A Coveted Top 10 Finish
For many skippers, a top 10 finish is both achievable and ambitious. Justine Mettraux and Sébastien Simon are veterans with proven vessels who aim to keep up with the foilers. Louis Burton, who placed third in the last Vendée Globe, and Damien Seguin, racing with a former winning boat, are both hoping to shake things up. Paul Meilhat and Nicolas Lunven, equipped with latest-generation foilers, tested the Southern Ocean in previous races and are keen for a top finish.
Previous Vendée competitors like Benjamin Dutreux and Maxime Sorel will also leverage their experience to push for a top 10 spot, alongside notable names like Yannick Bestaven, the previous winner, and Alan Roura, racing a former Hugo Boss boat. With additional strong contenders like Romain Attanasio and Clarisse Crémer, the top 10 is shaping up to be highly competitive.
The Battle of the Daggerboard Boats
A fascinating “race within the race” unfolds among the 16 boats with straight daggerboards, which, while slower than foilers, excel in certain conditions. Jean Le Cam, a top finisher in the previous edition, debuts a new daggerboard boat, while competitors like Benjamin Ferré and Guirec Soudée join the lineup with aspirations to surprise the field. Seasoned sailors like Violette Dorange, Tanguy Le Turquais, and Louis Duc add to the daggerboard category’s suspense, showing that these boats, when handled well, remain competitive. Notable participants from the previous Vendée include Manuel Cousin and Fabrice Amedeo, while rookies like Jungkun Xu from China and Szabolcs Weöres from Hungary bring diversity to the lineup.
This year’s Vendée Globe promises high drama, from seasoned veterans aiming to retain titles to newcomers challenging the status quo. With an eclectic mix of top-tier vessels and skilled skippers, the race embodies the spirit of endurance, grit, and competitive edge that has defined the Vendée Globe for decades.
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