The Vendée Round the World Yacht Race, which famously became the first defining moment of Dame Ellen MacArthur’s sailing career when she became the fastest woman to single-handedly circumnavigate the globe and also the youngest contestant, has this year already shown its harsh intensity to contestants. The race is considered by some to be the toughest the sailing world has to offer; the route takes competitors along the old clipper route, from Les Sables d’Olonne on the Atlantic coast of France, down past the Cape of Good Hope, clockwise around Antartica before finally returning to the starting point after waving goodbye to Cape Horn. The rules dictate that competitors may stop at anchor but cannot draw alongside other vessels or quaysides or gain from outside assistance, hence its ‘non-stop’ nature and gruelling physical and psychological effects on the contestants. The only exception to this rule, and one that has already been used by the two Swiss entries Wavre and Stamm, is that if you experience a problem within the first 10 days you may return to the start point to get repairs and re-start the race. Wavre experienced electrical problems soon after the races start and Stamm’s yacht unfortunately collided with a Maltese cargo ship and so was forced to turn back.
Taking the lead from early on are a small fleet of French men, the first of whom is currently Sebastien Josse in the BT vessel. What will happen over the following two to three months and 27,000 nautical miles could completely change the table rankings currently swelling with 30 contestants and looking back through the races history, anything could happen.
Some information courtesy of Swissinfo.ch, Wikipedia, ESPN.
Indian Ocean.
assault on the yacht by 40ft waves in the Bermuda Triangle. The huge waves stripped the boat of one of its life-rafts, took out the spinnaker and ripped the main sail, leaving the boat to limp along until the decision is made as to whether they can still break the record if they repair the damage and carry on. Branson remains confident as the crew of the British 
iles de St Tropez began 26 years ago, and gave birth to one of the most spectacular yet simple sailing race in the 
en decks! Originally crafted in 1934, this beautiful boat truly embodies a Classic Sailing yacht, and what better way to experience the Voiles than aboard such a magnificent boat?
as early as next January. The annoucement is in an attempt to ‘get a little love back’ as said managing director Grant Dalton, whilst court procedures in the US have stagnated over the state of affairs surrounding the America’s Cup. This new Louis Vuitton-sponsered yacht regatta will race the full America’s Cup sized boats and sailing teams and will be closer to land than usual offering spectators a better view of the races. It is not yet known which teams will accept the invitation to race the Emirates Team New Zealand but have until 30th October to enter.