SLAM Vendée Globe Sailors

For Louis Duc, there are no problems, only solutions, such as the one he implemented during a leg of the Mini Transat, when he dismasted but managed to put the mast back in place in the middle of the Atlantic, all by himself on a small 6.50 metre hull! And he is as daring at sea as he is ashore when it comes to ideas, so much so that he was the first to build a Class 40 with a "scow" bow, i.e. with rounded front volumes and a mast with a single spreader. He loves a challenge, which is why he did not shy away from buying and rebuilding the old, burnt-out "PRB 3" from 2007, taking his place on the starting line at this, his first Vendée.

Louis will be participating in the UNESCO project with the following oceanographic equipment on board: 

• Surface buoy

Interview by the Vendée Globe organisation

Arnaud Boissières is a sailor who embodies perseverance and a pure passion for the sea. Known among friends and fans as "Cali," Boissières is not only a sailor with years of experience, but a person who exudes great humility and a strong joie de vivre, qualities that make him a unique and beloved figure throughout the world of ocean sailing. He is the only skipper to have completed four consecutive Vendée Globes, each of which he has always tackled with a balance of tenacity and serenity, demonstrating a great respect for the sea and for the extreme challenge that this adventure provides. He is a French sailing legend and is ready to complete his fifth consecutive round-the-world race!

Arnaud will be participating in the UNESCO project with the following oceanographic equipment on board: 

• a surface buoy and

• a Calitoo photometer, an instrument used to measure the amount of light emitted or transmitted by a source, which is essential for carrying out leakage tests on HEPA filters, which in turn are tasked with blocking polluting particles in the area under treatment.

• Interview by the Vendée Globe organisation

During the 2020 Vendée Globe, his second edition, Manuel crossed the line in 103 days with a broken keel ram! After he had spent the first half of his life as an entrepreneur, he decided to make his dream come true and devote himself to ocean sailing, leaving his home in Normandy and settling in Les Sables-d'Olonne. In 2013, he joined the Class40 circuit and for four seasons he sailed his way between Transat Jacques Vabre and Québec/Saint-Malo, before joining the IMOCA class in 2017. To prepare for his second Vendée Globe, he took part in all the major regattas on the circuit - Transat Jacques Vabre, Route du Rhum, Retour à la Base, New York-Vendée - accumulating enough miles (19,825) to reach the top of the qualifications for non-new boats and validate his participation in the 2024 edition.

Manuel will be participating in the UNESCO project with the following oceanographic equipment on board: 

• Surface buoy

• Interview by the Vendée Globe organisation

A former judo champion and pub owner, Antoine had already been answered the unwavering call to the ocean, having taken part in the Minitransat of 2001. Following a long break in which he devoted himself to his family, he started sailing again in 2017; three years ago he bought one of the oldest Imoca still on the water, an Owen Clarke design from 2005. A challenge within a challenge!

Antoine will be participating in the UNESCO project with the following oceanographic equipment on board: 

• Surface buoy

• Weather station

• TSG Gaillard

• Interview by the Vendée Globe organisation

33-year-old skipper Sébastien Simon, one of the emerging names in French ocean sailing, is preparing his return to the Vendée Globe with resilience and determination. After being forced to retire off the coast of South Africa back in 2020 while in fourth place, due to boat damage, Simon has transformed this setback into a lesson in perseverance. At the last Transat he suffered a concussion and a fractured neck, leading him to also completely rethink the concept of safety on board. 

"After the accident, I spent three months unable to move and another month in rehabilitation. We then modified the boat to avoid new risks: the seat was custom-made, with seat belts and shock absorbers. The berth was also improved with foot stoppers and nets created by local fishermen to prevent it from being thrown forward in the event of an impact. I now always wear a helmet above 20 knots".

• Interview by the Vendée Globe organisation