A first, interim debrief after one month of the 10th edition of the Vendée Globe

Village: an unprecedented number of visitors

1.3 million visitors visited Les Sables d'Olonne during the three weeks that the village was open, and more than 350,000 people came to watch the start on 10 November, that is 1.65 million visitors in total. It is a record attendance, up 10% compared to 2016 (the reference edition, 2020 was in the midst of the Covid-19 crisis). This underlines the public enthusiasm for this emblematic event. 

The president of the Vendée Globe and the Vendée department, Alain Leboeuf, is delighted with this success: "These figures confirm the incredible popularity of the Vendée Globe. This communion with the public and the skippers is unique. The enthusiasm for the Vendée Globe has never been stronger!” 

The start: a success also on the small screen

With 68 broadcasters, including 47 internationally, the start has garnered a global audience. In France, 10 million viewers followed the start line crossing live, reaching a record audience share of 76%. Over the whole day, 22 million French people watched images of the event.

A first month of unrelenting intensity on the water

On the water, the 2024 Vendée Globe offers a thrilling battle at all levels of the fleet. While the race leader is already sailing in the Indian Ocean, the last competitors have only just left the South Atlantic, with a gap of more than 5,000 miles between them. Each sailor nevertheless fought fiercely. French skipper Sébastien Simon (Groupe Dubreuil) made his mark by setting an impressive record in the South Atlantic: 615.33 miles covered in one day, at an average speed of 25.64 knots. The skipper from the Vendée region has unfortunately just suffered foil damage in the Indian Ocean. 

Charlie Dalin (MACIF Santé Prévoyance), for his part, broke the record for the section between the Cape of Good Hope and Cape Leeuwin (setting a new reference time: 9d 22h 27min), confirming his status as a formidable leader. But the history of the Vendée Globe shows that nothing is ever won in advance, it's a long-distance race during which anything can happen!

Despite a frantic pace, only two retirements have happened, forced to leave the record sized fleet of 40 starters, those being Maxime Sorel (VandB - Monbana - Mayenne) and Louis Burton (Bureau Vallée), highlighting the progress made in terms of boat reliability and the effectiveness of the reinforced qualification programme.

By way of comparison, in 2020 after a month of racing, 5 retirements were to be deplored out of 33 boats. In 2016, 5 retirements out of 29 boats, in 2012, 7 retirements out of 20 boats.

A captivating race, followed closely on land

Edition after edition, the Vendée Globe consolidates its status as an unmissable event and reinforces its appeal to the general public. The spontaneous awareness of the race now stands at 46%, a notable increase of +7 points compared to 2020. This popularity is accompanied by an increasingly positive image: 70% of French people say they have a favourable opinion of the event, a gain of +6 points. These figures confirm the unique ability of the Vendée Globe to unite and inspire thanks to its mix of sporting feats and human adventures.

The digital figures speak for themselves:

● 3.2 billion impressions and 421 million people reached on social media.
● 47 million visits to the official website, an increase of 92% compared to 2020.
● 150 million page views, an increase of 67% compared to 2020.
● The official app was downloaded 522,000 times, a 49% increase from 2020.

One month after the start, this 10th edition of the Vendée Globe is shaping up to be the one of multiple records, both in sporting terms and in terms of its popular and media success!