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HOW TO FOLLOW THE START

Whether you’re in Les Sables d’Olonne or watching from home, you won’t miss a thing! The skippers will arrive at the race village at 09:30, leave the pontoons from 10:30 and cross the start line at 13:02. Here’s your guide to following every moment before they head offshore.

Le village de la Vendée Arctique.
© Eloi Stichelbaut - polaRYSE / Nefsea / SAEM Vendée

AT THE VENDÉE ARCTIQUE RACE VILLAGE: IMMERSE YOURSELF IN THE FESTIVE ATMOSPHERE

08:00 : Race village opens. A big crowd is expected throughout the day.

09:30 : Skippers’ presentation : The skippers will be introduced on the race village stage before heading down to the pontoons.

10:30 – 11:00 : Dock-out ceremony
The sailors cast off and leave the pontoons.
Please note that the pontoon area will be closed to the public.

10:45 – 11:30  : Follow the IMOCA parade through the channel
Spectators have two options: head to the famous Les Sables d’Olonne channel to cheer on the boats one by one as they depart, or stay in the race village and watch the parade live on the giant screen.
Please note that spectators should not gather on the Natura 2000 protected coastal areas, which are designated to preserve local wildlife and vegetation.

Where can you watch the start at 13:02? The race village will remain lively throughout the day and visitors are encouraged to return there after the channel parade. A brunch will be served at the Polar Bar, with entertainment provided by DJ Avcunk from Kinetik Groove. The perfect opportunity to relax with family and friends while watching
the race start live on the giant screen at 13:02.

Afternoon : The race village will remain open until 18:00, offering plenty of time to explore the stands and enjoy the many activities on offer.

FOLLOW THE START LIVE FROM ANYWHERE

Live video coverage on the official race website,  Facebook and YouTube
The live broadcast will be hosted by three renowned offshore sailors: Benjamin Dutreux, Armel Tripon and Amélie Grassi.

  • 10:00 – 11:30 : Follow the skippers’ final interviews before departure, the dock-out sequence and the entire passage through the channel live.
  • 12:30 – 13:45 :  The live broadcast returns as the fleet approaches the start line offshore before crossing it at 13:02.

Media coverage : 
In France, the ICI Pays de la Loire network will broadcast the live coverage on the websites of :

  • France 3 Pays de la Loire
  • France 3 Nouvelle Aquitaine
  • France 3 Bretagne 
  • La plateforme France.tv

The broadcast will also be available on : 

  • TV Vendée
  • Infosport+
  • Tébéo
  • Tébésud
  • TV Bretagne
  • TéléNantes
  • L'Equipe.fr
  • LeTélégramme.fr
  • OuestFrance.fr
  • Eurosport
  • HBO Max across Europe

The start will also be available in Germany (Sportdigital), Portugal (A Bola), Ukraine (Maincast), across Sub-Saharan Africa (Africa XP) and in Japan (TV Asahi).

Finally, the official race tracker will go live from the start signal and will be updated every five minutes throughout the afternoon.

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