THE YEAR AHEAD FOR RACING

VENDÉE GLOBE

JANUARY

Mid-January should see a triumphant homecoming for the leaders of the 33-strong fleet of IMOCA 60s contesting the ninth edition of the Vendée Globe. Having left Les Sables d’Olonne, France, on 8 November, these elite sailors will have each fought singlehandedly for every inch of the 24,000nm circumnavigation.

Four British skippers were entered: favourite Alex Thomson, sailing his fifth Vendée on a new Hugo Boss; Sam Davies, another Vendée veteran, on board Initiatives-Coeur, who was pushing for a top spot; Pip Hare, who’s entry was boosted thanks to title sponsor Medallia; and Miranda Merron, a top Class 40 soloist making her Vendée debut on Campagne de France.

Thomson was widely expected to be among the front runners, with his new Hugo Boss one of 10 new generation, purpose-built foilers in the fleet capable of skimming the oceans at a possible 30+ knots. Davies was on an older boat, upgraded with new foils. Both, however, were forced to retire from the race in Cape Town, after hitting floating objects.

Huge leaps forward have been made since the last race, when Armel Le Cléac’h set a new race record of 74 days, three hours and 35 minutes and Thomson notched up a new 24-hour solo sailing record with a distance of 536.81nm. The technology has certainly been proven in the four