Véritable odyssée épique à travers les flots déchaînés de l’océan, le Golden Globe Race est une légende de l’aventure maritime… Et elle prend son départ aux Sables d’Olonne ! Inspirée des exploits audacieux des premiers navigateurs solitaires, cette course défie toutes les limites du courage et de l’endurance : une course en solitaire sans escale, sans communication et à la boussole ! Entre tempêtes dévastatrices, et rencontres avec la faune marine, chaque participant écrit sa propre saga, où chaque mile nautique est une victoire remportée sur les forces implacables de la nature. Prêt à suivre leurs aventures ?
On 6 September 2026, 21 brave sailors will set off from Les Sables d'Olonne to tackle the world's waters. Their goal? To circumnavigate the globe single-handed and non-stop, via the five major capes and back to Les Sables d'Olonne. They will be sailing on 32 to 36 foot production boats, designed before 1988: yachts similar to Sir Robin's, without any modern technology! It's the promise of a real trip back in time.
In 2022, in Les Sables d'Olonne, Vendée, we celebrated the 54th anniversary of the Golden Globe Challenge (which took place in 1968).
This legendary race was a great inspiration for the Vendée Globe, with legendary sailors such as Bernard Moitessier and Robin Knox-Johnston :
alone on their boat for a non-stop single-handed circumnavigation of the globe without assistance via the 5 capes.
In 1968, 9 skippers embarked on this extraordinary challenge,
Only 1 crossed the finish line: Sir Robin Knox-Johnston after 313 days at sea,
8 gave up, including the unlucky Nigel Tetley, who was shipwrecked just 1,100 miles from victory, while Bernard Moitessier, who was leading the race on his boat "Joshua", preferred to head for Tahiti rather than continue the competition. He sailed around the world for one and a half hours to reach the peace and quiet of the islands, and went on to write a seminal account of sailing: "La longue route".
Les Sables d'Olonne, start and finish of the old-style Round the World Sailing Race. The GGR is the forerunner of the Vendée Globe!
Jean-Luc Van Den Heede holds the Golden Globe Race record, having spent 212 days at sea.
The 73-year-old French skipper, an honorary citizen of Les Sables-d'Olonne, is the winner of the 2018 Golden Globe Race!
(Single-handed race around the world, non-stop, without assistance and without any modern technology).
He arrived in Les Sables d'Olonne to a standing ovation from the public on Tuesday 29 January 2019, after 211 days, 23 hours 12 minutes and 19 seconds.
With 6 circumnavigations to his name.
(Editor's note: He holds the record for sailing around the world upside down, in 122 days, finishing 2nd in the Vendée Globe in 1993 and 3rd in 1990),
Jean-Luc VAN DEN HEEDE beats the record set by Sir Robin Knox Johnston, the only competitor to have finished the Sunday Times Golden Globe Race 50 years ago.
BRAVO VDH!
In the 2022/2023 edition of the Golden Globe Race, 16 adventurers set out to conquer the world's oceans.
Kirsten Neuschäfer came in first place, after 233 days at sea. She was the first woman to win a circumnavigation with the rules imposed, setting herself apart from her competitors.
Then, after 236 days, Abhilash Tomy came second.
Finally, Michael Guggenberger came third, after 249 days at sea.
We can't wait to find out who the future winner will be in 2026!
The Golden Globe Race: the forerunner of the Vendée Globe
Did you know that? The Golden Globe Race was the very first non-stop single-handed race in the world, with no communications, and where the sailors could only steer by sextant and compass... Just like the famous Vendée Globe!
The town of Les Sables d'Olonne is located on the Atlantic coast of France, in the department of Vendée, in the Pays de la Loire region.
The G°G°R is the forerunner of the solo, non-stop, non-assisted round-the-world yacht race, the Vendée Globe, and the start is in Les Sables d'Olonne, in the Vendée.