The Vendée Globe in real time

From November 11^th, the Vendée Globe will take up residence in Paris. The Montparnasse Tower race HQ will be at the heart of the race on a day-to-day basis through a permanent watch. The race direction will act as a 24/7 link between the skippers and the mainland, constantly monitoring the progress of these great sailors. This 1,000 square-metre area will be the core of the event. About 200 visitors are actually expected to attend the Vendée Globe Live – which will be broadcast live on the website. The other key players of this real time 2012 edition will be the social networks, allowing all sailing fans to receive instant breaking news

The Vendée Globe race HQ

As soon as the race starts, the Vendée Globe will be monitored constantly through all possible means, so sailing fans can also experience the race day after day. A 7-people team – partly renewed every 10 days – will be working from the Montparnasse Tower race HQ from 5 A.M to 9 P.M (French time). A dedicated public relations area will be available for the boats’ sponsors and partners and a press room will be at the French and International journalists’ disposal. The Vendée Globe press relations team will welcome the media there and provide them with as much real-time news as possible. The race editorial staff – in charge of the content of www.vendeeglobe.org – will be on site at all times so Internet users can get live information. As for Météo France – once again a Vendée Globe partner – they will release daily weather forecasts as well as playful maps and forecasts for the following day.

Rankings and press releases

5 ranking releases will be available each day on the website: 5 A.M, 9 A.M, 12 A.M, 4 P.M and 8 P.M (French time)

2 press releases (at 6 A.M and 5.30 P.M) and 3 news flashes (10 A.M, 2 P.M, 9 P.M French time) a day

Standard working day

5 A.M (4 A.M. UTC, Coordinated Universal Time): Ranking release

6 A.M (5 A.M. UTC): Press release

9 A.M (8 A.M. UTC): Editorial conference + Ranking release

10 A.M (9 A.M. UTC): News flash

11 A.M (10 A.M. UTC): Playful map + Weather forecast (current situation and forecast)

12 noon (11 A.M. UTC): Ranking release

12.30 (11.30 A.M. UTC): Beginning of the radio interview (filmed and broadcast on the website)

2 P.M (1 P.M UTC): News flash and interview

4 P.M (3 P.M UTC): Ranking release

5.30 P.M (4.30 P.M UTC): Press release

8 P.M (7 P.M UTC): Ranking release

8.30 P.M (7.30 P.M UTC): Playful weather map

9 P.M (8 P.M UTC): News flash

The set – open to the public from 10 A.M to 7 P.M – will accommodate up to 200 people willing to attend the daily interviews and all the experts’ analyses and comments.

The interviews

From November 11^th, a daily interview starting at 12.30 (French time) will be conducted live and hosted by either Pierre-Louis Castelli or Catherine Pottier. For 45 minutes, the host, along with French and English-speaking editors, will share a thorough review of the race with the public as well as video-conferences with the skippers. Former Vendée Globe winner Alain Gautier will join them every Friday, bringing his knowledge and his experience to these interviews.

Between December 8^th and December 16^th 2012, interviews will be relocated at the Vendée space in the Nautical Show in Paris.