Press review: the 2012 Vendée Globe
Explaining the Vendée Globe
On Friday, November 10, the Vendée Globe crews set off on a three months of non-stop sailing.
The start of the 2012 Vendée Globe took place in Les Sables d’Olonne (Vendée),
while their journey will take them to the Cape of Good Hope (South Africa)
cape Leeuwin (Australia) and Cape Horn (South America).
This sailing race is particularly followed because it is
—difficult: single-handed, with no assistance or stopover
possible.
—exceptional: it only takes place every 4 years
The captains of these sailing boats are called “skippers” (from the English
“ship’s captain”).
Vendée Globe stakes
The results of the Vendée Globe 2012 are available on the official website Vendée
Globe website almost continuously.
One of the major trends of the Vendée Globe 2012 is played out on the internet.
The site allowing you to virtually set off with the Vendée Globe
is flourishing.
The best known is Virtual Regatta, whose site, which offers to “become a virtual Vendée Globe sailor”, has been very successful and a great success.
The virtual Vendée Globe
globe
History of the Vendée Globe
The sailor Philippe Jeantot was inspired by a race: the Golden Globe
Challenge, to create in 1989 a new race of sails around the world: the
world: the Vendée Globe.
2 deaths: Nigel Burgess in 1992–1993 and Gerry Roufs in 1996–1997
7 editions of the race between 1989 and 2013
Equipment
The boats are all monohulls.
The hull must not exceed approximately 18 meters (60 feet exactly).
Each monohull has three sails: the main sail (the largest), the
(the largest), the jib (the smallest), the spinnaker (which inflates).
However, the sailboats have an automatic pilot: depending on weather conditions, the autopilot allows keeping the right direction indicated by the skipper.
This autopilot is used especially during the skipper’s sleep skippers sleep.
The skippers have to follow a training course for rescue at sea to participate in the Vendée Globe.
Twice a day, the Vendée Globe management contacts the skippers to check that no problem has been served.
The measurements differ: 1 foot = ~0.3 meters, 1 knot = ~1.9 km/h
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