At 13:02 this Sunday, the nine skippers of the Vendée Arctique – Les Sables d’Olonne set off toward the Arctic Circle. After weeks of preparation and several days spent in Les Sables d’Olonne, the sailors left the pontoons to make their way to the starting line before setting course for the Far North.
The first solo race in the qualification cycle for the 2028 Vendée Globe, this edition will take the competitors as far as 66° North, on an open course and without assistance.
In the final moments before the start, each skipper was still experiencing that special moment when excitement, doubts, and impatience mingle before giving way to the race.
