Foto copyright SAMANTHA DAVIES / ROXY / VENDEE GLOBE
Fuente info VG
PRESS RELEASE
January 20th, 2009
Day 72, Leader: Into the NE Trades
Escape to Victory?
1500hrs HRS GMT. Rankings, Tuesday 20th January 2009
(FRA unless stated)
1 . Michel Desjoyeaux (Foncia) at 3162.9 miles to finish
2 . Roland Jourdain (Veolia Environnement) at 315.9 miles from first place
3 . Armel Le Cléac’h (Brit Air) at 1032.8 miles from first place
4 . Marc Guillemot (Safran) at 1910.7 miles from first place
5 . Sam Davies (Roxy) at 1925.8 miles from first place
6 . Brian Thompson (Bahrain Team Pindar) at 2539.8 miles from first place
7 . Dee Caffari (Aviva) at 2624.2 miles from first place
8 . Arnaud Boissières (Akena Vérandas) at 2698.6 miles from first place
9 . Steve White (Toe in the water) at 3699.2 miles from first place
10 . Rich Wilson (Great American III) at 5157.8 miles from first place
11 . Raphaël Dinelli (Fondation Océan Vital) at 6877.5 miles from first place
12 . Norbert Sedlacek (Nauticsport . Kapsch) at 6884 miles from first place
RDG . Vincent Riou (PRB). 3rd equal. 30 boats started.
Michel Desjoyeaux’s charge north is back on the rails as he reaches the first outposts of the NE’ly trade winds. He may have been forced to shed 185 miles as he struggled through the Doldrums, but he emerged across the Equator early this morning with a comprehensive lead. Second placed Roland Jourdain has yet to be affected by the Doldrums and is now 315.9 miles behind.
Sam Davies, GBR, (Roxy) is forced to relinquish fourth place to Marc Guillemot (Safran) who has gained some 200 miles to her west while Roxy has been snared by light winds.
Michel Desjoyeaux said today that the worst of the Doldrums are behind him and while he had to yield the best part of 185 miles back to his most consistent rival, Roland Jourdain, he is now emerging into the first of the NE’ly trade winds and his advantage should soon grow again.
He has Vincent Riou’s 2004 overall race record well within his range. Today Desjoyeaux took 21 hours off Riou’s record from Cape Town to the Equator, sailing the South Atlantic in 15 days 02 hours and 04 minutes in the South Atlantic, and now, with 3200 miles to complete of the course back to Les Sables d’Olonne he needs to break the finish line within 14 days.
In order to break Riou’s overall record, which was set over a course which is effectively 1160 miles shorter, Desjoyeaux now needs to be across the Vendée finish line by 23hrs 49 mins and 55 seconds on the night of Wednesday 4th February.
But the one thing this edition of the Vendée Globe has proven is that there is never any time to relax, to feel complacent or confident. The pounding power-reaching conditions in the tradewinds and the possibility of a big low pressure system in the North Atlantic can never been discounted.
Desjoyeaux remains confident and recalled today, that when he emerged from the Doldrums in 2001, he only had a slender lead of some ten miles over Ellen MacArthur.
Jourdain remains resolute and focused. He has been consistently faster than his friend and rival from Port le Foret but has yet to really be slowed significantly by the Doldrums.
Slowed for more than 48 hours Sam Davies has had to watch helpless and frustrated as Marc Guillemot slipped through to earn fourth place. Guillemot’s race has been the most eventful of any of the skippers still in the race, but his western track, closer to the Brasilian coast has allowed him to trim more than 280 miles off Roxy’s lead and this afternoon the La Trinité skipper has a lead of 15 miles over the petite English skipper. After averaging less than 6 knots since Sunday, Davies has Roxy making better speed again this afternoon, 12.4 knots in a more northerly direction. In 24 hours Davies has made just 133 miles while the grey hulled 2007 launched Safran has made 274 miles.
Brian Thompson has been finally relishing the chance to power up Bahrain Team Pindar and let the powerful Juan K design fly, but once again his charge was punctuated by the need to get his tools out and make a late night fix to the interface between the hydraulics pump and the engine. Along with the two other skippers which comprise this close racing trio, Dee Caffari and Arnaud Boissières, Thompson is anticipating a sudden slow down in the next 24 hours as they hit the high pressure system, but he was making a healthy 15.6 knots, quickest in the fleet, and managing to open a few more miles on his compatriot Dee Caffari who has hardly seemed hobbled by her delaminating, heavily vented mainsail which she intends to fix imminently.
Steve White has slowed now after his charge around Cape Horn. When he was called on this morning’s radio vacation the English first time Vendée Globe skipper was just three miles off the Staten Island (Island de los Estados), was being hailed on the VHF by a nearby cargo vessel and admitted he had no running backstay on…. ‘ I am juggling a bit just now…can you call me back…..’ White requested politely.
