On June 7, 2026, nine skippers will set sail from Les Sables-d’Olonne for a unique adventure: the third edition of the Vendée Arctique. This solo, non-stop, unassisted race will take them to the Arctic Circle, in conditions renowned for their harshness. With a free course and a new format, this event promises to be a human and technical challenge, both a test and a springboard to the 2028 Vendée Globe.
To remember
- Departure : June 7, 2026 at 1:02 PM from Les Sables-d’Olonne.
- Unpublished format Free route towards the Arctic Circle (66°N), at the longitude of their choice, then return.
- 9 skippers competing, including 3 women and 6 men, with 7 novices in this event.
- Estimated duration : 8 to 10 days of racing, in unstable weather conditions and constant cold.
- Stake : First qualifying stage for the Vendée Globe 2028, a technical and human test for the skippers and their IMOCA boats.
There will be nine of them on the starting line. Basically, a large number of the skippers who participated in the 100th Race will be there, plus a few others. And it must be said that this number still seems small, considering the Vendée Globe is two years away. But I think those who start early can hope to make history. the Route du Rhum. which is coming soon.
A polar challenge reinvented
The Vendée Arctique – Les Sables d’Olonne begins its third edition With a bold new approach: no more set course. The nine skippers competing must reach the Arctic Circle (66° North) at the longitude of their choice, before returning to their starting port. Complete strategic freedom, but also increased responsibility, in an area where weather systems are complex, unstable, and violent.
This year, the race is the first qualifying event for the Vendée Globe 2028 confirming its key role in the preparation of skippers and their boats. The race village, open from May 30 to June 7, will welcome the public for entertainment and meetings with the sailors.
The favorites and the outsiders
Sam Goodchild, the champion under pressure
- Skipper : MACIF Santé Prévoyance (IMOCA winner of the Vendée Globe 2024-2025).
- 2026 Rankings : Winner of the 1000 Race (first event of the IMOCA season), with almost 100 miles ahead of his first pursuer.
- Statement : “The Vendée Arctique is first and foremost a return to solo sailing, a real challenge. You have to manage everything yourself: sleep, food, navigation. The slightest mistake can be very costly.”
- Objective : To confirm its dominance after a successful start to the season, with a view to the Route du Rhum 2026 and the Vendée Globe 2028.
The other contenders
| Skipper | Boat | Arctic Vendée Experience | Objective |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corentin Horeau | MACSF | 1st participation | Top 3 |
| Elodie Bonafous | Petits Princes-Quéguiner Association | 1st participation | Discovery and performance |
| Violette Orange | Heart Initiatives | 1st participation | Learning |
| Ambrogio Beccaria | Allagrande MAPEI | 1st participation | Strategy and speed |
| Francesca Clapcich | 11th Hour Racing | 1st participation | Polar experience |
| Manuel Cousin | Helping Hand | 2nd participation | Revenge after 2022 |
| Arnaud Boissières | April Marine-Recherche Co-Partner | 2nd participation | Vendée Globe 2028 preparations |
A course without a net
Weather and geographical challenges
- Weather systems The skippers will have to cross fast-moving depressions, with alternating periods of strong winds, fog, and temperatures close to 0°C.
- Exclusion zones :
- Ice cream : A restricted zone runs along the coasts of Greenland to avoid icebergs and growlers (drifting blocks of ice).
- Biodiversity : Respect for marine mammal protection zones (whales, seals).
- Strategy : A difficult choice between a direct and risky route (east of Iceland) or a safer but longer one. “It will be like the first hours of a transatlantic crossing, but on repeat for 8 to 10 days.”, summarizes Sam Goodchild.
Lessons from previous editions
| Edition | Course | Terms | Let’s give up | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| two thousand twenty | Tour of Iceland | Unpredictable weather, ice | five | Charlie Dalin (APIVIA) |
| two thousand twenty-two | Tour of Iceland | Violent depression | 5 (race stopped on day 4) | Charlie Dalin (APIVIA) |
| two thousand twenty-six | Free towards 66°N | Unstable weather systems | ? | Future |
IMOCA boats put to the test in the Far North
The boats competing are 18.28-meter (60-foot) monohulls, designed for single-handed performance. Their characteristics:
- Materials : Carbon/kevlar composite for an optimal weight-to-stiffness ratio.
- Speed : Up to 40 knots (75 km/h) downwind for the latest generation foilers.
- Adaptations : Structural reinforcements to withstand impacts with ice or debris, heating systems for electronic equipment.
“In the Vendée Arctique, those 50 knots can be upwind or downwind. I prepared the boat for the Vendée Globe, based on experience.”explains Arnaud Boissières.
Why this race matters
- Full-scale test : Validation of technical choices (foils, keels, autopilots) and human resistance in extreme conditions.
- Vendée Globe 2028 preparations : “This is a crucial step: to prove to myself that I am capable of running a fast race, a good race.”, underlines Arnaud Boissières, five-time participant in the Vendée Globe.
- Sports issue The Vendée Arctique could reshape the hierarchy of the IMOCA class before the Route du Rhum 2026.
The final word
“The pressure comes mainly from me. The team likes to win, that’s for sure. But we keep asking ourselves the right questions, because that’s what offshore racing is all about: always striving to do better.” — Sam Goodchild, skipper of MACIF Santé Prévoyance