Vendée racer, Xu Singchain of Team Haikou

With under six months before the 10th edition of the Vendée Globe sailing race starts in November, it is holding an American event – New York Vendée – as the last qualifying and selection race for the solo around-the-world main event.

The New York Vendée Les Sables d’Olonne, to give its full name, sets sail on May 29 at 2pm, local time.

The 30 skippers are limbering up with this final test before the Vendée Globe and put their boats through their paces, while attempting to assert superiority over their rivals. It’s also the last chance for some to qualify and be among the 40 selected for the 10th edition.

They set off the coast of New York, twice as many in number as in this event’s first edition in 2016.

This transatlantic regatta, which includes the favourites for the Vendée Globe, is likely to be extremely fast: the downwind conditions should propel the first competitors towards the finishing point in Vendée, France very quickly.

Each Vendée event is an open monohull race under the International Monohull Open Class Association (Imoca), which manages the class of 60ft (18.28m) boats.

Given the technological advances in the Imocas, the record time of nine days, 16hrs, 57mins, 52s set by Jérémie Beyou in 2016 should be beaten.

Tomorrow, May 24, will see pre-race speed runs over a one-nautical-mile racecourse in Manhattan Bay, called Vendée Liberty. Four pools will follow each other to put on a show, for spectators.

The Vendée Liberty exhibition race route, before the Vendée new York to France event takes place

Two skippers competing in the New York race are based in Asia: Kojiro Shiraishi (Japan) and Xu Jingkun (China), and another – James Harayda (Great Britain) – was born in Singapore. Yacht Style takes a look at their form, below.

Kojiro Shiraishi (Japan); photo: Jean-Marie Liot/Alea/Vendee Globe

Third-time Vendée Globe participant, Shiraishi races with DMG Mori Global One. In 1994, at the age of 26 became the youngest sailor to complete a non-stop single-handed circumnavigation. He twice finished second in the BOC Challenge, a solo race with stopovers and in 2016, he became the first sailor from Asia to start of the Vendée Globe race.

In February 2021, aboard the Imoca DMG Mori Global One, Shiraishi completed the Vendée Globe.

For the 2024 edition, he aims to do better than his 16th place in 2020, with the same hull that is equipped with new foils and a new bow.

Xu Jingkun (China); photo: Jean-Louis Carli

Xu, first-time participant, is one of China’s top sailing athletes, racing with Singchain Team Haikou. At the age of 12, he lost his left hand in an accident. In 2005, he joined the Chinese national team, this is how he started sailing. He has taken on many challenges: solo around the China Sea, sailing a Mini Transat 6.50 around the world. In 2008, he took part in the Beijing Paralympic Games.

In Chinese competitions, he has finished on many podiums. Almost 10 years later, he set a Chinese record at the World Championships. Thanks to his successes under sail, he has been voted Personality of the Year in China several times and as a sailing instructor, he has passed on his passion to many in his homeland.

James Harada (Great Britain); photo: Jean-Marie Liot/Alea/Vendee Globe 

Growing up in Singapore, first-time participant Harayda, of Gentoo Sailing Team, spent weekends exploring and racing around the tropical island in various dinghies and keelboats. Fast forward 12 years and James has competed in many of the worlds largest offshore races. From this, he became a two-time British Double Handed National Champion with teammate Dee Caffari, who finished 6^th in the 2008 Vendée Globe. Now it’s James’ turn to attempt a result.

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