A good omen for Jeremie Beyou on his IMOCA 60 Delta Dore in the form of a group of common dolphins.

It’s just over a month to go until the start of the Vendée Globe round the world race, this winter’s great solo epic. The serious training is over now and next week most of the skippers head for Les Sables d’Olonne, where the race starts on 9 November.

This time round there are more top boats than ever and some utterly spectacular photography. This is from the latest batch: of by the über-talented Gilles Martin Raget.

There are some other fabulous images and I’ll post more up in the coming days, and if that’s given you a taste don’t miss our November issue, out this week, with a special on the British solo sailors, a photo spectacular and a special Vendée Globe race guide with all you need to follow the race.