Michel Desjoyeaux (Foncia): “Yesterday it was as calm as at the Olympics (ref Qingdao, China, 2008), but now we’re on a roller-coaster ride. I hope now I’m out of the Doldrums... The seas are building and the wind is blowing at around 25 knots. We’re really racing again. We’re still heeled over just as much and it is getting to be really hot. According to the most recent satellite photos, the final squall is behind me now as it looks like the last big dot on the screen has been passed. When I see the sea state, I’d say we’re away from the wind hole. I’m sailing at 60° from the wind and have raised the daggerboard by around 30 centimetres to make it easier with the waves. It should be like this for the next few days up to the North of the Azores high. In the most recent rankings, Bilou was not really threatening as he’s still in a zone where the winds are not very steady When he passes through the Doldrums, I’ll already be in the trade winds sailing at a steady speed. I don’t think I need to worry too much. We’re not likely to see the distance between us narrow. I have a comfortable lead before the Azores, as I’d say I’m about a day and a half ahead of him. We can never be entirely confident given these conditions with the boat slamming into the waves. If I said I was ahead you’d reply that I was over-confident and if I say I’m uncertain, you’d tell me I was never happy… Whatever I say, you will never be happy. I’m sailing as I see fit and we’ll see back in Les Sables d’Olonne. A day and a half though.. I’ve known worse! Eight years ago, I was only ten miles ahead of Ellen at the Doldrums.”
Roland Jourdain, (Veolia Environnement) “It’s fine weather and hot down in Brazil. Mich (Desjoyeaux) has just made his getaway, but I haven’t yet been stopped by the Doldrums. I’m keeping an eye on the satellite photos and charts. But the clouds are moving faster than us, so it’s an ongoing affair. There’s always a bit of luck involved. It’s clear though that the Doldrums are further south than usual and they may well be heading back up. It’s good to have won back some miles and it would be nice not to be slowed for too long in the Doldrums. Last year in the Barcelona they started to go down with us. It would be nice if they held up Mich. We’ll have to see what happens when we get out, although I’m hoping it ill be more favourable for me. Already the way out of the St. Helena high wasn’t kind to me, and there’s not a lot you can do in the trade winds in the Northern Hemisphere. Although there is the Azores high to deal with. I don’t yet know whether I’ll be following the same route as Mich. Either you go all the way around extending the distance or you take a shortcut but are slowed down. In any case, I still hope to get back up there. Conditions are ideal for the boat at the moment. Just a little ripple on the surface. We Bretons are not equatorial, so it’s a bit hot for us during the day. At dawn, we’re sweating already. Early in the morning around here there we squalls, so at least there was a bit of a breeze. We need to drink a lot and it’s T-shirt or sun-cream, when we go outside.”
Fuente info VG
PRESS RELEASE
January 20th, 2009
Day 72, Leader: Into the NE Trades
Escape to Victory?
1500hrs HRS GMT. Rankings, Tuesday 20th January 2009
(FRA unless stated)
1 . Michel Desjoyeaux (Foncia) at 3162.9 miles to finish
2 . Roland Jourdain (Veolia Environnement) at 315.9 miles from first place
3 . Armel Le Cléac’h (Brit Air) at 1032.8 miles from first place
4 . Marc Guillemot (Safran) at 1910.7 miles from first place
5 . Sam Davies (Roxy) at 1925.8 miles from first place
6 . Brian Thompson (Bahrain Team Pindar) at 2539.8 miles from first place
7 . Dee Caffari (Aviva) at 2624.2 miles from first place
8 . Arnaud Boissières (Akena Vérandas) at 2698.6 miles from first place
9 . Steve White (Toe in the water) at 3699.2 miles from first place
10 . Rich Wilson (Great American III) at 5157.8 miles from first place
11 . Raphaël Dinelli (Fondation Océan Vital) at 6877.5 miles from first place
12 . Norbert Sedlacek (Nauticsport . Kapsch) at 6884 miles from first place
RDG . Vincent Riou (PRB). 3rd equal. 30 boats started.
Michel Desjoyeaux’s charge north is back on the rails as he reaches the first outposts of the NE’ly trade winds. He may have been forced to shed 185 miles as he struggled through the Doldrums, but he emerged across the Equator early this morning with a comprehensive lead. Second placed Roland Jourdain has yet to be affected by the Doldrums and is now 315.9 miles behind.
Sam Davies, GBR, (Roxy) is forced to relinquish fourth place to Marc Guillemot (Safran) who has gained some 200 miles to her west while Roxy has been snared by light winds.
Michel Desjoyeaux said today that the worst of the Doldrums are behind him and while he had to yield the best part of 185 miles back to his most consistent rival, Roland Jourdain, he is now emerging into the first of the NE’ly trade winds and his advantage should soon grow again.
He has Vincent Riou’s 2004 overall race record well within his range. Today Desjoyeaux took 21 hours off Riou’s record from Cape Town to the Equator, sailing the South Atlantic in 15 days 02 hours and 04 minutes in the South Atlantic, and now, with 3200 miles to complete of the course back to Les Sables d’Olonne he needs to break the finish line within 14 days.
