12 women sailors took part in the Vendée Globe
Launched in 1989, the Vendée Globe quickly earned its reputation as the world's most demanding solo race. Sailors must complete a circumnavigation of the globe via the 3 capes, facing sometimes extreme conditions in the Deep South. Yet it is one of the few competitions in which men and women compete on equal terms and on the same course. So much for the physical and mental preparation of female sailors!
Since the race's inception, only 12 women have taken up the challenge. In fact, it wasn't until the 3rd edition, in 1996-1997, that women lined up at the start. Catherine Chabaud was the first to come full circle on this edition, finishing 6th and last of the 15 starters, the others having retired. The young Ellen MacArthur also made her mark, finishing second in the 2000-2001 Vendée Globe at just 24 years of age. In fact, it was the best ranking ever achieved by a female sailor in the Vendée Globe. Last year, Clarisse Crémer also distinguished herself by becoming the fastest single-handed sailor to circumnavigate the globe in a monohull in 87 days.
For this 2024 edition, the number of female starters will be equal to that of the last edition, i.e. 6 women. Proportionally, in 2020/2021, this corresponds to 18.8% of the fleet. This year, with 40 participants, although the number of female sailors is the same, this percentage falls to 15%.
List of participants for the 2024 edition
Samantha Davies on Initiatives-Coeur 4 is tackling her 4th round-the-world voyage. Aboard a latest-generation IMOCA, the British-born sailor has made a name for herself this year with her 3rd place in The Transat CIC, as well as her 6th place in the New York - Vendée Les Sables-d'Olonne. She regularly features in the top 10 in these races and is hoping for a podium finish. In 2008-2009, she finished 4th in the race, while last year she collided with a UFO and underwent repairs in South Africa to complete her non-racing round-the-world voyage.
Isabelle Joschke will be setting sail on her second Vendée Globe aboard her IMOCA MACSF, a 2007 VPLP-Verdier design equipped with foils. While she was in 11th position and leading the women's ranking at ¾ of the way through the last edition of the race, keel damage forced her to retire. Like Samantha Davies, she finished the race out of the running.
Pip Hare caused quite a stir in the previous edition, when she managed to replace one of her broken rudders in the middle of the Southern Ocean. Her courage and determination won over the public. She is back for a second time, having finished 19th. For this new edition, the British sailor has acquired the 2015 VPLP-Verdier, Louis Burton's former Bureau Vallée 2. Medallia has benefited from a complete refit and larger foils.
Clarisse Crémer is the fastest woman in the Vendée Globe since the last edition. She finished 12th in her first race. She returns to this edition with a reliable, high-performance IMOCA, the first finisher of the last Vendée Globe, the former Apivia, now in the colors of L'Occitane en Provence. Accompanied by Alex Thomson, she has never finished in the top 10 this season, but she's determined to make up for it with this second participation.
The Swiss lady Justine Mettraux is taking part in her 1st Vendée Globe on her IMOCA TeamWork-Team SNEF, which is none other than the former Charal, a 2018 VPLP design. The Swiss sailor shares Jérémie Beyou's racing stable. A rising star in the IMOCA class, she has regularly finished in the top 10 in races. She also won The Ocean Race, an IMOCA round-the-world crewed race with stopovers, aboard 11th Hour Racing. Today, she could well be in the top 5.
Violette Dorange is the youngest of this edition. At just 23, she is taking part in her first Vendée Globe aboard the IMOCA DeVenir, the former "Hubert" on which Jean Le Cam finished 4th in the 2020/2021 Vendée Globe. The young woman, who loves a challenge, distinguished herself by her performances in Optimist and 420, before joining the Mini class.
All eyes on the 2028 edition
While the start of this year's race has yet to be announced, a number of new female sailors have confirmed their arrival in the IMOCA class and their ambition to take part in the next round-the-world race in 2028. They include Elodie Bonafous the first French woman to reach the podium in a leg of the Solitaire du Figaro, is building an IMOCA boat with Queguiner. Launched in 2023, the boat is a Verdier design built at CDK with MerConcept.
Cole Brauer the first American to complete a solo, non-stop round-the-world race, is making the transition from Class40 to IMOCA with Boris Herrmann's Team Malizia. Her goal is to take part in the Vendée Globe 2028. For the moment, the young woman does not yet have a boat.
Finally, Francesca Clapchich who heads the Ocean Fifty UpWind project, is also set to move up to the IMOCA class and take over Boris Herrmann's current boat, Malizia - Seaxplorer. The German sailor previously took part in The Ocean Race aboard 11th Hour Racing.
