Anybody here fans of the big race? The start was noon local time today amidst almost zero wind but they're cruising now...
I'm in awe of yoyng, Ms. Violette Dorange. 23 years old and running headlong into the toughest sail race there is. Fair winds and following sea isn't realistic but the sentiment remains. Go get 'em girl. Amazing bravery and a highly skilled sailor, well beyond what one would expect of one so young...
For the uninitiated, this is a solo, nonstop, unassisted race around the world.
I'm in awe of yoyng, Ms. Violette Dorange. 23 years old and running headlong into the toughest sail race there is. Fair winds and following sea isn't realistic but the sentiment remains. Go get 'em girl. Amazing bravery and a highly skilled sailor, well beyond what one would expect of one so young...
For the uninitiated, this is a solo, nonstop, unassisted race around the world.
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The Vendee dates back to the first race of its kind, the1968/69 Golden
Globe. If you're ever in the mood to read a sailing narrative, I highly suggest "The long way" by Bernard Moitessier who, despite being in a position to win, decided that corporate hoo-haa wasn't what it was all about and kept sailing on to Tahiti instead of heading north into the altlantic toward the finish line. The winner and only skipper to complete the race, Sir Robin Knox-Johnso, also authored a great book, "A world of my own".
Cheers
Globe. If you're ever in the mood to read a sailing narrative, I highly suggest "The long way" by Bernard Moitessier who, despite being in a position to win, decided that corporate hoo-haa wasn't what it was all about and kept sailing on to Tahiti instead of heading north into the altlantic toward the finish line. The winner and only skipper to complete the race, Sir Robin Knox-Johnso, also authored a great book, "A world of my own".
Cheers
How about a link for us to reference? Extraordinary!Anybody here fans of the big race? The start was noon local time today amidst almost zero wind but they're cruising now...
I'm in awe of yoyng, Ms. Violette Dorange. 23 years old and running headlong into the toughest sail race there is. Fair winds and following sea isn't realistic but the sentiment remains. Go get 'em girl. Amazing bravery and a highly skilled sailor, well beyond what one would expect of one so young...
For the uninitiated, this is a solo, nonstop, unassisted race around the world.
@JKiriakis of course sir, I should have included a link...
https://www.vendeeglobe.org
There's also a bunch of content on YouTube. The Vendeeglobe channel is official but many others are covering the event, some quite well. The Sea Wolves YT channel is 👍
https://www.vendeeglobe.org
There's also a bunch of content on YouTube. The Vendeeglobe channel is official but many others are covering the event, some quite well. The Sea Wolves YT channel is 👍
The 24 hour distance record has been bested multiple times in the first 17 days of the race. It's currently an astounding 614.25 miles. Ms. Dorange is impressively running mid-pack
This summer I was visiting the starting point/port for the vendee race. I docked my boat amoung some of the racing boats that may be competing or at least similar in design/concepts to them. Quite radical compared to the normal cruising boats. One had a pivoting mast to optimize performance. Note the background billboard of the past winners.
The 66 yo J Le Cam is the most impressive one I would say.... just to goo around.... and that age. Sick!
https://www.vendeeglobe.org/en/article/jean-le-cam-new-boat-whole-new-adventure
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https://www.vendeeglobe.org/en/article/jean-le-cam-new-boat-whole-new-adventure
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@optimationman , You were into Les sables, i recognise the dock! IMOCA's are some kind of sea 'supercars' for sure. It's always impressive to see them go out for training in september/october before the race start.
Funny the race is not most widely known worldwide, but as winners are mostly French it doesn't surprise me either. Mid 90's (95 or 96) it was epic with big storms in Atlantic and issue in Pacific ocean. Australia's saved some competitors iirc.
Funny the race is not most widely known worldwide, but as winners are mostly French it doesn't surprise me either. Mid 90's (95 or 96) it was epic with big storms in Atlantic and issue in Pacific ocean. Australia's saved some competitors iirc.
