IMOCA Open 60 - Vendée Globe 2016 - 30 participants !

9 months before the start to the 8th edition of the solo-non-stop-round-the-world Regatta Vendée Globe, 28 skippers from 9 nations aus on the entry list. Three more have sent in their application, but their financing is not yet confirmed. The fleet will be segmented soon after the start, as there will be six Open 60s of the latest generation with foil-daggerboards, allowing to race at considerable higher speeds, provided they proof to be solid enough for the long circumnavigation in extreme sailing conditions. Here an impressive video of the new 'Safran' of Morgan Lagravière FRA. The youngest participant in the race will be Alan Roura SUI age 22.
With 500'000 spectators at the start and over a million fans following the race during weeks on the Internet, the Vendée Globe has by far the highest public appeal of all sailing events, including the America's Cup. The already high-level media coverage will be enhanced even more with livestream takes bringing the race atmosphere to the Internet and TV public.
The report on the latest presentation of the project on Wednesday in Paris.