Vendee Globe Dock Walk – A Video Tour of 40 IMOCA60s Prepared for Solo Racing
by Sail-World.com/nz 31 Oct 06:35 PDT
1 November 2024
Dock at Lorient – 2024-25 Vendee Globe – October 2024 – Lorient © Vincent Curutchet / DPPI / Vendee Globe
Set to begin on November 10 from Les Sables-d’Olonne, located on the Atlantic coast of France, a total of 40 competitors representing 10 nations will take part in a 24,300nm (45,000km) solo, non-stop, unassisted race, the largest of its kind worldwide.
Pip Hare, a British solo sailor aged 50, is set to compete in her second Vendee Globe, this time aboard Medallia.
In a two-part series, Pip Hare and Joff Brown, the Technical Director of her team, Pip Hare Ocean Racing, lead us on an early morning dock walk showcasing the 40 entries of the 2024 Vendee Globe. Some yachts are new IMOCA60 models, the class employed in the race, while others are recycled IMOCA60s from previous Vendee Globe editions. Joff Brown has extensive experience managing five Vendee Globe campaigns to completion and provides insightful details about the design features of both fully and partially foiling monohulls.
This year’s Vendee Globe will feature several newly designed IMOCA60s that cater to both solo and fully crewed racing.
In a follow-up video, Pip Hare discusses the recent refit of the eight-year-old Medallia, both above and below decks, providing a glimpse into the complexities of the IMOCA60 and the development efforts required to upgrade older vessels to remain competitive with newer designs.
The Vendee Globe will see 40 competitors competing, with six being women. Among the top five ranked sailors/teams, two—40%—are female sailors participating in open competition.
