water."
Sébastien Marsset - Foussier
cross the finish line of this race and I'm proud to be taking part in this 2024 edition with a new boat and new colors."> This is not his first circumnavigation either - albeit with a crew - as he has taken part in the Volvo Ocean Race twice, as well as the Jules Verne Trophy on Spindrift in 2016. At ease and versatile, being at the start of the Vendée Globe is already a first victory. "Ellen MacArthur inspires me. I tell myself that she found herself very small in the face of the big seas. If she could do it, why couldn't I?
Pip Hare - Medallia
The English yachtswoman is a latecomer to sailing, taking part in the 2011 Mini Transat. For the 2020 edition, she has bought Superbigou, an IMOCA built in 2000, the oldest boat in the fleet. She commanded respect in her first participation, notably with her rudder repair after Cape Horn. She's back on a 2016 boat and has prepared for the race in Great Britain, isolated from the rest of the world. "> The sailor has some fine victories to his name on various ocean racing circuits, both solo and crewed. Twice winner of the Solitaire du Figaro in 2016 and 2019, and twice winner of the Route du Rhum in 2018 and 2022 in Class40, he hopes to follow in the footsteps of François Gabart in 2016 and add the Vendée Globe to his list as a rookie. "> Boris Herrmann - Malizia - Seaxplorer
He began his professional ocean racing career in 2001. At the time, he was the youngest participant in the Mini Transat. Since then, he has circumnavigated the globe 6 times: Barcelona World Race, Jules Verne Trophy attempt, Class40 round-the-world race. In 2020, he becomes the first German to take part in the Vendée Globe. He finished 5th after colliding with a fishing boat at the finish while asleep. In 2022, he launched the construction of a new boat and finished 3rd in The Ocean Race, winning 2 legs and breaking the distance record.
Isabelle Joschke - MACSF
Giancarlo Pedote - Prysmian
Winner of the 2015 Transat Jacques Vabre in Ocean Fifty, he was twice voted Sailor of the Year in Italy. In 2020, he finished 8th in the Vendée Globe. His arrival will be remembered, celebrating his joy on the deck of his boat and cuddling him. He wrote a book after his race, in which he talks about missing his loved ones, but also about the fulfillment he felt. "> They too are taking part in their first non-stop single-handed round-the-world race, but they are foreigners.
skippers who've done it all before
The next 10 skippers are not newcomers, with a total of 29 participations between them.
Fabrice Amédéo - Nexans - Wewise
A former Figaro journalist, he's back for a 3rd edition. Everything could have ended for him on the Route du Rhum 2022 when his boat caught fire. But he has bought back an old boat for this 10th edition. "> Oliver Heer - Ocean Racing
Romain Attanasio - Fortinet - Best Western
He began ocean racing in 1999 with the Mini Transat. He then joined the Pole Finistère in Port La Forêt and the IMOCA circuit. In 2016, he finished 15th, then 14th in 2020 on an old boat. Today, he has recovered a foiler from 2015, but his dismasting on the Azimut challenge a few weeks before the start is a handicap. "
Yannick Bestaven - Maître Coq
A Parisian engineer, he designed the hydrogenerator that equips most racing boats. He won the Mini in 2001, then moved on to the Class40 and IMOCA. In 2008, he abandoned the Vendée Globe, then won it for his second participation in 2020 in 80 d 03 h 44 m 46 s with 10h15 bonus. "> The Swiss sailor tacked for the first time on Lake Geneva before taking part in the 2013 Mini Transat, where she finished in second place. She then went on to compete in various circuits: Volvo Ocean Race, Solitaire du Figaro, Transat Jacques Vabre. She also won the last edition of The Ocean Race with 11th Hour Racing. "> Jérémie Beyou - Charal
He loves speed, to the detriment of comfort. Jérémie Beyou is no stranger to ocean racing. One of the favorites in 2020, he was forced to return to Les Sables-d'Olonne for repairs and set sail again 9 days later. He finished 13th. For his 5th participation, he is at the helm of Charal 2, with which he finished 3rd in the Route du Rhum 2022. "> Denis Van Weynbergh - D'Ieteren Group
Arnaud Boissières - La Mie Câline
Louis Burton - Bureau Vallée
He finished 3rd in the Vendée Globe 2020, and is remembered for his masthead repairs in the middle of the ocean. Will he do better? "> Like Nandor Fa, the first Hungarian skipper to complete the race, he hopes to go all the way. His experience comes from dinghy sailing and match racing on the Qu'Allard. He was also a rigger on the 32nd America's Cup in 2017. He is also at ease on land, having competed in 6 Ironman races.
Samantha Davies - Initiatives Coeur
With a first circumnavigation at the age of 24 and 5 in total, as well as numerous transatlantic crossings, the Englishwoman is one of the most experienced sailors on board. In 2020, damage forced her to abandon the boat for repairs in Cape Town. Traumatized, she could have stopped the whole thing, but decided to finish out of the race, along with Isabelle Joschke. "> At the age of 12, this young Chinese athlete lost his left hand in an accident. In 2005, he joined the Chinese national team and took up sailing. In his homeland, he reached almost every podium. In 2008, he took part in the Beijing Paralympic Games. He has also been voted China's Personality of the Year several times. "> Jean Le Cam - It all starts in Finistère - Armor Lux
At the age of 65, the man nicknamed King Jean will be taking part in his 6th Vendée Globe aboard a new IMOCA, but without a foil. The choice of sobriety and a mutual project with Eric Bellion, Benjamin Ferré and Violette Dorange. This outspoken sailor finished 4th in the last edition, during which he rescued Kevin Escoffier, whose boat had been wrecked. "> They've signed up for a second edition! Alan Roura - Hublot At 20, he completed the Mini Transat in 2013. In 2016, he became the youngest competitor to finish the Vendée Globe, and was back for a second edition in 2020, finishing 17th. In 2022, he takes over Alex Thomson's old boat, the first IMOCA with a fully enclosed cockpit at the heart of the boat. The man who found it hard to get a feel for his boat at the start says it's just like him now, for his 3rd participation. "> Eric Bellion - Stand as One
