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Vendée Globe sailors set off
07 Nov 2016
Vendée Globe sailors set off on their round the world voyage
Twenty-nine solo sailors have set off from Les Sables d’Olonne in France as they take part in the eighth edition of the Vendée Globe.
The solo round the world race takes place every four years and this year there are 20 skippers from France plus for the first time entrants from New Zealand, Holland, Ireland and Japan together with Britain’s Alex Thompson.
Around 300,000 spectators lined the harbour entrance channel to see the fleet off, together with more than 1,000 boats on the water.
Out of the 29 sailors, just one previous winner lined up, Vincent Riou who won the race in 2004-2005 and is racing with traditional daggerboards rather than having had foils fitted. Seven of the latest generation of the IMOCA 60 yachts are using foils and foiling technology.
Sébastien Josse is said to have one of the most technically advanced programmes and believes the race will need ‘careful, precise modulation with the foiling boats’.
“First we need to sail properly with these boats. We see that with these foiling boats they win the last three races across the Atlantic but we have to finish. We have to manage the boat and not to push too hard.”
And he pointed out that foil technology for the IMOCAs is in its infancy: “For the rig and keels the development is done, we are all one design. The pilots are done, we go straight. But the foils, we are just at the start.
“We have developed these foils in less than one year. And so if you look at how long we had to develop wing masts or canting keels, then we are just beginning. We have to keep this revolution going.”
This year there is a 50% increase in the number of boats taking part in the race compared to the last edition in 2012 with the youngest competitor, Alan Roura, just 23 and the oldest, American Rich Wilson, aged 66.