Wikipedia

1996–1997 Vendée Globe

The 1996–1997 Vendée Globe was a non-stop round-the-world yacht race for IMOCA 50- and IMOCA 60-class yachts crewed by only one person. It was the third edition of the race, starting on 3 November 1996 from Les Sables-d'Olonne. The overall winner was Christophe Auguin who crossed the finish line on 17 February 1997 after a total time of 105 days, 20 hours and 31 minutes.

1996–1997 Vendée Globe
Event title
Name1996–1997 Vendée Globe
Edition3rd Edition
SponsorVendee Region of France
Event details
Start locationLes Sables-d'Olonne
Finish locationLes Sables-d'Olonne
CourseSolo non-stop round-the-world race
Start date3 November 1996
Finish date3 November 1996
YachtsIMOCA 50
IMOCA 60
Results
1st place, gold medalist(s) Gold Christophe Auguin (FRA)
Geodis
2nd place, silver medalist(s) Silver Marc Thiercelin (FRA)
Crédit Immobilier
3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Bronze Hervé Laurent (FRA)
Groupe LG-Traitmat

Summary

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Another heavy-weather start in the Bay of Biscay knocked Nándor Fa and Didier Munduteguy out of the race early, and several others returned to the start for repairs before continuing.[citation needed] The rest of the fleet raced to the Southern Ocean, where a second attrition began: Yves Parlier and Isabelle Autissier broke rudders,[citation needed] leaving Christophe Auguin to lead the way into the south.

The race was won by Christophe Auguin.[1] Catherine Chabaud, in sixth place, was the last to cross the finish line and the first woman to complete a solo navigation of the globe without stopping.[2] Ten of the sixteen boats that started the race did not finish.[3]

The book Godforsaken Sea by Derek Lundy profiles the 1996–1997 running of the race.[4]

Incidents

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Gerry Roufs

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The yacht Groupe LG 2[5] and its Canadian sailor Gerry Roufs were lost in the Southern Ocean; his body was never found, but his boat was found five months later off the Chilean Coast.[6][7]

Retirement causes

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Heavy weather took a serious toll on the sailors in the far Southern Ocean.

Unofficial competitor Raphaël Dinelli's boat capsized, and he was rescued by Pete Goss.[8][9] Then, within a few hours of each other, two other boats capsized, with both rescues undertaken by the Royal Australian Navy.[10]

Pete Goss was later awarded the Légion d'honneur for his rescue of Dinelli.[9] The capsize of several boats in this race prompted tightening up of the safety rules for entrants, particularly regarding boat safety and stability.[11]

Results

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Table: Order of Finish, 1996–1997 Vendée Globe[12]

PosSailorYachtTimeRef.
1 Christophe Auguin (FRA)Geodis105d 20h 31' (new record)
2 Marc Thiercelin (FRA)Crédit Immobilier113d 08h 26'
3 Hervé Laurent (FRA)Groupe LG-Traitmat114d 16h 43'
4 Éric Dumont (FRA)Café Legal-Le Goût116d 16h 43'
5 Pete Goss (GBR)Aqua Quorum126d 21h 25'IMOCA 50[13]
6 Catherine Chabaud (FRA)Whirlpool-Europe 2(H)140d 04h 38'
Did not finish
DNF Isabelle Autissier (FRA)PRB (1)broken rudder
DNF Yves Parlier (FRA)Aquitaine Innovationsbroken rudder
DNF Bertrand de Broc (FRA)Votre Nom autour du Monde
- Pommes Rhône Alpes		capsized
DNF Tony Bullimore (GBR)Exide Challengercapsized
DNF Thierry Dubois (FRA)Amnesty Internationalcapsized
DNF Nándor Fa (HUN)Budapestcollision
DNF Didier Munduteguy (FRA)Club 60è Suddismasted
DNF Patrick de Radiguès (BEL)Afibelbeached
DNF Gerry Roufs (CAN)Groupe LG 2Boat and skipper lost at sea[6]
Unofficial Starter
N/A Raphaël Dinelli (FRA)Algimousscapsized
Unofficial Starter
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Competitors

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Entries boats

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Fifteen skippers started the race a qualification passage was required to validate the registration of each boat, this course could have been carried out as part of another sailing race.

