IMOCA Open 60 - Vendée Globe 2016/17 - Les Sables d'Olonne FRA - Day 1

More than 350,000 spectators lined the legendary exit channel and the beaches to bid farewell to the skippers, 1,000 boats of all different sizes enjoyed the bright sunshine and moderate NNE’ly reaching breezes, considered to be the best start day conditions ever. 20 skippers from France and 9 from outside the nation departed to the Vendée organised every four years.

During the first night, the northerly breeze favored the Open60s equipped with foils and allowed them to open a gap on the fleet with conventional yachts. Armel Le Cléac'h ('Banque Populaire') has taken the lead ahead of Jean-Pierre Dick FRA ('St-Michel/Virbac') 1,7 nm and Alex Thomson GBR ('Hugo Boss') 2,8 nm behind.
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