The 2004–2005 Vendée Globe was a non-stop solo round-the-world yacht race for IMOCA 60 class yachts. The fifth edition of the race started on 7 November 2004 from Les Sables-d'Olonne.

Summary The start of the 2004 race was watched by an estimated 300,000 people, which took place in mild weather. A fast start was followed by a few minor equipment problems, allowing the first racers to cross the equator just after 10 days. This was three days faster than the previous race, with all of the starters still sailing.

Attrition began on entry into the Roaring Forties: Alex Thomson diverted to Cape Town to make unassisted repairs and continue racing. The fleet encountered a number of other problems. Hervé Laurent retired with serious rudder problems, Thomson abandoned, and Conrad Humphreys anchored to make unassisted rudder repairs. Gear problems and abandonments continued, then the fleet ran into an area of ice, and Sébastien Josse hit an iceberg head-on.

The lead changed several times as the fleet re-entered the Atlantic. The race remained close right to the finish, which saw three boats finish within 29 hours.

The first Race Director Denis Horeau returned to the role after 15 years to head the event management team.=

Results

+Table: Order of Finish, 2004–2005 Vendée GlobePosSailorGYachtTimeDelta%Ref 1 M PRB 2 87d 10h 47' 55" new race record 2 M Bonduelle 2 87d 17h 20m 08s 0d 06h 32m 13s 0.31% 3 M Ecover 2 88d 15h 15m 13s 1d 04h 27m 18s 1.36% 4 Dominique Wavre M Temenos (1) 92d 17h 13m 20s 5d 06h 25m 25s 6.02% 5 M VMI 93d 00h 02m 10s 5d 13h 14m 15s 6.35% 6 M Virbac-Paprec (1) 98d 03h 49m 38s 10d 17h 01m 43s 12.25% 7 M Hellomoto 104d 14h 32m 24s 17d 03h 44m 29s 19.62% 8 M Arcelor Dunkerque 104d 23h 02m 45s 17d 12h 14m 50s 20.02% 9 M Ocean Planet 109d 19h 58m 57s 22d 09h 11m 02s 25.59% 10 M Max Havelaar / Best Western 116d 01h 06m 54s 28d 14h 18m 59s 32.7% 11 F ROXY 119d 05h 28m 40s 31d 18h 40m 45s 36.34% 12 M Akena Verandas 125d 04h 07m 14s 37d 17h 19m 19s 43.14% 13 F Benefic 126d 08h 02m 20s 38d 21h 14m 25s 44.47% DNF(7) M Skandia Keel Failure (went back and completed passage)DNF(6) M VM Matériaux (2) broken boomDNF(5) M Pro-Form Outside assistance required in NZL (complete passage)DNF(4) M Sill Véolia (2) keel problemsDNF(3) M Brother keel problemsDNF(2) M Hugo Boss Hole in the deckDNF(1) M UUDS rudder problemDNS M Adrenalines

Entries Participants gallery

Participant facts equipment Twenty 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.

+Details on competitors and the boats used Skipper Nat. Prev. participation(Start/Finish) Name of boat Naval architect Builder Launch date Ref. Alex Thomson Never Hugo Boss Marc Lombard Mag France 1998 Anne Liardet Never ROXY Marc Lombard Briand Mag France 1989 Bruce Schwab Never Ocean Planet Thomas Wylle Schooner Creek Boat 2001 Benoît Parnaudeau Never Max Havelaar / Best Western Rowsell-Morisson Rowsell-Morisson 1991 Conrad Humphreys Never Hellomoto Finot-Conq 1998 Dominique Wavre 1 / 1 (5th) Temenos (1) Finot-Conq 1999 Jean-Pierre Dick Never Virbac-Paprec (1) Farr yacht design 2003 Jean Le Cam Never Bonduelle 2 Marc Lombard JMV Industries 2004 Karen Leibovici Never Benefic Philippe Harlé Alain MortainCDK Technologies 1991 Hervé Laurent 1 / 1 (3rd) UUDS Finot-Conq JMV Industries 1994 Joe Seeten 1 / 1 (10th) Arcelor-Dunkerque Finot-Conq JMV Industries 1998 Marc Thiercelin 2 / 2 (2nd) Pro Form Marc Lombard Mag France 1998 Mike Golding 1 / 1 (7th) Ecover 2 Owen Clarke Design 2003 Nick Moloney Never Skandia Owen Clarke Design Marten Yachts 2000 Patrice Carpentier 2 / 1 (11th) VM Matériaux (2) Michel Joubert Benoit Nivet 1999 Raphaël Dinelli 2 / 0 Akena Verandas Nándor Fa Nandor Fa chantier 1996 Roland Jourdain 1 / 1 (3rd) Sill Véolia (2) Marc Lombard JMV Industries 2004 Norbert Sedlacek Never Brother Bernard Nivett Chantier Norbert Sedlacek 1995 Sébastien Josse Never VMI Finot-Conq Kirié / Éluère 1998 Vincent Riou Never PRB 2 Finot-Conq Mag France 2000

References

External links

Official YouTube Channel