The 2020 edition of the Vendée Globe has generated unprecedented interest. As a result, the organisers decided to increase the number of places at the start to 40 for the 2024 edition. 44 skippers applied for this 10th edition. At the end of the New York Vendée – Les Sables d’Olonne, 42 skippers managed to qualify, but there will be only 40 at the start on 10 November 2024.

For safety reasons and to preserve the unique and exceptional characteristics of this race, the number of competitors at the start has been set at 40, as will be the case for the 2028 edition.

The qualification rules have been strengthened since 2020: the sailors had to take the start of two solo races and finish at least one of them between 2022 and 2024, in a time that does not exceed the winner’s time plus 50 per cent. Among the 44 projects, 42 skippers managed to qualify.

With the aim of encouraging innovation, the 13 new boats were automatically selected. The 26 other projects were selected on the basis of the number of miles raced since the Transat Jacques Vabre 2021.

This left three projects to choose from for the 40th place, the “wild card” given out by the organisers. Oliver Heer, the skipper having covered the most miles of these three projects was selected:

“It wasn’t an easy choice, as these three skippers are extremely deserving. I consulted a number of people, including the president of the IMOCA Class and my race director. After careful consideration, I’ve decided to play the selection game and decide between them in the order of the mileage rankings, thereby respecting the rules of sport,” explains Alain Leboeuf, President of the Vendée Department and the Vendée Globe.

The skippers

Fabrice AMEDEO (Nexans – Wewise) – FRA

Romain ATTANASIO (Fortinet – Best Western) – FRA

Eric BELLION (STAND AS ONE) – FRA

Yannick BESTAVEN (Maître CoQ V) – FRA

Jérémie BEYOU (Charal) – FRA

Arnaud BOISSIÈRES (La Mie Câline) – FRA

Louis BURTON (Bureau Vallée) – FRA

Conrad COLMAN (MS Amlin) – USA/NZL

Antoine CORNIC (Human Immobilier) – FRA

Manuel COUSIN (Coup de Pouce) – FRA

Clarisse CRÉMER (L’Occitane en Provence) – FRA

Charlie DALIN (MACIF Santé Prévoyance) – FRA

Samantha DAVIES (Initiatives-Cœur) – GBR

Violette DORANGE (DeVenir) – FRA

Louis DUC (Fives Group – Lantana Environnement) – FRA

Benjamin DUTREUX (GUYOT environnement – Water Family) – FRA

Benjamin FERRÉ (Monnoyeur – Duo for a Job) – FRA

Sam GOODCHILD (VULNERABLE) – GBR

Pip HARE (Medallia) – GBR

Oliver HEER (Oliver Heer Ocean Racing) – SUI

Boris HERRMANN (Malizia – Seaexplorer) – GER

Isabelle JOSCHKE (MACSF) – FRA/GER

Jean LE CAM (Tout commence en Finistère – Armor-lux) – FRA

Tanguy LE TURQUAIS (Lazare) – FRA

Nicolas LUNVEN (Holcim – PRB) – FRA

Sébastien MARSSET (Foussier) – FRA

Paul MEILHAT (Biotherm) – FRA

Justine METTRAUX (TeamWork – Team SNEF) – SUI

Giancarlo PEDOTE (Prysmian) – ITA

Yoann RICHOMME (Paprec Arkéa) – FRA

Alan ROURA (Hublot) – SUI

Thomas RUYANT (VULNERABLE) – FRA

Damien SEGUIN (Groupe APICIL) – FRA

Kojiro SHIRAISHI (DMG MORI Global One) – JPN

Sébastien SIMON (Groupe Dubreuil) – FRA

Maxime SOREL (V and B – Monbana – Mayenne) – FRA

Guirec SOUDÉE (Freelance.com) – FRA

Denis VAN WEYNBERGH (D’Ieteren Group) – BEL

Szabolcs WEÖRES (New Europe) – HUN

Jingkun XU (Singchain Team Haikou) – CHN

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