Vendée Globe sailors will tell you there are two finish lines to any Vendée Globe campaign. The first of them is achieved when the IMOCA boat is successfully at the race dock in Port Olona, Les Sables d´Olonne ready to race. And so that first 'finish line' is now being crossed. Years of dreams, preparation and hard work are seeing their culmination for the 33 men and women of this ninth edition of the solo round-the-world race as they line their boats up.
The IMOCAs have been arriving in the Vendée all week. By Thursday evening, 19 of them were moored on the Vendée Globe pontoon, 14 are still en route and will arrive during the course of Friday and .by 7:00 p.m., all should be safely in port.
Tomorrow October 17, at 10 a.m local time the village will be officially open to the public and the sailors will be present for this inaugural celebration, just over three weeks before the start.
Embark for 2 minutes of adrenaline rush aboard the IMOCA of the Vendée Globe. A preview of a unique, solo, non-stop, and without assistance round the world sailing race: