2008–2009 Vendée Globe

The 2008 Vendée Globe began on 9 November 2008 and was won by Michel Desjoyaux, who set a new record at 84d 3h 9' 8".^[1]

Race Director for this edition was Denis Horeau who heads the event management team having done the role for the 1989 and 2004 editions.^[2]

The problems encountered by Jean Le Cam—losing his keel bulb and capsizing in the Southern Ocean—had a major impact on the order of finish. Fellow competitor Vincent Riou diverted and found his boat, circling to try to toss a rope to Le Cam who had exited a security hatch to hang onto the rudder. After three failed attempts, Vincent Riou went in closer, managing to rescue Jean Le Cam but also damaging his mast which failed soon after.^[3] Riou retired, but was awarded third place on redress, as he was third when diverted to assist the boat in distress.^[4] In addition Armel Le Cléac’h was awarded 11 hours, Sam Davies 32 hours and Marc Guillemot 82 hours for diverting to aid in the rescue^[3]

• 
  Delta Dore,
• 
  Aviva, Dee Caffari
• 
  Britair,

• 
   Armel Le Cléac'h (FRA)
  Brit Air
• 
   Arnaud Boissières (FRA)
  Akena Vérandas
• 
   Alex Thomson (GBR)
  Hugo Boss 2
• 
   Brian Thompson (GBR)
  Bahrain Team Pindar
• 
   Bernard Stamm (FRA)
  Cheminées Poujoulat (3)
• 
   Dominique Wavre (SUI)
  Temenos 2
• 
   Dee Caffari (GBR)
  Aviva
• 
   Jean Le Cam (FRA)
  VM Matériaux
• 
   Jérémie Beyou (FRA)
  Delta Dore
• 
   Jean-Pierre Dick (FRA)
  Paprec-Virbac 2
• 
   Kito de Pavant (FRA)
  Groupe Bel
• 
   Loïck Peyron (FRA)
  Gitana Eighty
• 
   Marc Guillemot (FRA)
  Safran (2)
• 
   Marc Thiercelin (FRA)
  DCNS
• 
   Michel Desjoyeaux (FRA)
  Foncia
• 
   Mike Golding (GBR)
  Ecover 3
• 
   Norbert Sedlacek (AUT)
  Nauticsport-Kapsch
• 
   Raphaël Dinelli (FRA)
  Fondation Ocean Vital
• 
   Rich Wilson (USA)
  Great American III
• 
   Roland Jourdain (FRA)
  Veolia Environnement
• 
   Samantha Davies (GBR)
  Roxy
• 
   Sébastien Josse (FRA)
  BT
• 
   Steve White (GBR)
  Toe In The Water
• 
   Unai Basurko (ESP)
  Pakea Bizkaia
• 
   Vincent Riou (FRA)
  PRB 3
• 
   Yann Eliès (FRA)
  Generali
• 
   Yannick Bestaven (FRA)
  Aquarelle.com – Charente Maritime

Thirty skippers started the race a qualification passage was required to validate the registration of each boat, this course could have been carried out as part of another sailing race.

