Vendée Globe: Team Banque Populaire has decided to change skipper

The Vendée Globe Organisation has just learned that Team Banque Populaire has decided to change skipper, on the basis that Clarisse Crémer's participation in the next edition is not guaranteed.

Faced with an increasingly attractive race, the Organisation has had to change its rules for the 2024 edition. At the general request to publish it very early, it was revealed in October 2021 in order to give the greatest visibility on the participation rules to all the candidates and their sponsors, more than 3 years before the start.

This was a legitimate request, as the qualification and selection process will take place over 4 years.

It should also be noted that the general principles of qualification and selection for the 2024 Vendée Globe are based on the reflections and proposals discussed and voted on by the Imoca Class at the General Assembly in August 2020.

In order to preserve the fairness of all the candidates for the next Vendée Globe, the Race Organisation cannot under any circumstances allow itself to change the rules, when the selection process has already begun.

For the Wild Card, this is a possibility that has been discussed with Team Banque Populaire and Clarisse Crémer. This cannot be decided until the end of the selection process, as the Vendée Globe does not know which skippers could be eligible.

We should add that at this stage, no skipper is guaranteed to take part in the next Vendée Globe.
It is not certain that the selection process will be activated, as it will only be activated once more than 40 skippers have qualified.

In a letter sent to Clarisse Crémer in October 2022, the Vendée Globe President expressed his wish to see her on the start line on 10th November 2024.

"I reiterate my wish that a sponsor will be able to join her in this wonderful adventure," reaffirmed Alain Leboeuf, President of the Vendée Globe.