The next Vendée Globe will start exactly two years from today on Sunday 11th November 2012. The seventh edition of the Everest of the Seas is already attracting a lot of attention to the point where we can look forward to a similar number of participants to the record number taking part in the 2008-2009 Vendée Globe. Many skippers are now focusing their attention on the 2012 Vendée Globe and while some are certain they will be taking part, others are finalising their projects and convincing their partners. With two years to go to the start, it’s a good time to look at the potential entrants in the seventh Vendée Globe.
Nine back for more
For the moment, nine skippers, who took part in the last Vendée Globe, are benefiting from the support of their partners and are almost certain of being there again in 2012. They are Armel Le Cléac’h (Brit Air), Kito de Pavant (Groupe Bel), Vincent Riou (PRB), Arnaud Boissières (Akena Verandas), Jean-Pierre Dick (Virbac-Paprec 3), Marc Guillemot (Safran), Dominique Wavre (Mirabaud), Bernard Stamm (Cheminées Poujoulat) and Alex Thomson (Hugo Boss). Unless something unforeseen happens, these nine single-handed sailors will be setting off again to race around the world.
They would like to do it again
Some of the competitors, who featured in the last edition of the race have also announced their intention to be there again in Les Sables d’Olonne in 2012. Among them, Jean Le Cam, 2nd in 2005, but victim of a spectacular capsize in 2008, is back at the wheel again and will be taking part this winter in the Barcelona World Race, which is an ideal trampoline for the next Vendée Globe. But the Breton skipper is not the only one working towards taking part again. Dee Caffari, Sébastien Josse, Yann Eliès, Samantha Davies, Mike Golding, Jérémie Beyou, Rapahël Dinelli, Rich Wilson, Yannick Bestaven and Steve White are also working hard to find boats and new partners.
Newcomers
Some skippers, who have never taken part in the Vendée Globe before are getting projects together and are counting on the exceptional media coverage of the event to convince partners to join them. That is the case for the Italian, Alessandro di Benedetto, who has already sailed the course of the Vendée Globe, but aboard a Mini 6.50 and is now dreaming of taking the helm of a 60-foot IMOCA boat and sailing her all around the world. Many sailors from the Figaro class are also dreaming of the Vendée Globe, such as François Gabart. The French solo offshore racing champion of 2010 will be taking part in the Barcelona World Race with Michel Desjoyeaux, but already has his eyes set on the Vendée Globe. Among the other potential candidates from the Figaro-Bénéteau circuit, we can see Gildas Morvan, Christopher Pratt, Sébastien Audigane, Charles Caudrelier, Marc Emig, and Nicolas Troussel...
We must not forget skippers from outside of France, such as the British sailor Phil Sharp or the German Boris Hermann, and indeed Spanish racers like Javier Sanso and Pachi Rivero. Their arrival in the IMOCA class via the Round Spain Race last summer and the Barcelona World Race this winter is likely to lead to them taking part in the next Vendée Globe.
Improved safety
It is important to remember too that after the last Vendée Globe, the class rules were modified to improve the sailor’s safety and reduce the number of skippers forced to retire. Righting and stability tests, improved passive safety measures, new emergency hatches,… will all contribute to ensure better living conditions and safety aboard the boats. Masts will be limited to a height of 29m, whereas in the last Vendée Globe some reached 35m. Official annual checks will have to be carried out on the masts and keels to detect any possible anomalies. The new keels built since 1st January 2009 all respect much stricter structural criteria. Finally, each skipper will be equipped with a new individual beacon, which is the size of a mobile phone.
See you in two years!
