Created some 20 years ago by Philippe Jeantot, the Vendée Globe is the seminal event of French offshore racing and entered sporting legend from its very first edition in 1989, which was won by Titouan Lamazou after 109 days at sea. Some thirty or so years later, the skippers have shaved a third off the race time over an unchanged course.

The current record dates back to 2016-17 and is held by the Breton Armel Le Céac'h, who completed the 24,000 nautical miles (over 44,400 kilometres) in 74 days, 3 hours, 35 minutes and 46 seconds, after an interminable battle with the Briton Alex Thomson, who secured the second spot.

In July 2020, at the end of the qualification process that began in 2018 and at the end of the final pre-event, the Transat New York-Vendée-Les Sables d'Olonne, we will know the final list of 34 starters for the ninth edition of the single-handed round-the-world race.