New York Vendée - Les Sables d'Olonne: One month to go until the final race before the Vendée Globe

New York Vendée - Les Sables d'Olonne © Thierry Martinez / Sea&Co

One month from now, on May 29, 31 skippers will set sail from New York towards the Vendée, for the final qualifying and selection race to qualify for the Vendée Gobe: the most challenging sailing race around the world.

Few days before, on May 24, all the IMOCA boats, these impressive 60 feet long racing boats that can go up 50 mph, will make the Show in Manhattan Bay. Everyone in New York City will be able to come and watch the Show from the shore, especially from Governor Island, the best spot.

On 29 May at 8 p.m. French time (2 p.m. local time), off the coast of New York, 31 sailors will be lining up for the start of the New York Vendée, twice as manyas in the first edition in 2016. This race, which includes the favourites for the Vendée Globe, is likely to set a new transatlantic record: the downwind conditions should propel the first competitors towards Vendée very quickly... In view of the technological progress made by the IMOCA boats, the record time of 9d 16h 57min 52s set by Jérémie Beyou in 2016 should be beaten.

Exponential internationalisation

From one edition to the next, the Vendée Globe is becoming increasingly international. While 2020 was a record year in this respect, 2024 is once again a record year with 16 international candidates, proof that the phenomenon is taking hold over time.

The New York Vendée - Les Sables d'Olonne, the final qualifying and selection race for the Vendée Globe, further underlines this trend. Among the 31 competitors are 14 international skippers, representing over 45% of the fleet and 11 nationalities. The appeal of this race goes beyond national borders, as illustrated by the fact that it is attracting a new nationality with Scott Shawyer, a Canadian skipper whose ambition is to take part in the Vendée Globe 2028: 'This race means a lot to me, as it will be my first solo race, my first solo transatlantic race and therefore a whole series of firsts! It's a big step in my programme,' explains the Canadian skipper.

See you in New York on 23 May 2024, when all the IMOCA will be docked in New York and Newport.

More information at www.newyorkvendee.org