List of Participant and Equipment Used

Skipper	Prev. Participation (Start/Finish)	Name of Boat	Sail No.	Naval Architect	Builder	Launch Date	Ref.
Alex Thomson (GBR)	1 / 0	Hugo Boss 2	GBR 99	Finot-Conq	Carrington/Hutton (Lymington, GBR)	2007	[12]
Armel Le Cléac’h (FRA)	0 / 0	Brit Air	FRA 62	Finot-Conq	Multiplast	2007
Arnaud Boissières (FRA)	0 / 0	Akena Vérandas	FRA 14	Finot-Conq	Kirié	1998
Bernard Stamm (SUI)	1 / 0	Cheminées Poujoulat (3)	SUI 7	Farr Yacht Design	Cookson Boats (NZL)	2003
Brian Thompson (GBR)	0 / 0	Bahrain Team Pindar	GBR 32	Juan Kouyoumdjian	Cookson Boats	2007
Dee Caffari (GBR)	0 / 0	Aviva	GBR 222	Owen Clarke Design Group	Hakes Marine (NZL)	2008
Derek Hatfield (CAN)	0 / 0	Algimouss-Spirit of Canada	CAN 84	Owen Clarke Design Group	Ocean Challenges	2007	[13]
Dominique Wavre (SUI)	2 / 2 (4th)	Temenos II	SUI 9	Owen Clarke Design Group	Southern Ocean Marine (NZL)	2006
Jean Le Cam (FRA)	1 / 1 (2nd)	VM Matériaux	FRA 118	Marc Lombard	JMV Industries (FRA)	2004
Jean-Baptiste Dejeanty (FRA)	0 / 0	Groupe Maisonneuve	FRA 8	Angelo Lavranos – Artech Design Team	Artech	2005
Jean-Pierre Dick (FRA)	1 / 1 (6th)	Paprec-Virbac 2	FRA 06	Farr Yacht Design	Southern Ocean Marine (NZL)	2007
Jérémie Beyou (FRA)	0 / 0	Delta Dore	FRA 35	Farr Yacht Design	JMV Industries (FRA)	2006
Jonny Malbon (GBR)	0 / 0	Artemis 2	GBR 100	Rogers Yacht Design Ltd	Hutton (GBR)	2008
Kito de Pavant (FRA)	0 / 0	Groupe Bel	FRA 360	VPLP-Verdier	Indiana Yachting (ITA)	2007
Loïck Peyron (FRA)	2 / 1 (2nd)	Gitana Eighty	FRA 80	Farr Yacht Design	Southern Ocean Marine (New Zealand)	2007
Marc Guillemot (FRA)	0 / 0	Safran (2)	FRA 25	VPLP-Verdier	Larros – Thierry Eluère	2007
Marc Thiercelin (FRA)	3 / 2 (2nd)	DCNS	FRA 1000	Finot-Conq	Multiplast (coque et intégration), Chantier naval de Larros (pont)	2008
Michel Desjoyeaux (FRA)	1 / 1 (1st)	Foncia	FRA 101	Farr Yacht Design	CDK Technologies	2007
Mike Golding (GBR)	2 / 2 (3rd)	Ecover 3	GBR 03	Owen Clarke Design Group	Hakes Marine (Wellington, NZL)	2007
Norbert Sedlacek (AUT)	1 / 0	Nauticsport-Kapsch	AUT 36	Joubert-Nivelt-Sedlacek	Garcia / N. Sedlacek	1995 / 2003
Raphaël Dinelli (FRA)	3 / 1 (12th)	Fondation Océan Vital	FRA 77	Nándor Fa	Fa Hajó	1996
Rich Wilson (USA)	0 / 0	Great American III	USA 37	Nivelt	Thierry Dubois	1999	[14]
Roland Jourdain (FRA)	2 / 1 (3rd)	Véolia Environnement	FRA 29	Marc Lombard	JMV Industries	2004	[15]
Steve White (GBR)	0 / 0	Toe In The Water	GBR 55	Finot-Conq	JMV Industries	1998
Samantha Davies (GBR)	0 / 0	Roxy	FRA 40	Finot-Conq	MAG France Fontenay le Comte	2000
Sébastien Josse (FRA)	1 / 1 (5th)	BT	EUR 888	Farr Yacht Design	Offshore Challenges, Cowes, GBR	2007
Unaï Basurko (ESP)	0 / 0	Pakea Bizkaia	ESP 26	Murray-Burns & Dovell	Jarkan – Kanga Birtles	2005
Vincent Riou (FRA)	1 / 1 (1st)	PRB 3	FRA 85	Farr Yacht Design	CDK Technologies	2006
Yannick Bestaven (FRA)	0 / 0	Aquarelle.com – Charente Maritime	FRA 01	Finot-Conq	Thierry Eluère	1996
Yann Éliès (FRA)	0 / 0	Generali	FRA 22	Finot-Conq	Multiplast	2007	[16]

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