Non-Stop Regatta for Solo Sailors
The father behind the original idea, and the initiator of this event, which places enormous demands on man and material alike, is Philippe Jeantot, himself an enthusiastic and highly successful sailor. In 1989 he was the man who brought the 'Vendée Globe' into being, and event which is already being staged this year for the 6th time. 'Vendée Globe'is shorthand for: a sailing regatta around the world, conducted non-stop and above all as a solo venture. The philosophy of Jeantot can be summed up in this succinct quotation: "Le temps est un élément indispensable et incontournable pour atteindre une symbiose parfaite avec son voilier. Il ne fallait plus s'arrêter. Un tour du monde en solitaire, sans escale et sans assistance, voilà les seules conditions pour atteindre cette communion". ["Time is an absolutely necessary and indispensable element in achieving a perfect symbiosis between the sailor and his boat. There must be no stopping. Circuiting the globe as a solo venture, with no shore stops and no assistance - those are the only conditions for achieving this harmony."] So it is all about time - time to become one with the sailing yacht on the open seas.
On 9 November, the entrants in the Vendée Globe 2008 take to the seas. As the lone Austrian amongst them, Norbert Sedlacek will be there. He has raced once before, in 2004. He has been an established name in the world of professional sailing for over 10 years, thereby succeeding in making a career out of what used to be his hobby.
The starting-point of the regatta is the port at Les Sables d'Olonne. The route runs via the Cape of Good Hope, Australia, around the globe and finally, after passing the notorious Cape Horn, back to the starting-point. The sailors will be at sea for three months; three months alone with their yacht, exposed to the moods and vicissitudes of the sea.
The entrants are sailing in yachts known as 'Open 60s', renowned as being amongst the fastest of all sailing yachts. In addition to the speed, another important factor is of course the boat’s ability to stand up to the pummelling of the sea, and the construction of these boats is therefore geared to achieving the perfect combination of light weight and strength. The boats are for 'single-handed sailing', in other words specially designed to be sailed by one person on their own, whereas normally a sailing yacht is crewed by up to 12 people. But even though the Open 60s are stripped right back to the bare essentials, the skipper’s work remains highly demanding if he is to keep to his trip schedule.