| 2004–2005 Vendée Globe | |
| Edition: | 5th Edition |
| Sponsor: | Vendee Region of France |
| Start: | Les Sables-d'Olonne |
| Finish: | Les Sables-d'Olonne |
| Course: | Solo non-stop round the world race |
| Startdate: | 7 November 2004 |
| Key People: | Race Director Denis Horeau |
| Yachts: | IMOCA 60 |
| Nations: | 20 |
| Prev: | 2000–2001 |
| Next: | 2008–2009 |
The 2004–2005 Vendée Globe was a non-stop solo Round the World Yacht Race for IMOCA 60 class yachts. The fifth edition of the race started on 7 November 2004[1] from Les Sables-d'Olonne.
The start of the 2004 race was watched by an estimated 300,000 people, which took place in mild weather. A fast start was followed by a few minor equipment problems, allowing the first racers to cross the equator just after 10 days. This was three days faster than the previous race, with all of the starters still sailing.
Attrition began on entry into the Roaring Forties: Alex Thomson diverted to Cape Town to make unassisted repairs and continue racing. The fleet encountered a number of other problems. Hervé Laurent retired with serious rudder problems, Thomson abandoned, and Conrad Humphreys anchored to make unassisted rudder repairs. Gear problems and abandonments continued, then the fleet ran into an area of ice, and Sébastien Josse hit an iceberg head-on.[2]
The lead changed several times as the fleet re-entered the Atlantic. The race remained close right to the finish, which saw three boats finish within 29 hours.[3]
The first Race Director Denis Horeau returned to the role after 15 years to head the event management team.[4]
| 1 | PRB 2 | 87d 10h 47' 55" (new record) | [6] | ||
| 2 | Bonduelle 2 | 87d 17h 20' 08" | |||
| 3 | Ecover 2 | 88d 15h 15' 13" | |||
| 4 | Dominique Wavre | Temenos (1) | 92d 17h 13' 20" | ||
| 5 | VMI | 93d 00h 02' 10" | |||
| 6 | Virbac-Paprec (1) | 98d 03h 49' 38" | |||
| 7 | Hellomoto | 104d 14h 32' 24" | |||
| 8 | Arcelor Dunkerque | 104d 23h 02' 45" | |||
| 9 | Ocean Planet | 109d 19h 58' 57" | |||
| 10 | Max Havelaar / Best Western | 116d 01h 06' 54" | |||
| 11 | ROXY | 119d 05h 28' 40" | |||
| 12 | Akena Verandas | 125d 04h 07' 14" | |||
| 13 | Benefic | 126d 08h 02' 20" | |||
| DNF(7) | Skandia | Keel Failure (went back and completed passage) | |||
| DNF(6) | VM Matériaux (2) | broken boom | |||
| DNF(5) | Pro-Form | Outside assistance required in NZL (complete passage) | [7] | ||
| DNF(4) | Sill Véolia (2) | keel problems | |||
| DNF(3) | Brother | keel problems | |||
| DNF(2) | Hugo Boss | Hole in the deck | |||
| DNF(1) | UUDS | rudder problem | |||
| DNS | Adrenalines |
Twenty 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.
| Never | Hugo Boss | Marc Lombard | Mag France | 1998 | ||||
| Never | ROXY | Marc Lombard Briand | Mag France | 1989 | ||||
| Never | Ocean Planet | Thomas Wylle | Schooner Creek Boat | 2001 | ||||
| Never | Max Havelaar / Best Western | Rowsell-Morisson | Rowsell-Morisson | 1991 | ||||
| Never | Hellomoto | Finot-Conq | 1998 | [8] | ||||
| 1 / 1 (5th) | Temenos (1) | Finot-Conq | 1999 | [9] | ||||
| Never | Virbac-Paprec (1) | 2003 | [10] | |||||
| Never | Bonduelle 2 | Marc Lombard | 2004 | |||||
| Never | Benefic | Philippe Harlé Alain Mortain | 1991 | |||||
| 1 / 1 (3rd) | UUDS | Finot-Conq | 1994 | [11] | ||||
| 1 / 1 (10th) | Arcelor-Dunkerque | Finot-Conq | 1998 | |||||
| 2 / 2 (2nd) | Pro Form | Marc Lombard | Mag France | 1998 | ||||
| 1 / 1 (7th) | Ecover 2 | 2003 | [12] | |||||
| Never | Skandia | Marten Yachts | 2000 | |||||
| 2 / 1 (11th) | VM Matériaux (2) | Michel Joubert Benoit Nivet | 1999 | |||||
| 2 / 0 | Akena Verandas | Nandor Fa chantier | 1996 | |||||
| 1 / 1 (3rd) | Sill Véolia (2) | Marc Lombard | 2004 | [13] | ||||
| Never | Brother | Bernard Nivett | Chantier Norbert Sedlacek | 1995 | ||||
| Never | VMI | Finot-Conq | Kirié / Éluère | 1998 | ||||
| Never | PRB 2 | Finot-Conq | Mag France | 2000 |