On Saturday 10th of November, the Vendée Globe 2012 – 2013 fleet will dock off from the pontoon at the Port Olona, where they will be berthed during the previous days getting ready for their adventure.

The departure ceremony will start at 09:30 (local time) with all the skippers of the Race. There will be a 4 minutes time gap between each boat until the 20 participants leave the dock.

Once the skippers had said their last goodbyes to their families and shore team, they will head to the start area. The boats will sail along the Port Olona where the on shore spectators will have their last chance to warmly cheer the skippers and wish them good luck.

After leaving the harbour, the boat parade will sail, escorted by security ribs, into an area delimited by tetrahedral red and cylindrical yellow marks. This area has been approved by the maritime authorities as an exclusion zone and access to non accredited boats will be restricted from 08:00 until 17:00.

In order to run a smooth parade, all spectator boats, please remain outside the line between the red and yellow marks. If you need any assistance, the security ribs will be able to indicate the best position for you to see the Vendée Globe boats.

The start gun will be at 13:02 (local time), and the start procedure will commence 8:00 minutes before.

In the chart below you will find the suggested areas for spectator boats in the departure area. All the spectator boats must keep clear of the red zone in order to have a clean start for the participants.

There are a big number of boats expected to support the start of the Race, so we kindly encourage you to practice good seamanship and show a safe conduct on the water.

Please stay on channel VHF 1 for Live commentary & Spectator Instructions and, of course, channel VHF 16 for distress and emergency calls.

The Vendée Globe thanks you for your cooperation and is looking forward to seeing you.

Fair winds and following seas.

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9h30 : Cheminées Poujoulat – Bernard Stamm

9h34 : Akena Vérandas – Arnaud Boissières

9h38 : Bureau Vallée – Louis Burton

9h42 : Safran – Marc Guillemot

9h46 : Gamesa – Mike Golding

9h50 : Maître Coq – Jérémie Beyou

9h54 : Macif – François Gabart

9h58 : Groupe Bel – Kito de Pavant

10h02 : PRB – Vincent Riou

10h06 : Virbac Paprec 3 – Jean-Pierre Dick

10h10 : Acciona 100% EcoPowered – Javier Sansó

10h14 : Votre Nom Autour du Monde – Bertrand de Broc

10h18 : Energa – Zbigniew Gutkowski

10h22 : SynerCiel – Jean le Cam

10h26 : Team Plastique – Alessandro Di Benedetto

10h30 : Hugo Boss – Alex Thomson

10h34 : Savéol – Samantha Davies

10h38 : Initiatives-Cœur – Tanguy de Lamotte

10h42 : Mirabaud – Dominique Wavre

10h46 : Banque Populaire – Armel le Cléac’h

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The Race Committee boat will display the following signals that set the times of the start procedure.

© Kike Alday

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The exclusion area will be delimited by tetrahedral red marks and cylindrical yellow marks

Please follow the instructions from the security Zodiacs crew. They will advise you of where to position your vessel in the best location on the water.

Advise on the water:

• - Keep a safety distance of 60 metres from the competitors boats
• - Keep your speed limit under 5 knots around the exclusion area and other boats
• - Keep your wake low when driving close to other boats
• - Keep a safety distance between other spectator boats
• - Pay attention to shallows and special marks
• - Behave under the International Regulations for Prevention of Collisions at Sea

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I would like to mention what I think is a very relevant issue regarding your plans to provide your on-board guests with anti-seasickness medicine (nautamine, mercalm, transmer, etc.). This is clearly illegal. Besides, these drugs have many side effects and are known to create drowsiness, which is potentially dangerous for anyone driving home after the race start. If an accident happens, you could be held liable if you have been the prescriber of the medicine. It would therefore be safer to let you guests know there is a risk of seasickness and recommend they take their own preventive medicine with them, matching their specific needs.

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Port	OLONA	LES SABLES D’OLONNE	BOURGENAY
Harbour Control	VHF 9	VHF 12	VHF 9
Speed limit	3 knots
Tide	13:43 High Tide 4,76m // 19:40 Low Tide 1,61m
Closing Time	08:45		00:00
Opening Time	12:15		09:00
Fuel Station	Closing at 07:00 - Opening at 15:00		Open 24 hours
Slip way	Acces restringed		Acces permited
Other Information	Berthed boats must remain at their docks during closing and opening times.
	Passenger boats will depart after 11:45 from the Port de Commerce.

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Internet and apps:

• - Official website: www.vendeeglobe.org
• - Dailymotion: www.dailymotion.com/VendeeGlobetV
• - App available on tablet, iPhone and Androïd

• > Live broadcast « Boats leave the pontoons and sail up the channel » from 9AM to 11.30AM
• > Live broadcast « offshore start » from 12.30 to 1.45PM
• > Live commentary: Pierre-Louis Castelli and Alain Gautier (French language) / Clare Mac Naughton (English language)

Social networks:

• - Official Vendée Globe Facebook page (www.facebook.com/VendeeGlobe)
• - Official Twitter account (@VendeeGlobe)

• > Pre-start period and start coverage (pictures, latest news…) starting at 8.45AM

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