The Vendee Globe 2020-2021 has been a remarkable race by many standards. It was incredibly close, more competitors are likely to complete the race than in previous years, and the race times didn’t set any new records. For most of the competitors, the race is still underway. At this moment, seven racers have crossed the finish line at Les Sables-d’Olonne, France, while a remaining eighteen are still sailing.  

A Close Race

In an 80 day around the world race, the top finishers’ race times (including time compensation) averaged only about three hours apart. Charlie Dalin, sailing Aptiva, was the first across the line with Yannick Bestaven sailing Maître CoQ IV arriving just under 8 hours behind. Bestaven, however, had been awarded a 10 hour 15 minute time compensation for being on one of the several boats participating in the rescue of Kevin Escoffier, whose boat, PRB, broke in half and sank off South Africa. On corrected time, Bestaven’s total race time was 2 hours 30 minutes faster than Dalin’s. 

Also just behind Charlie Dalin was Louis Burton sailing Bureau Vallee 2 crossing the line ahead of Bestaven and four hours behind Dalin.

In a race of approximately 24,000 nautical miles, this year’s Vendee Globe was remarkably close.

More Competitors Likely to Complete the Race 

In past sailings of the Vendee Globe, fewer than half the sailors who started the race have finished. Over the previous eight Vendee Globes, only 92 of 192 starters finished the race or about 48%. In the 1996-1997 race, only six out of 18 finished, or 38%.

This year only eight of the original 33 starters have retired from the race thus far. In addition to the seven racers who have crossed the finish line, there are 18 still sailing. If all the remaining sailors complete the race, which is by no means certain, this year’s contest will have a 76% completion rate.  As the remaining sailors are spread across over 6,000 nautical miles of the ocean, there is still ample room for mishap. Nevertheless, it does appear that this year’s race will have an above-average number of finishers.

Not Record-Breaking

In every previous Vendee Globe Race, except for the second in 1992-1993, the winner’s time has broken the record set in the previous race. In the previous race, Armel Le Cléac’h sailing Banque Populaire VIII set anew record for completing the around the world race in 74 d 03 h 36 min. Yannick Bestaven’s winning race time of 80 d 03 h 45 m is six days slower than the current record.  So while the race did not lack in drama, it was not a record-breaker.