The crowds of visitors continue to pour onto the Vendée Globe pontoons, while it feels like an Indian Summer in the harbour… They are turning up in their tens of thousands to grab a little of the dream for themselves. Between the village opening and 9 p.m. on Friday 24th October, already 150,000 people were recorded entering the village. Another record by Sunday evening?

The Head of the Board of PRB, Jean-Jacques Laurent is the longest serving sponsor in the race and the only one to have won twice. Remaining serene and ready to face the opposition, Vincent Riou's sponsor explains: "Both ourselves and Vincent have a more relaxed, laid-back attitude now. For the first time, we are back with the same skipper to write another chapter in this great story. This year's Vendée Globe looks fabulous. No one is going to want to give up any ground until the forties, so it is likely to be a quick start. After that, in the south it will be wisdom that shines through. As far as we are concerned, we are setting out feeling quite relaxed and with less pressure, as after all, we have already won."

Mexican music will be the star of the show tonight in the Vendée Globe village with Cocula offering us dances and songs from Central America... Tortillas will be extra.

Two competitors have requested the right to leave harbour from the Race Directors: Jean Le Cam's VM Matériaux and Marc Thiercelin's DCNS. A large number of skippers have decided to be on board their boats today in order to meet the public.

Today, we can look forward to a sunny day, with a light 6 to 8 knot easterly wind, which will become variable and die away. Tide times for Les Sables d´Olonne: Morning: Coefficient 64 - High tide 3h13, 4m66 - Low tide 8h46, 1m64 Evening: Coefficient 70 - High tide 15h33, 4m90 - Low tide, 21h20, 1m35

This evening (Friday) at 9.30, the Kaf La Kour group will be playing in Le VOG´, the Vendée Globe village bar. So we can look forward to some Afro-Ragga, Reggae and Ska...