In order to break Riou’s overall record, which was set over a course which is effectively 1160 miles shorter, Desjoyeaux now needs to be across the Vendée finish line by 23hrs 49 mins and 55 seconds on the night of Wednesday 4th February.
But the one thing this edition of the Vendée Globe has proven is that there is never any time to relax, to feel complacent or confident. The pounding power-reaching conditions in the tradewinds and the possibility of a big low pressure system in the North Atlantic can never been discounted.
Desjoyeaux remains confident and recalled today, that when he emerged from the Doldrums in 2001, he only had a slender lead of some ten miles over Ellen MacArthur.
Jourdain remains resolute and focused. He has been consistently faster than his friend and rival from Port le Foret but has yet to really be slowed significantly by the Doldrums.
Slowed for more than 48 hours Sam Davies has had to watch helpless and frustrated as Marc Guillemot slipped through to earn fourth place. Guillemot’s race has been the most eventful of any of the skippers still in the race, but his western track, closer to the Brasilian coast has allowed him to trim more than 280 miles off Roxy’s lead and this afternoon the La Trinité skipper has a lead of 15 miles over the petite English skipper. After averaging less than 6 knots since Sunday, Davies has Roxy making better speed again this afternoon, 12.4 knots in a more northerly direction. In 24 hours Davies has made just 133 miles while the grey hulled 2007 launched Safran has made 274 miles.
Brian Thompson has been finally relishing the chance to power up Bahrain Team Pindar and let the powerful Juan K design fly, but once again his charge was punctuated by the need to get his tools out and make a late night fix to the interface between the hydraulics pump and the engine. Along with the two other skippers which comprise this close racing trio, Dee Caffari and Arnaud Boissières, Thompson is anticipating a sudden slow down in the next 24 hours as they hit the high pressure system, but he was making a healthy 15.6 knots, quickest in the fleet, and managing to open a few more miles on his compatriot Dee Caffari who has hardly seemed hobbled by her delaminating, heavily vented mainsail which she intends to fix imminently.
Steve White has slowed now after his charge around Cape Horn. When he was called on this morning’s radio vacation the English first time Vendée Globe skipper was just three miles off the Staten Island (Island de los Estados), was being hailed on the VHF by a nearby cargo vessel and admitted he had no running backstay on…. ‘ I am juggling a bit just now…can you call me back…..’ White requested politely.
Michel Desjoyeaux (Foncia): “Yesterday it was as calm as at the Olympics (ref Qingdao, China, 2008), but now we’re on a roller-coaster ride. I hope now I’m out of the Doldrums... The seas are building and the wind is blowing at around 25 knots. We’re really racing again. We’re still heeled over just as much and it is getting to be really hot. According to the most recent satellite photos, the final squall is behind me now as it looks like the last big dot on the screen has been passed. When I see the sea state, I’d say we’re away from the wind hole. I’m sailing at 60° from the wind and have raised the daggerboard by around 30 centimetres to make it easier with the waves. It should be like this for the next few days up to the North of the Azores high. In the most recent rankings, Bilou was not really threatening as he’s still in a zone where the winds are not very steady When he passes through the Doldrums, I’ll already be in the trade winds sailing at a steady speed. I don’t think I need to worry too much. We’re not likely to see the distance between us narrow. I have a comfortable lead before the Azores, as I’d say I’m about a day and a half ahead of him. We can never be entirely confident given these conditions with the boat slamming into the waves. If I said I was ahead you’d reply that I was over-confident and if I say I’m uncertain, you’d tell me I was never happy… Whatever I say, you will never be happy. I’m sailing as I see fit and we’ll see back in Les Sables d’Olonne. A day and a half though.. I’ve known worse! Eight years ago, I was only ten miles ahead of Ellen at the Doldrums.”
Roland Jourdain, (Veolia Environnement) “It’s fine weather and hot down in Brazil. Mich (Desjoyeaux) has just made his getaway, but I haven’t yet been stopped by the Doldrums. I’m keeping an eye on the satellite photos and charts. But the clouds are moving faster than us, so it’s an ongoing affair. There’s always a bit of luck involved. It’s clear though that the Doldrums are further south than usual and they may well be heading back up. It’s good to have won back some miles and it would be nice not to be slowed for too long in the Doldrums. Last year in the Barcelona they started to go down with us. It would be nice if they held up Mich. We’ll have to see what happens when we get out, although I’m hoping it ill be more favourable for me. Already the way out of the St. Helena high wasn’t kind to me, and there’s not a lot you can do in the trade winds in the Northern Hemisphere. Although there is the Azores high to deal with. I don’t yet know whether I’ll be following the same route as Mich. Either you go all the way around extending the distance or you take a shortcut but are slowed down. In any case, I still hope to get back up there. Conditions are ideal for the boat at the moment. Just a little ripple on the surface. We Bretons are not equatorial, so it’s a bit hot for us during the day. At dawn, we’re sweating already. Early in the morning around here there we squalls, so at least there was a bit of a breeze. We need to drink a lot and it’s T-shirt or sun-cream, when we go outside.”
