A remarkable story

As competitors in the 2004/05 Vendée Globe arrive in Les Sables d'Olonne former Whitbread crew Barry Pickthall looks at the drama and tragedy that launched this greatest of maritime adventures

On Sunday 7 November 24 sailors plan to set sail from Les Sables D'Olonne, France on what remains the ultimate global challenge - the 2004 Vendée Globe solo non-stop round-the-world race.

Despite the forced closure of the previous race organisation last year and the two-year suspended prison sentence handed down to event promoter Philippe Jeantot for tax evasion, the 23,000-mile charge around the five great capes - Good Hope, Leuwin (western Australia), South East and South West Capes (Tasmania and New Zealand), and then Cape Horn - has once again attracted a star-studded entry.

These include Britain's Mike Golding, whose Open 60 Ecover won the recent Transat, and for whom this year's event must offer the best chance yet of that elusive round-the-world title. In fact, as the UK gains a solid foothold in a discipline that has been dominated by France for well over 20 years, Golding is joined by fellow countrymen Alex Thompson and Conrad Humphries, as well as by Cowes resident Australian Nick Moloney.

However, there are still plenty of top French names lining up, including Jean Le Cam, Roland Jourdain, Seahorse's Patrice Carpentier, Jean-Pierre Dick, Raphaël Dinelli, Vincent Riou, Jo Seeten, Sébastien Josse and Marc Thiercelin, as well as gutsy American Bruce Schwab.

2004 marks the 35th anniversary of the first solo non-stop round-the-world race - The Sunday Times Golden Globe Race. In 1968 the Flat Earth Society still had a voice, and though Neil Armstrong had just walked on the moon few expected any of the original nine contestants to complete the course. They were nearly proved right.

To read the remainder of this and many other topical technical articles, please purchase your copy of the November 2004 edition of Seahorse International Sailingavailable at selected newsstands or by calling: + 44 (0) 1590 671899 or by email at: info@seahorse.co.uk

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