Vendée Globe Weekly Summary

As the front runners head for the equator and the back of the fleet rounds Cape Horn, emotions have been running high...

The ninth edition of the Vendée Globe is far from over but, with the leaders now at Cape Horn, this is a good time to take stock.

Recent catastrophes in the Vendee Globe - not least the dramatic self-destruction of IMOCA 60 PRB - show that sailing really needs to up its game. The aviation industry and Formula One learned this hard lesson a long time ago and produced an industry-wide feedback system that has made commercial flight and F1 infinitely safer than they used to be. Sailing still hasn't responded to its wake-up call...

Thomas Ruyant has confirmed their shattered port foil has suffered structural failure, not impact from an object or animal in the water. This article by Ed Gorman is an insight into the processes and priorities that a Vendee competitor needs to go through with his shore team...

Podcast: Update on the Vendée, America's Cup latest & Selden Sailjuice Winter Series. Andy Rice enjoys a lockdown chat with Mark Jardine of Sail-World.com

Co-skipper of Initiatives Cœur in the last Transat Jacques Vabre, Paul Meilhat has continued to work alongside Samantha Davies throughout the year. The most recent winner of the Route du Rhum who is still looking for a budget for the Ocean Race, remains involved in all the different racing aspects of the project. With three weeks to go to the third start for the British sailor in the Vendée Globe, Paul looks at her strengths and weaknesses....

While most events are suffering, could the Vendee Globe actually profit from the strange circumstances that we're facing? Mark Jardine joins with Andy Rice to see how the sailing world is coping in the virtual world forced by the coronavirus pandemic lockdown....

Alan Roberts started racing on Chichester Harbour out of Hayling Island Sailing Club, crewing for his dad in an International 14 and then racing with a number of UK small-boat legends including Nick Craig, winning the Endeavour Trophy for the Champion of Champions along the way. Alan has since served his apprenticeship in the solo offshore scene in France, and has his eyes on competing in the Vendée Globe and Volvo Ocean Race. In this audio Alan talks about what he's learned so far, and what he needs to do next...