A start behind closed doors for the ninth Vendée Globe.
The nonstop and unassisted solo round-the-world sailing tour will begin, as planned, on November 8, at 1:02 p.m. in Les Sables-d'Olonne but "without an audience", the organizers said in a press release the day after the announcement of new containment in France to stem the Covid-19 pandemic.
The departure, which attracted more than 300,000 people in 2016, "will be broadcast live on vendeeglobe.org and on numerous television channels."
"The Vendée Globe 2020-2021 will remain as a symbol, that of our desire to continue living despite the difficulties our country is going through and in scrupulous respect for the health rules set by the State", added the organizer, the SAEM Vendée.
Who to succeed Armel Le Cleac'h?
This ninth edition was initially limited to a capacity of 5,000 visitors to the village, which opened on October 17, and to 9,000 people along the channel on the day of departure.
In 2016, 300,000 and 350,000 people gathered to say goodbye to the 29 skippers engaged, acclaimed by cheers and the sounds of foghorns.
Some 2.25 million people usually visit the village in the weeks leading up to departure.
In 2016, the immediate economic benefits were estimated at 35 million euros by the organizers.
Thirty-three skippers are involved in this race, won four years ago by Armel Le Cleac'h (Banque Populaire).
SAEM, organizer of the Vendée Globe, is made up of the Departmental Council, the town of Sables d'Olonne, the Pays de la Loire Regional Council and 32 companies.
With AFP
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