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Vendée Globe 2024 Edition – Ice Risk: Monitoring Icebergs from Space
How is the race made safer by detecting the most threatening icebergs?
CLS enhances the safety of major ocean races through its expertise in detecting icebergs from space and analyzing their drift patterns.
Navigating the roaring forties and howling fifties in the heart of the Southern Ocean presents significant risks, as these areas—including Antarctica and the three major capes of the Deep South—are particularly prone to sea ice formation. This is where CLS’s expertise is critical, as we provide high-resolution satellite imagery to identify icebergs that pose threats and track their trajectories.
In collaboration with race management, CLS specialists, our expert satellite image analysts, identify ice threats and define dynamic exclusion zones, the AEZ (Antarctic Exclusion Zone) that outline the boundaries skippers should not cross to avoid icebergs, and keep the competitors safe from the most hazardous ones. These zones are continuously updated in response to ice movements influenced by weather conditions and ocean currents, ensuring real-time adaptation and maximum safety.
Vendée Globe: The Ultimate Sailing Challenge
The Vendée Globe, known as the greatest solo, non-stop, and unassisted round-the-world sailing race, stands as a testament to human endurance and innovation. Its origins trace back to the 1968 Golden Globe, the first solo circumnavigation of its kind, which followed the routes around the three legendary capes: Cape of Good Hope, Cape Leeuwin, and Cape Horn.
Of the nine sailors who embarked on this pioneering adventure in 1968, only one returned to Falmouth, England. After 313 grueling days at sea, British sailor Robin Knox-Johnston crossed the finish line on April 6, 1969.
The Birth of the Vendée Globe
Two decades later, inspired by his back-to-back victories in the BOC Challenge (a solo round-the-world race with stopovers), French navigator Philippe Jeantot envisioned a new challenge: a solo, non-stop, around-the-world race. And so, the Vendée Globe was born.
On November 26, 1989, 13 sailors lined up for the first edition of the race. Over the course of three intense months, only seven successfully returned to Les Sables d’Olonne, forever cementing the Vendée Globe as one of the most demanding maritime events in the world.
2024-2025 Edition: A Legacy of Excellence Continues
As the 2024-2025 Edition of the Vendée Globe approaches the icy waters of the Southern Ocean, safety remains a top priority. With the advanced technologies provided by CLS, such as satellite iceberg detection and drift monitoring, the race remains as challenging and awe-inspiring as ever.
CLS’s solutions empower race organizers to create safer routes, giving skippers the confidence to tackle the most dangerous waters on Earth.
