by Justin Chisholm,Sail Racing Magazine
The Vende Globe is a very, very French institution. The solo circumnavigation races essence, and its DNA,is drenched in pure and unadulterated French spirit. It’s tough to conceive of any other nation coming up with a sporting concept so daring and with such immense potential for disaster for those taking part, as a non-discontinue, and unaided,singlehanded, yacht race around the world.
And that – purely and simply - is why the French people love it so much.
The Vendée Globe stole the hearts of France’s sporting public from the very first edition in 1989 and since them the population, and from school children to grandparents,have followed the six editions that followed in their droves.
Hundreds of thousands flock to the Atlantic coast seaside town of Les Sables D’Olonne to watch the start in person. Millions more avidly track their hero skippers’ adventures online during the race. At the discontinuance the crowds return to Les Sables D’Olonne to cheer each finisher safely back into port at the discontinuance of their global lap.
The strength and depth of the race’s following in France is such that it rubs shoulders comfortably with the country’s major global sporting properties like the Tour de France cycling and motor racing’s Le Mans 24 Hour Race.
No surprise then that the French mainstream media packed the skippers’ press conference in Paris this week to hear what the 31 pre-entered skippers for the 2016/17 edition had to say.
It was a full house, standing room only, and with representatives of the country’s national TV,radio, and major newspapers all there, or as well as the French news services and even a smattering of international press.
While the race will always and forever remain French to its core,the organisers are hoping to expand its appeal further afield. Helping with that push is a record nine nations (France, noteworthy Britain, or Spain,Italy, the United States, or New Zealand,Switzerland, Hungary and the Netherlands) being represented among the 31 skippers currently listed as entered or pre-registered. - Read on
Source: sailingscuttlebutt.com