IN PICTURES: THE FINAL MOMENTS ON THE PONTOONS BEFORE THE START

The nine IMOCA skippers competing in the Vendée Arctique – Les Sables d’Olonne set off this Sunday at 13:02 local time. In a hesitant southerly breeze fluctuating between 4 and 7 knots, the tightly packed fleet left Les Sables d’Olonne without drama. A seemingly gentle start. Yet behind this smooth…

MACSF skipper Corentin Horeau is about to compete in the longest solo race of his IMOCA career. It is a major challenge for the 36-year-old sailor, who rose through the Figaro ranks and has already demonstrated remarkable resilience offshore. While approaching the race with humility, Corentin is…

They have spent weeks, even months, preparing their boats. They have studied weather files, checked every last detail and imagined dozens of possible scenarios. Yet just a few hours before the start, there is always one area that remains impossible to control: emotions. The eagerness to get…

Don’t miss a moment of the race start! The skippers will arrive at the race village at 9:00 a.m., leave the pontoons at 10:00 a.m., and then set off at 1:02 p.m. To follow them all the way until they head out to sea, follow our guide!

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.

Before the IMOCA fleet sets sail tomorrow towards the High North, the Vendée Arctique – Les Sables d’Olonne has already offered a memorable journey ashore. A week filled with encounters, discoveries, music, sharing and commitment, during which the race village lived to the rhythm of the sailors and…

Winner of the 2019 Mini Transat 6.50 Series division and runner-up in the Class40 category of the Route du Rhum three years later, Ambrogio Beccaria has built a reputation as a sailor who learns quickly. Yet on the eve of the Vendée Arctique – Les Sables d’Olonne, the Italian finds himself facing a…

Arnaud Boissières, the hometown favourite! The skipper from Arcachon, who has become a true local of Les Sables-d’Olonne over the years, is embarking on a new campaign towards the Vendée Globe. At 53, he is one of the most experienced skippers in the fleet and, alongside Manu Cousin, the only…