Overview

• The fleet will depart Boulogne-sur-Mer at 14:00 Sunday on a westward leg into the English Channel before rounding the British Isles in clockwise fashion
• Race director Jacques Caraës warns that weak early winds could add up to two days to the expected five- to six-day race and that the course may be altered to skip the Shetlands or finish off Dover
• The lineup combines foiling and non-foiling IMOCA yachts and includes multiple Vendée Globe top-10 finishers such as Jérémie Beyou on Charal and Thomas Ruyant on Vulnerable
• Sam Goodchild has stepped in for Charlie Dalin aboard Macif Santé Prévoyance, which remains the pre-race favorite despite the late crew change
• Competitors are preparing to navigate coastal hazards including rocks, heavy maritime traffic and variable weather along the northern route