Over 300000 visitors to the port have been to see the boats in the month or so they have been there and over 14000 spectators took to the sea to see the start.
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| La Vierge Noire blesses the boats. MaxPPP |
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Sunday, 6 November 2016
Vendée Globe skippers set sail
29 single hand 18 metre boats set sail today from Sables d'Olonne, in the Vendée on a non-stop round the world race. Of the previous starters in the race little over 50% make it to the finish, a mark of the difficulty.
Over 300000 visitors to the port have been to see the boats in the month or so they have been there and over 14000 spectators took to the sea to see the start.
One "spectator" was the "Vierge Noire" of Rocamadour. The tiny statue from the Lot has long links with the port, since the year 1183, when a local curé returned from a pilgrimage and built a chapel to Notre Dame de Rocamadour. Ever since, sailors leaving the port have sought blessing from saint. Visitors to Rocamadour can see models of the boats taking part in the race. The statue (a replica) will remain in the port until all the finishers have returned, in about three months.
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Over 300000 visitors to the port have been to see the boats in the month or so they have been there and over 14000 spectators took to the sea to see the start.
comments to taglines82@gmail.com
