With the official opening of the Vendée Globe village by Philippe de Villiers at ten this morning (Saturday), the Vendée Globe is well and truly in the starting blocks. All of the solo yachtsmen were present for the official photograph and the welcome briefing, while the crowds have turned up to discover the stands and educational displays around the pontoons.
A lot of people, a great atmosphere, sunshine, a wide range of informative displays, Irish music, immaculate monohulls alongside the pontoons in Port Olona: the sixth Vendée Globe is underway! This Saturday morning, the crowds gathered around the personalities, who were also there to discover the thirty round the world yachts and to welcome their skippers and to stroll through the aisles of the huge village set up around the marina. There were a lot of people, but this did not lead to any hold-ups around the pontoons and events. Between today (Saturday 18th October) and the start on 9th November, hundreds of thousands of visitors are expected in the race village in Port Olona. On the "Place du Vendée Globe", right next to the race pontoon, which is completely open to the public, the village simply had to reflect the exceptional character of this edition of the Vendée Globe. The village is spread over more than 15,000 m2 including a covered area of 9000 m2.
In the village, open from 10 in the morning to 7 in the evening, the public will be able to discover:
• A multimedia centre of 800 m2 presenting the race and skippers with films, displays and models. In this centre, TV Vendée will be organising live meetings to be broadcast throughout the village and the department
• An educational centre of 600 m2 will offer more than 10,000 schoolchildren the opportunity to discover the history of sailing, the maritime heritage, the oceans and the environment using the Vendée Globe as an educational tool.
•An area dedicated to the Vendée Globe partners and the boats´ sponsors, who will present their businesses and their involvement in sailing and ocean racing.
• A shopping centre where firms and tradesmen will be displaying and selling their products around two themes « Vendée business », « The sea and sea sports».
• Over more than 2000 m2, catering areas, reception rooms and PR offices, which will remain open in the evenings and where a number of events are planned.
Once again the Vendée public-private partnership, the event organiser wishes to stress the fact that the Vendée Globe is for the public. As at each edition, the Vendée Globe pontoon is open to all visitors. The fact that the public can get right up close to the boats and the skippers is an important element, offering that very particular atmosphere of friendliness and openness you find at the Vendée Globe and nowhere else.
Events in the village
In the Vendée Globe village, dances and music from around the world will be bringing to life the pontoons and the bar: the organisers of this sixth edition really wanted to make this Vendée Globe village a place of celebration at the heart of Les Sables d’Olonne. Music and dance events from countries with a maritime tradition (Ireland, South Africa, Mexico, Colombia), will be taking place throughout the day and evening in the village.
From 18 to 19th October, le village will open to the sound of the « Clasac » band from Dublin, Ireland, made up of more than 300 young men and women simply bursting with energy, the most enthusiastic of whom will be heading for Les Sables d’Olonne to excite the visitors with their tap dancing. Then from the 25th to 26th October, South Africa will be in the spotlight with the descendants of the Swazi warriors, who inflicted so much hardship on the British in the Victorian era… Dressed in sumptuous costumes, the 25 artists belonging to the «Matsamo cultural group» will offer visitors some moments from the daily life of a people, who used to be the most powerful in Africa, thanks to the rhythm of their drums and their melodic and poetic songs.
Mexico will be honoured from 29th October to 2nd November: the «Mariachi Cocula» Group was formed in 1993 by four fans of Mexican music, who wanted to make it more widely known through their regular performances. For the Vendée Globe Village, the group will be made up of twelve dancers and musicians (guitar, vihuela, guitarrón , violin and trumpet) and they will be playing some popular music from some of Mexico´s top composers and musicians. Finally, from 3rd to 8th November, Colombia will close the musical festivities with the traditional ballet troupe « Antioquia », founded in 1989, has the aim of spreading Colombian traditions in Europe and around the world.. Proud of their triple heritage (Indian, Spanish and African), the 26 dancers in the Antioquia troupe, will be creating a magical atmosphere in the Vendée Globe Village with a ballet worthy of the world´s top ballet companies.
To finish, each evening from 7.15, a light and sound show will bring to life the pontoons and the marina area tracing the route taken by the thirty Vendée Globe skippers…
In the village, open from 10 in the morning to 7 in the evening, the public will be able to discover:
• A multimedia centre of 800 m2 presenting the race and skippers with films, displays and models. In this centre, TV Vendée will be organising live meetings to be broadcast throughout the village and the department
• An educational centre of 600 m2 will offer more than 10,000 schoolchildren the opportunity to discover the history of sailing, the maritime heritage, the oceans and the environment using the Vendée Globe as an educational tool.
•An area dedicated to the Vendée Globe partners and the boats´ sponsors, who will present their businesses and their involvement in sailing and ocean racing.
• A shopping centre where firms and tradesmen will be displaying and selling their products around two themes « Vendée business », « The sea and sea sports».
• Over more than 2000 m2, catering areas, reception rooms and PR offices, which will remain open in the evenings and where a number of events are planned.
Once again the Vendée public-private partnership, the event organiser wishes to stress the fact that the Vendée Globe is for the public. As at each edition, the Vendée Globe pontoon is open to all visitors. The fact that the public can get right up close to the boats and the skippers is an important element, offering that very particular atmosphere of friendliness and openness you find at the Vendée Globe and nowhere else.
Events in the village
In the Vendée Globe village, dances and music from around the world will be bringing to life the pontoons and the bar: the organisers of this sixth edition really wanted to make this Vendée Globe village a place of celebration at the heart of Les Sables d’Olonne. Music and dance events from countries with a maritime tradition (Ireland, South Africa, Mexico, Colombia), will be taking place throughout the day and evening in the village.
From 18 to 19th October, le village will open to the sound of the « Clasac » band from Dublin, Ireland, made up of more than 300 young men and women simply bursting with energy, the most enthusiastic of whom will be heading for Les Sables d’Olonne to excite the visitors with their tap dancing. Then from the 25th to 26th October, South Africa will be in the spotlight with the descendants of the Swazi warriors, who inflicted so much hardship on the British in the Victorian era… Dressed in sumptuous costumes, the 25 artists belonging to the «Matsamo cultural group» will offer visitors some moments from the daily life of a people, who used to be the most powerful in Africa, thanks to the rhythm of their drums and their melodic and poetic songs.
Mexico will be honoured from 29th October to 2nd November: the «Mariachi Cocula» Group was formed in 1993 by four fans of Mexican music, who wanted to make it more widely known through their regular performances. For the Vendée Globe Village, the group will be made up of twelve dancers and musicians (guitar, vihuela, guitarrón , violin and trumpet) and they will be playing some popular music from some of Mexico´s top composers and musicians. Finally, from 3rd to 8th November, Colombia will close the musical festivities with the traditional ballet troupe « Antioquia », founded in 1989, has the aim of spreading Colombian traditions in Europe and around the world.. Proud of their triple heritage (Indian, Spanish and African), the 26 dancers in the Antioquia troupe, will be creating a magical atmosphere in the Vendée Globe Village with a ballet worthy of the world´s top ballet companies.
To finish, each evening from 7.15, a light and sound show will bring to life the pontoons and the marina area tracing the route taken by the thirty Vendée Globe skippers…
