25 soloists start the 2nd Vendée Arctique on 12 June: The 3,500 nautical mile endurance test on the Vendée Globe course

Halfway to the next Vendée Globe, the second edition of the still young regatta Vendée Arctique - Les Sables d'Olonne starts on 12 June. It has what it takes to become a classic, as a glance at the list of participants undoubtedly reveals. Alain Leboeuf, President of the SAEM Vendée and the Vendée department, presented it today. The starting field is outstandingly strong! Only a few of the Imoca greats are missing, such as Boris Herrmann. His new-build project is in the final stages in Vannes, but the new Imoca will not be ready in time to start a race once it has been thoroughly tested. Team Malizia had therefore ruled out a Vendée-Arctique start from the outset. However, Boris Herrmann has set his sights on the Route du Rhum from 6 November as the first extensive stress test for his new boat.

Both the sporting and media successes of the 9th Vendée Globe 2020/2021 have obviously fuelled the projects of the skippers and their sponsors. Accordingly, work, construction, testing and sailing are feverishly underway. The transition phase from one solo race around the world to the next seems shorter than ever. The Vendée Arctique is now the first of a total of five races in which the skippers can not only test and develop their boats and themselves, but also aim to qualify for the Vendée Globe 2024/2025.

The starting signal for the Vendée Arctique is given on a Sunday at 5 p.m. local time off Les Sables d'Olonne. The 23 skippers and two female skippers (Pip Hare, Isabelle Joschke) have a 3,500 nautical mile course ahead of them, which will take them to the northern waters of the Arctic Circle and back to the start and finish harbour of Les Sables d'Olonne in challenging and changeable conditions. In keeping with French tradition, a race village will be set up in the harbour for the start of the race, which will be open for three weeks from 4 to 26 June with varying degrees of intensity. Hundreds of thousands of fans are expected there once the coronavirus pandemic is over. The celebrations will begin on 3 June from 9.30 pm with a grand parade featuring the skippers of the last Vendée Globe. The organisers want to celebrate the heroes once again, as the finale of the 9th Vendée Globe had to forego the otherwise enthusiastic reception by crowds of fans due to the coronavirus pandemic. The celebration ends with a pyromusical show by Jacques Couturier.

These skippers took part in the 9th Vendée Globe in 2020/2021. Vendée Globe and are now starting the Vendée Arctique: Fabrice Amedeo ("Nexans - Art & Fenetres"), Romain Attanasio ("Fortinet - Best Western"), Jérémie Beyou ("Charal"), Arnaud Boissières ("La Mie Câline"), Louis Burton ("Bureau Vallée"), Manuel Cousin ("Sétin Group"), Charlie Dalin ("Apivia"), Benjamin Dutreux ("Guyot Environnement - Water Family"), Pip Hare ("Medallia"), Isabelle Joschke ("MACSF"), Giancarlo Pedote ("Prysmian Group"), Alan Roura ("Hublot"), Thomas Ruyant ("LinkedOut"), Damien Seguin ("Apicil Group") and Kojiro Shiraishi ("DMG Mori Global One"). The following skippers have already competed in the 8th Vendée Globe: Éric Bellion ("Comme un seul Homme powered by Altavia") and Conrad Colman ("Imagine"). They will be joined by the "rookies", who will be aiming for their Vendée Globe premiere: Antoine Cornic ("Ebac Literie"), Louis Duc ("Fives - Lantana Environnement"), Benjamin Ferré ("Benjamin envoie le Pépin"), Nicolas Lunven ("Banque Populaire"), Sébastien Marsset ("Cap Agir Ensemble"), Guirec Soudée ("Freelance.com"), Szabolcs Weöres ("Hongrois, Szabi Racing"), Denis Van Weynbergh ("Belgium, Laboratoires de Biarritz").

Interest in the exciting and adventurous Imoca races is also growing internationally. Including the Vendée-Arctique starters with dual nationality, participants from these ten countries are represented: France, United Kingdom, Belgium, Italy, Switzerland, Hungary, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, United States. The fleet consists of 14 Imocas with foils and eleven with straight centreboards. Click here for the skipper overview (please click!).Anyone who is on site and interested in the event programme, click here.