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Krivium, I meet Thierry Dubios in an Iceland port years ago. One of those rescued in the 96 race by the Australian Navy. In the southern ocean he spent a couple of days on his upside-down racer wrapped around the keel waiting for that rescue. The race is incredible challenging.
Incredibly challenging is an euphemism.
Those skippers are brave!
In 89 there wasn't anything like cellular phone or gps... the first editions were even more adventures than they are now. Crazy people!
Those skippers are brave!
In 89 there wasn't anything like cellular phone or gps... the first editions were even more adventures than they are now. Crazy people!
Yessir, Jean LeCam is something else... personally hitting 60 next spring, I'm pulling for him.
Chichester, Gypsy Moth Circles the World is inspirational reading, especially for the aging sailor.
I'm also pulling for Violette Dorange. 23y/o, 5'6" and sailing an Imoca 60 competitively is a big WOW!!! I'm at a loss for words beyond that.
Following the technology, materials and design changes has been a lot of fun. Wing sails and flight control systems on the AC 75's, high volume scow bows on ocean racers, differing foil designs... what's on the horizon?
For those interested, The Golden Globe Race runs in 2026 again and is a throwback to the original 68/69 race. No Imoca 60 required 👍
FWIW, I did see an Imoca-60 sales listing last night. It was only about $3.4 million outside of my budget.
Chichester, Gypsy Moth Circles the World is inspirational reading, especially for the aging sailor.
I'm also pulling for Violette Dorange. 23y/o, 5'6" and sailing an Imoca 60 competitively is a big WOW!!! I'm at a loss for words beyond that.
Following the technology, materials and design changes has been a lot of fun. Wing sails and flight control systems on the AC 75's, high volume scow bows on ocean racers, differing foil designs... what's on the horizon?
For those interested, The Golden Globe Race runs in 2026 again and is a throwback to the original 68/69 race. No Imoca 60 required 👍
FWIW, I did see an Imoca-60 sales listing last night. It was only about $3.4 million outside of my budget.
You can win a global sailing race without spending millions. Kirsten did it, and ever so challenging it was also. My boat is a sister ship of her's. I built it and we've sailed all the worlds oceans/Seas for 31 years.
27 days in and 38/40 are still racing . The 6th place boat is ~1000 nautical miles behind the leader, Charlie Dalin, while 1st to 38th place are separated by a staggering 5k NM.
Jingkun Xu, a remarkable Chinese gentleman, is 3.6k NM off the lead in the single handed race, racing with a single hand after losing his left at the age of 12.
I stand in awe
Jingkun Xu, a remarkable Chinese gentleman, is 3.6k NM off the lead in the single handed race, racing with a single hand after losing his left at the age of 12.
I stand in awe
Charlie Dalin, being highly skilled, sailing an improved boat and being fortunate to have storm systems lined up at the right time and place is on track to smash the 74 day, 3 hour, 35 minute record. At 63 days, 11 hours, he's ~ 340NM from victory. At the last update (22:00 UTC) he was flying along at over 23 kTS.
Ms. Violette Dorange is hanging tough in 28th place with ~6000NM to go.
Also of note, Jean Le Cam who is sailing the new style hull sans foils is clinging to 14th place and is ahead of several foilers.
Ms. Violette Dorange is hanging tough in 28th place with ~6000NM to go.
Also of note, Jean Le Cam who is sailing the new style hull sans foils is clinging to 14th place and is ahead of several foilers.
Violette Dorange crossed the finish line in 25th place after 90 days, 22 hours, 37 minutes and 9 seconds as the youngest skipper in the history of the race. At a starting weight of a whopping 125lbs, she may well be the smallest in stature to complete the event but I haven't verified that. Piloting a 60' boat unassisted for nearly 91 days and 30,000 miles, making innumerable sail changes, tacks, jibes and even having to climb the mast to effect repairs along the way all add up to Hero level stuff.
https://www.vendeeglobe.org/en/article/violette-dorange-25th-in-vendee-globe-2024
https://www.vendeeglobe.org/en/article/violette-dorange-25th-in-vendee-globe-2024
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