With just a few months to go before the Vendée Globe, the round the world candidates will be competing against each other for the very last time, in a single-handed transatlantic format.
After an exhibition race under the Statue of Liberty, which promises breathtaking images of the IMOCA boats, the 31 sailors taking part in the race will leave New York on 29 May for Les Sables d'Olonne in Vendée.
The race
The boat
The boats of the New York Vendée all measure 18,28 m long (60 feet) for a 4,50 mdraught. With a large sail area, they are the most powerful monohulls of the planet led by a solo skipper. They can nearly reach 40 knots downwind at top speed.. The gauge of these race animals is defined by the IMOCA class (International Monohull Open Class Association), founded in 1991 and supported by World Sailing, the International Sailing Federation.
