Born in 2020 in the particular context of the pandemic, the Vendée Arctique became from its very first edition a major single-handed, non-stop, non-assisted race on IMOCA monohulls. Designed as a preparation for the Vendée Globe, it is now a milestone race in the IMOCA Globe Series circuit.
Vendée Arctique 2026: heading for the Arctic Circle!
The Vendée Arctique - Les Sables d'Olonne is back in 2026 with a daring and unprecedented route: starting from Les Sables d'Olonne, the skippers will have to cross the Arctic Circle - 66° North - for the very first time, but at the longitude of their choice, before returning to the famous port in Vendée. A revolution in the world of offshore racing, which promises highly varied trajectories, multiple strategies and a breathtaking scenario.
© Jean-Marie Liot/Aléa/VA2022
The Vendée Globe has its South Seas. The Vendée Arctique now has its own extreme territory: the far North. We're entering a new phase with this free route towards the Arctic Circle, which will open up some unprecedented tactical choices. It's a way of reinventing offshore racing while confronting the skippers with a total commitment.
Alain
Leboeuf
Alain Leboeuf, President of the Vendée Arctique, the Vendée Globe and the Vendée department
Unlike the Vendée Globe, where the sailors follow the route of the lows in the Deep South, the Vendée Arctique requires them to cross them. This makes sailing even more complex and uncertain, with little margin for error and even fewer escape routes. The cold, fog, short seas and solitude will add to the intensity of this race, which once again promises to be very demanding.
The skippers will also have to contend with restricted zones: an ice exclusion zone and biodiversity protection zones. These measures are designed to guarantee the safety of the sailors while respecting the particularly fragile polar ecosystems.
A first step towards the 2028 Vendée Globe
The 2026 Vendée Arctique, which will start on 7 June in Les Sables d'Olonne, will be the first solo race in the IMOCA Globe Series up to the 2028 Vendée Globe.
As a Grade 2 race, the winner will earn 200 points towards qualification for the Vendée Globe 2028. Another prerequisite for taking part in the next round-the-world race: finishing the Vendée Arctique, or another Grade 2 solo race, in a time equal to or less than that of the winner plus 50%.
This event will therefore be a key stage in their preparation, where they will test their boats in extreme conditions, face the solo competition for the first time, and enter the great adventure of the Vendée Globe.
An Arctic-themed village
From 30 May to 7 June 2026, Les Sables d'Olonne will be hosting a free race village open to all, combining a summer atmosphere with polar immersion on the Vendée Globe esplanade.
On the programme: speed runs by the IMOCA in the bay of Les Sables d'Olonne, entertainment, meetings with the skippers and raising awareness of environmental issues, particularly in the Arctic region. This emblematic but vulnerable region is on the front line when it comes to the effects of climate change.