List of participants and equipment used
SkipperNat.Prev. participation
(Start/Finish)		Name of boatSail no.Naval architectBuilderLaunch dateRef.
Bertrand de Broc France1 / 0Votre Nom autour du Monde
- Pommes Rhône Alpes		Philippe BriandATA Jeanneau1989[14]
Catherine Chabaud FranceNeverWhirlpool-Europe 2Philippe Harlé
Alain Mortain		CDK Technologies1991[15]
Christophe Auguin FranceNeverGeodisFinot-ConqJMV Industries1994[16]
Didier Munduteguy FranceNeverClub 60 SudPhilip MorrisonRowsell & Morrison (GBR)1990[17]
Éric Dumont FranceNeverCafé Legal-Le GoûtFinot-ConqCDK Technologies1992[18]
Gerry Roufs CanadaNeverGroupe LG 2Finot-ConqMag et JMV1995[19]
Hervé Laurent FranceNeverGroupe LG-TraitmatLuc Bouvet
Olivier Petit		Chantier Capitaine Flint1989[20]
Isabelle Autissier FranceNeverPRB (1)Finot-ConqMarc Pinta1996[21]
Marc Thiercelin FranceNeverCrédit Immobilier de FranceFinot-ConqMarc Pinta1990[22]
Nándor Fa Hungary1 / 1 (5th)BudapestNándor FaFa Hajo Kft1996[23]
Patrick de Radiguès BelgiumNeverAfibelPhilippe Harlé
Alain Mortain		Garcia1989[24]
Pete Goss United KingdomNeverAqua QuorumAdrian ThompsonPete Goss – Plymouth GBR1996IMOCA 50 [13]
Tony Bullimore United KingdomNeverExide ChallengerNoble et SmithWesley Massam1992[25]
Thierry Dubois FranceNeverPour Amnesty InternationalJoubert-Niveltchantier Hervé et Pinta1989[26]
Yves Parlier France1 / 1 (4th)Aquitaine InnovationsFinot-ConqComposite Aquitaine
Thierry Eluère		1996[27]
Raphaël Dinelli FranceNeverAlgimoussMarc LombardJeantot Marine1998[28]

References

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  1. ↑ "Open 60 Class Review". Yachting. Vol. 181, no. 4. April 1997. ISSN 0043-9940. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
  2. ↑ "Solo yachtswoman and journalist Catherine Chabaud wins Woman of the Year award". Euronews. 14 May 2015. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
  3. ↑ "Edition 1996/1997 : Le Globe ne tourne plus rond". Vendée Globe (in French). Archived from the original on 22 October 2004. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
  4. ↑ Lundy, Derek (2000). Godforsaken Sea: The True Story of a Race Through the World's Most Dangerous Waters. New York, NY: Anchor. ISBN 978-0-385-72000-7.
  5. ↑ "IMOCA 60 Groupe LG 2 Archive". histoiredeshalfs.com. Retrieved 2022-01-18.
  6. 1 2 Evans, Jeremy (1 April 2008). Sailing. Dorling Kindersley Ltd. p. 317. ISBN 978-1-4053-3472-3. Tragically, another life was lost as French Canadian Gerry Roufs was lost at sea
  7. ↑ Branigan, David (1997-01-17). "Roufs' fate rests with the brave efforts of Dumont". irishtimes.com. Retrieved 2025-07-06.
  8. ↑ "Rival sails to rescue sinking sailor".
  9. 1 2 "Hero sailor Yachtsman of the Year". BBC. 10 January 1998. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
  10. ↑ "Tony Bullimore: British sailor who survived four days under a capsized yacht in the Southern Ocean dies aged 79". ABC News (Australia). 31 July 2018. Retrieved 6 July 2025.
  11. ↑ Finot, Jean-Marie (March 1999). "60' Open, the conditions of safety, past evolution, current state, future". finot.com. Retrieved 9 December 2016.
  12. ↑ "Edition 1996/1997 : Le Globe ne tourne plus rond". Vendée Globe (in French). Archived from the original on 22 October 2004. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
  13. 1 2 "Document sans titre".
  14. ↑ "Document sans titre".
  15. ↑ "Document sans titre".
  16. ↑ "Document sans titre".
  17. ↑ "Document sans titre".
  18. ↑ "Document sans titre".
  19. ↑ "Document sans titre".
  20. ↑ "Document sans titre".
  21. ↑ "Document sans titre".
  22. ↑ "Document sans titre".
  23. ↑ "Document sans titre".
  24. ↑ "Document sans titre". Archived from the original on 2021-01-22. Retrieved 2021-01-21.
  25. ↑ "Document sans titre".
  26. ↑ "Document sans titre". Archived from the original on 2015-01-24. Retrieved 2021-01-21.
  27. ↑ "Document sans titre". Archived from the original on 2021-01-28. Retrieved 2021-01-21.
  28. ↑ "Document sans titre".
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