Italian skipper Alessandro di Benedetto waves on board his monohull “Team Plastique” before to take the start of the 7th edition of the round-the-world yacht race Vendee Globe on November 10, 2012 in Les Sables d’Olonne, western France. 20 skippers on board monohulls took the start of the event held every four years. AFP PHOTO JEAN-SEBASTIEN EVRARD (Photo credit should read JEAN-SEBASTIEN EVRARD/AFP/Getty Images)