Vendée Globe

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Statistics: the Vendée Globe in a few figures

The age of the captain:

• The youngest entrant: Ellen MacArthur in 2000 - 2001 :she was 24
• The oldest: Jose de Ugarte in 1992-1993:he was 62
• The youngest winner of the Vendée Globe: Alain Gautier in 1993, who was 30
• The oldest winner: Christophe Auguin at the age of 37

Those returning:

• Marc Thiercelin: 4th Vendée Globe including being ranked twice (2nd in 1996-1997 and 4th in 2001-2001.
• Raphaël Dinelli: 4th Vendée Globe including one unofficial entry (1996-1997) and was ranked once (2004-2005).

The gaps between the winner and runner-up:

• 1990 : Titouan Lamazou 16h30 ahead of Loïck Peyron
• 1993 : Alain Gautier 6 days12h40 ahead of Jean-Luc Van Den Heede
• 1997 : Christophe Auguin 7 days 11h50 ahead of Marc Thiercelin
• 2001 : Michel Desjoyeaux 1 day 00h50 ahead of Ellen Mac Arthur
• 2005 : Vincent Riou 6h30 ahead of Jean Le Cam

The best speeds: The best days run achieved in each Vendée Globe (Record for the number of miles covered in 24h)

• In 1989, Titouan Lamazou with 304 miles.
• In 1992, Alain Gautier with 339 miles
• In 1996, Yves Parlier with 374 miles
• In 2000, Dominique Wavre with 430 miles
• In 2004, Roland Jourdain with 439 miles

N.B.:the 24h distance record aboard a 60' open IMOCA is currently held by Alex Thomson, for solo sailing and two-handed sailing :

• Solo: 468.72 miles / 24h, or an average of 19.53 knots (2003)
• Two-handed (with Andrew Cape) : 501.9 miles / 24h, or an average of 20.91 knots (2007)

From the shortest to the longest:

• He spent the shortest time at sea: Patrick de Radigues in 2000, ran aground on the Portuguese coast after four days of sailing.
• He spent the longest time at sea: Jean-François Coste in 1989-1990, who completed his Vendée Globe in 163 days, 01 hour and 19 minutes on the ketch « Cacharel » better known as Pen Duick III.

The percentage of success: the number of competitors completing the race

• In 1989 - 1990 : 7 competitors at the finish out of 13 at the start, or 54% of the fleet.
• In 1992 - 1993 : 7 competitors at the finish out of 15 at the start, or 46.7% of the fleet.
• In 1996 - 1997 : 6 competitors at the finish out of 16 at the start, or 37.5% of the fleet.
• In 2000 - 2001: 17 competitors at the finish out of 26 at the start, or 65.4% of the fleet.
• In 2004 - 2005 : 13 competitors at the finish out of 20 at the start, or 65% of the fleet.

Experience:

• The record in terms of the total experience of the skippers in the Vendée Globe: 2008, the 30 skippers total 32 round the world voyages and 21 Vendée Globe races

Sleep:

• The average length of sleep over 24 hours during the three months of racing: 5 hours

Best woman entrants

• In 1989 - 1990 : 0 women
• In 1992 - 1993 : 0 women
• In 1996 - 1997 : 2 women, Catherine Chabaud (ranked 6th and Isabelle Autissier, finished out of the race after stopping.
• In 2000 -2001 : 2 women, EllIen MacArthur ranked 2nd, (Best position for a woman in the Vendée Globe until now), Catherine Chabaud, retired
• In 2004 - 2005 : 2, Anne Liardet ranked 11th, and Karen Leibovici, 13th
• In 2008 - 2009 : 2 women at the start, Dee Caffari and Samantha Davies

Foreigners: The number of foreign competitors at the start

• In 1989 : 3 competitors out of 13, or 23%, 4 nationalities at the start
• In 1992 : 7 competitors out of 15, or 47%, 6 nationalities at the start
• In 1996 : 5 competitors out of 16, or 31%, 5 nationalities at the start
• In 2000 : 11 competitors out of 26, or 42%, 7 nationalities at the start
• In 2004 : 7 competitors out of 20, or 35%, 5 nationalities at the start
• In 2008 : 13 competitors out of 30, or 43%, 7 nationalities at the start

Distance and speed: the distance actually covered and the real speed for each of the winners

• Titouan Lamazou : 25,485 miles at 9.7 knots
• Alain Gautier : 25,315 miles at 9.58 knots
• Christophe Auguin : 26,520 miles at 10.44 knots
• Michel Desjoyeaux : 26,700 miles at 11.94 knots
• Vincent Riou : 26,714 miles at 12.73 knots

Intermediate speed records around the world:

• From Les Sables d'Olonne to the Equator: Jean Le Cam in 10 d, 11h, 28'
• From Les Sables d'Olonne to the Cape of Good Hope: Vincent Riou in 24 d, 02 h, 18'
• From Les Sables d'Olonne to Cape Leeuwin: Vincent Riou in 36 d, 12 h, 48'
• From Les Sables d'Olonne to Cape Horn: Jean Le Cam in 56 d, 17 h, 13'
• From Les Sables d'Olonne to the Equator: Vincent Riou in 72 d, 13 h, 58'
• From Les Sables d'Olonne to Les Sables d'Olonne: Vincent Riou in 87 d, 10 hours, 47 minutes and 55' (11.28 knots average speed).

The records to beat crossing the three oceans:

• Voyage down the Atlantic: PRB in 24 d, 7 h 20' at an average speed of 11.7 knots. Please note that Bonduelle (Jean Le Cam)'s average speed was very similar (11.6 knots)
• Crossing the Indian Ocean: Ecover in 14 d, 21h 30' at an average of 13.7 knots. Ahead of VMI (Sébastien Josse)
• Crossing the Pacific Ocean: Ecover in 16 d, 6h at an average of 12.8 knots.
• Climb back up the Atlantic: PRB in 30 d, 1h 40' at an average of 9.7 knots

Portrait of the potential winner:

• He has an average age of 34, has children in every case, is a former winner of the Figaro single-handed event in 60% of the cases. This is his first Vendée Globe (80%) and he is racing on a boat designed by the Finot team (80%).