Get the chance to win €2000: join the Click&Boat race on Virtual Regatta

As we did four years ago, we’re once again offering you the chance to wear the Click&Boat colors as you attempt to beat the greatest sailors, e-sports players, and our team, in the official Vendée Globe race on Virtual Regatta, the leading sailing gaming platform.

How to enter the race: select the Vendée Globe 2024-2025 on Virtual Regatta, then enter our partner code CLICKANDBOAT in the red bar in the top left of the screen. Click on ok, then play! 

By entering this code, your boat will take on our colors, and you’ll automatically be entered in the competition to win the €2000 Click&Boat voucher offered to the winner of our private race!

Whether you’re a beginner looking to improve your Virtual Regatta skills, a sailing pro, or an adventurer looking to set sail for the first time, discover our tips and professional sailor Laurent’s advice. We’ve got everything you need to experience this virtual challenge to the full, and win a place on the podium! 

Are you ready? Let the race begin!

5 tips to get your first Virtual Regatta race off to a good start

1. Anticipate and analyze the weather

The first Virtual Regatta tip to remember is that the weather plays a crucial role. Be sure to check the forecasts (available for up to 7+ days), which are updated directly in the game. The wind strength and direction must determine your trajectory. 

For beginners, avoid sailing too close to the coast, as you could run aground. Remember that the thickness of the white line is representative of the wind’s strength. The thicker the line, the stronger the wind.

For more advanced sailors, the great players often use complementary websites or apps, such as Windy for forecasts or Zezo.org for routing. 

2. Be on the lookout during the start

The Vendée Globe is unique in that it lasts more than 3 months. 

Your position in the race will therefore constantly evolve. However, the first few hours of the race are crucial. Just as in real-life racing, the weather is a decisive factor. A bad maneuver at the start of the race can cost you hours of sailing against the wind, while the front-runners have the wind in their sails.  

To avoid this, check the weather and its variations. If necessary, practice your starts on other Virtual Regatta races before the start of the next Vendée Globe, which will take place on Sunday, November 10, 2024, at 13h02. 

The actual record is held by Armel Le Cléac’h in the 2016-2017 edition, who circumnavigated the globe in 74 days, 3 hours, 35 minutes and 46 seconds. 

3. Be inspired by the best

The important thing is to take part, but we have no doubt that your competitive spirit will grow with each race. 

The best skippers will stand out fairly quickly and will be highly recognizable for their respective expertise. Study their trajectories, how they use the wind, the angles used… 

A messaging system allows you to contact other participants in the race. Let’s not forget that mutual aid is a key value for sailors! It’s a great opportunity to share your experience within the community.

4. Understand and use the tools available

To make the racing easier throughout the 3 months, we recommend 2 main tools:

Wind mode

Ideal for setting the boat’s angle to the wind. With the compass rose at the bottom left of your screen, you can set the course you wish to take. Then, by clicking on the little blue padlock, you can lock your boat’s heading, even if there’s a breeze. 

Boat speed is also indicated in “kn”, which corresponds to knots. 1 knot = 1.8 km/h.

Plan your route in advance

Virtual Regatta express routing is our favorite trick for getting a good night’s sleep! With this option, you can place strategic points to plan your route. Click on Help then Routing to prepare up to 9 route programmings. If you have an Expert Pack, you’ll benefit from a total of 15 available programmings, enabling you to sleep longer or set a more precise trajectory.

You can also determine the exact minute when the course change will take effect. It’s up to you to choose a route that will allow you to combine speed with route efficiency.

5. Keep your cool

In an ocean race like the Vendée Globe, patience and diligence are key. Keep your cool, because, until you’ve crossed the finish line, the rankings can still change. 

For those who have not yet set sail for Les Sables d’Olonne, use our partner code CLICKANDBOAT. Good luck to everyone! 

Advice from Laurent, professional Virtual Regatta player

Laurent is a professional Virtual Regatta player, and a member of the renowned MCES team. You can find him on X @MCESluxairfranc. 

Suffice to say, he knows a thing or two about sailing simulation and virtual race management. Here’s a quick interview with the man who has just scored two podium finishes in a row on the game!

What’s the most strategic aspect of Virtual Regatta?

Making sure you’re leaving yourself maximum probability of making the right choice of route based on your weather analysis. 

What’s the best way to prepare for a race?

Start looking at potential routings a week before the race to see if any route options are appearing. Then, three days before the race, I advise you to start watching the weather regularly, in order to validate a definitive route choice.

What are your top three tips for Virtual Regatta beginners?

1. Know how to use a router and analyze the proposed routings.

2. Understand the use of polars.

3. Don’t give up 🙂

How do you manage wind evolution and trajectories?

The evolution of wind and trajectories happens in real time. So if you’re constantly present, it’s easy to make the necessary adjustments. If you can’t be there at all, then you need to apply the trajectory tracking recommended by the programming tools in the game interface, as precisely as possible.

How do you best manage a race like the Vendée Globe, spread over three months?

A good performance in a race requires an almost permanent presence on Virtual Regatta Offshore (especially in very short races of 2/3 days). On longer races, such as the Vendée Globe, it’s obviously more complicated. You need to identify the parts of the race where, depending on the weather, you can take time off to rest or do other activities.

Should you get excited when you go up 10/20,000 places in the rankings? 

Virtual Regatta Offshore isn’t a dynamic event requiring constant concentration. Above all, what counts is the ranking at the finish line! (You can lose a lot of places a few hours from the finish if you make a wrong routing decision)

What routing software would you recommend?

Personally, I use Zezo and it’s more than enough for me!

The final word: tacking or setting sail?

In general, one is no better than the other. However, at a precise point in a race when you might need to make a choice, it’s best to analyze the weather to give yourself the best chance of making the right decision. In any case, you can never know for sure, which is what makes the race interesting!