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Vendée Globe starts from Les Sables d’Olonne on 9 November

The Vendée Globe 2008-2009 is the sixth edition of the non-stop single-handed round the world yacht race. On 9 November 2008 thirty boats set off from Les Sables d'Olonne, planning to return there around three months later after a trip around the world.

The Vendée Globe is a non-stop single-handed round the world yacht race without any outside assistance. The race was first held in 1989, and since 1992 it has taken place every four years. It is the only single-handed round the world yacht race without any stops. This makes it a serious test of individual endurance and is regarded by many sailors as the ultimate in ocean racing.

The race starts and finishes in Les Sables d'Olonne. The route goes down the Atlantic Ocean, around the Cape of Good Hope and then around Antarctica in an easterly direction. At Cape Horn the boats come back up the Atlantic Ocean and sail back to the start. The race generally runs from November to February, so that the competitors are sailing in the Southern Ocean during the summer.

Would you like the latest information? Take a look at www.vendeeglobe.org