Vendee Globe Race Village opening draws record spectators

by Sabina Mollart-Rogerson on 30 Oct 2012 The first week of the Vendee Globe Race Village opening in Les Sables d’Olonne drew a record number of spectators. Since October 20th, no less than 230,000 people (including 10,000 school children) strolled around the aisles and the pontoons where the 20 boats participating in the next non-stop single-handed round-the-world race without assistance are moored. An obvious success!

Ahead of the race start scheduled for Saturday, November 10th at 1.02PM, the 2012-2013 edition of the Vendée Globe is already a success with a very busy first week in the Race Village that was inaugurated by Vendée General Council President Bruno Retailleau a week ago. 230,000 people visited the various booths and came close to the twenty boats moored at the pontoons. Throughout the week, which was the last one before the fall vacation, more than 10,000 local schoolchildren contributed to the particularly festive atmosphere in the Village, which offers many different activities.

The growing success of this seventh edition of the Vendée Globe is also obvious online. The race’s official website (vendeeglobe.org) drew 200,000 visitors in a week, with 750,000 pages seen. The race’s Facebook page (facebook.com/VendeeGlobe) will soon have 20,000 fans while the Twitter account is followed by more than 3,500 people. As for the virtual race, a week after the start of the registration period, more than 30,000 players have already signed in on virtualregatta.com.

The Race Village is open until November 11, 2012 from 10AM to 8PM (Free admission). Extended hours (closing at 10PM): November 3 and 9. The Race Village will be exceptionally open on November 10 from 8AM to 8PM and on November 11 from 10AM to 6PM. Pontoons will be open from 10AM to 8PM every day until November 8 (included). Vendee Globe website