The AP French Language and Culture class studied Le Vendée Globe, a non-stop unassisted yacht race around the world. Students studied this race to learn about the sailors’ dedication and about the importance of the event in France. The race takes place every four years in Les Sables-d’Olonne (The Sands of Olonne), located in the West of France. The race usually takes around two and a half months.

It was first held in 1989, and has 40 skippers to start. The skippers sail along Antarctica, cross Point Nemo and sail across the Cape Horn coast. The skippers also post update videos for their fans to see their progress, while living on a yacht. 

French teacher Charlotte Favrin has shown the race to her students before. The last time the race occurred, she showed it to her students during at-home learning.

“This is a race that is only every four years,” Favrin said. “It’s a huge accomplishment for people to do. I like to show it in my class for several reasons. The first time I did it in my class was in 2020. Everybody was stuck home, they could not leave, even to go to the grocery store. The skippers were still allowed to do the race, so I thought it would be good for my class to escape and travel, so we would follow them around the world.”

The race started Nov. 10 with 360,000 attendees, 20% more than in 2016, the last race with visitors. Favrin thought she would bring the tradition back as the race began.  

“This year I also thought it would be a great way for the class to see all those amazing skippers going around the world,” Favrin said. “Also since it’s not COVID anymore there are more people. Last time there was none, but now the people were allowed to follow to the ports and do a huge celebration for the beginning of the race and for the arrival in general.”

Favrin wanted the students to each choose a skipper to support, to cheer for as the race went on. She made a board of all the skippers for the students to write their names under their chosen sailor. While watching the race was a new experience for most of the students in AP French, Le Vendee Globe wasn’t a first-time experience for junior Zara Cacci. 

“I chose Giancarlo Pedote” Cacci said. “I chose him because he is Italian like me, [so] he resonates with me. My dad’s side of the family is Italian. He’s in 28th place at the moment, and he is a really good sailor, he won a lot of competitions and wrote a book. I think it’s cool because I did this eight years ago when I was in French school.”

Pedote’s foundation is supporting sustainability and giving electricity and water to people who don’t have access or don’t have enough. 

Charlie Dalin, the French skipper of MACIF Santé Prévoyance, won the race by finishing the 45,000 kilometer race around the globe on Jan. 14, in a time of 64 days, 19 hours, 22 minutes and 49 seconds, The performance shaved more than nine days off the previous record time set in the 2016 race by Armel Le Cléac’h (74 days and 3 hours).

Pedote was not as fortunate. He ended up finishing the race on Feb. 4 in 85 days, 20 hours 32 minutes and one second, which put him in 22nd place.

The race has a special place in Favrin’s heart. She grew up watching Le Vendee Globe when she was a child in France. She used to sail when she was younger with her father.

“Growing up, I always followed the skippers,” Favrin said. “When I was young, I used to sail a lot, so I like the sea. I have been doing that with my father. They are by themselves and they cannot get any help. They have those huge race boats, so I always followed them every four years.” 

Favrin admires the skippers for their hard work and little sleep. 

“Those people dedicated their lives to this,” Favrin said. “Those people are like superheroes because they are very athletic. They can be on a boat for three months and barely eat and barely sleep. They have to manage this huge machine. They also have very strong minds, they are very dedicated and they know a lot about currents, the weather and science. I admire them and I think they are a good model for the class to look up to because they are very special people.”

Sophomore Elora Clarke chose skipper Samantha Davies, because of her support towards charities. Davies is a supporter of “Mécénat Chirurgie Cardiaque,” a humanitarian organization to enable children with heart malformations to be operated on in France when this is impossible in their own country due to a lack of technical or financial resources.  

“I chose Samantha Davies,” Clarke said. “She supports multiple charities, not just one. There were not that many women skippers, so I wanted to choose a girl. I think it’s very impressive that someone can just live on their own on the water for two months. Samantha was recently in fifth place so I think she has a good shot at winning.”

When asked who she’s rooting for, Favrin immediately agreed she chose a woman.

“There’s a lot of sailors but very few women, so of course I’m rooting for women,” Favrin said. “I like the very young Violette Dorange because she’s only 23 years old. When she was 15, she crossed the English Channel all by herself on a little boat. I really like Clarisse Crémer. She is in 10th place right now so she has a chance. It is her second time doing it but that’s who I’m really rooting for.”

For the record, Davies of the United Kingdom finished 13th, finishing the race on Jan 30 in 80 days, 22 hours, 13 minutes and 39 seconds. Dorange of France placed 25th, finishing on Feb. 9 in 90 days 22 hours, 37 minutes and nine seconds. Crémer finished ahead of both of them, taking 11th place after completing the course on Jan. 27 in 77 days, 15 hours, 34 minutes and 28 seconds.

The race by the way is not over yet.

The most recent finisher, France’s Manuel Cousin, completed the course on Saturday to earn 31st place in a time of 111 days, 38 minutes and 38 seconds. According to the race website, two sailors—Fabrice Amedeo of France and Denis Van Weynbergh of Belgium are still on the course. Amedeo was 207.97 nautical miles from the finish today at 5:47 p.m. Van Weynbergh was 573.29 nautical miles from the finish. Amedeo is expected to finish the race tomorrow. Van Weynbergh most likely will finish next weekend.