Minuk's Musings and The Vendée

Have you heard of the Vendée Globe?

 

It is often described as the world’s most dangerous and gruelling sporting event and it is happening right now. Only 55% of participants finish and there have been 3 casualties, including 1 Canadian, since the race’s inception (2024 is the 10^th race).

 

The Vendée is a solo, non-stop, unassisted round the world (44,000 km) yacht race in 60 ft carbon fibre boats.

 

The race starts in France, home of companies like Louis Vuitton (-14% year-to-date on Chinese consumer worries), pharmaceutical giant Sanofi (+1.5% year-to-date) and EssilorLuxottica, parent company of the Ray-Bans brand and clearlycontacts.ca where I shop (+23% year-to-date).

 

Currently on the 27^th day of the race, you can track the leaders here - Tracker | Vendée Globe 2024 (vendeeglobe.org)

 

 

What has been so unique about the race this year is that the top 3 boats (all Frenchmen) are still so unbelievably close together that they can at times see each other in the vastness of the South Indian Ocean.

 

Canadian Scott Shawyer, a venture capitalist from London, Ont., hopes to become the first Canadian to complete the Vendée and plans to enter the 2028 race. According to the Globe and Mail, he is prone to sea sickness.

 

Good luck!

 

 

Have a nice weekend.

 

Rich

Investment Advisor