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The Vendée Globe: Solo, Non-Stop, Unassisted — and Still the Most Demanding Race in the World
The Vendée Globe starts and finishes in Les Sables-d'Olonne, France. Solo, non-stop, no assistance permitted. Approximately 24,000 nautical miles around three great capes. Since 1989 it has been the defining event in ocean sailing — not because of its prize money, but because of what it asks the person inside the boat.
By ZealZag TeamHow the Vendée Globe Became Solo Sailing's Most Important Race
The Vendée Globe is a solo, non-stop, unassisted circumnavigation of the Earth: approximately 45,000 kilometres through the North Atlantic, the Southern Ocean, and back. No crew, no pit stops, no outside help. It has run every four years since 1989 and has reshaped what competitive sailing looks like — in boat design, in public attention, and in what the sport asks of its athletes.
By ZealZag TeamThe Vendée Globe: Why Sailing's Solo Circumnavigation Became the Sport's Definitive Test
Every four years, around 30 sailors leave Les Sables-d'Olonne alone on 60-foot monohulls and attempt to sail around the world without stopping or receiving outside assistance. The Vendée Globe is sailing's most demanding race. Understanding why it occupies that position requires understanding what solo non-stop circumnavigation actually involves.
By ZealZag TeamThe Vendée Globe's Strange Logic: Why Solo Non-Stop Round the World Works as a Sport
The Vendée Globe is a sailing race in the same way the Badwater Ultramarathon is a running race — technically accurate and fundamentally inadequate. Solo, non-stop, unassisted circumnavigation of the world in a 60-foot foiling monohull. It has run every four years since 1989 and is the most watched sailing event on earth.
By ZealZag Team