8th Vendée Globe - Day 30: Leeuwin record for leader Le Cléac'h
by Andi Robertson 5 Dec 2016 18:12 GMT
5 December 2016
Damage for Josse and Attanasio
The French skipper Sébastien Josse, who lies in third place in the Vendée Globe, suffered serious damage to the port side foil of the IMOCA Edmond de Rothschild when he ploughed into the trough of a big wave this morning. He had been sailing on starboard gybe contending with difficult conditions, winds of 30-35kts and big, confused seas when the incident happened, some 900 miles to the SW of Cape Leeuwin.
Josse reported the damage to his team at 0930hrs UTC this morning and has subsequently put his racing priorities temporarily on hold in order to avoid the worst of the tropical low pressure system which was generated in the notorious area off Mozambique several days ago. The depression was forecasted to hold gusts of 50kts and seas up to ten metres high. He is in regular contact with his team and Race Direction. The safety of the skipper and the IMOCA 60 is his primary priority. He was expected to route to the south-east towards the centre of the low pressure system, seeking lighter winds as he looks to find a solution to his damage. The low pressure centre was forecast to be tracking close to the Antarctic Exclusion Zone. The damage to his port side foil is reported to have happened when the boat stopped suddenly and the appendage crashed downwards into the top of the housing, damaging the control system.
Romain Attanasio (Famille Mary-Etamine du Lys), 39, who was lying in 18thplace has been forced to alter course towards Cape Town after suffering damage to both of his rudders. Racing his first Vendée Globe aboard the historic evergreen Lombard design which started out as Catherine Chabaud's Whirlpool and completed the last race as Initiatives Coeur in the hands of Tanguy de Lamotte, Attanasio has expressed his desire to carry out repairs in a sheltered area near Cape Town in accordance with the race's no assistance rules, and aims to continue the race. Attanasio is reported to be in good health and when the incident happened was about 470 miles south of Cape Town where he is expected in around three to four days. "Romain is not giving up and is already feeling more positive. He will be doing his utmost to repair his boat and continue his adventures. I hope he will be encouraged by as many people as possible," Sam Davies, Attanasio's partner and team manager commented.
Armel Le Cléac'h smashed the race reference for the passage from Les Sables d'Olonne to Cape Leeuwin early this morning breaking the mark set by François Gabart in December 2012 by an incredible five days 14 hours and 26 minutes. Banque Populaire VIII skipper Le Cléach took just 28 days 20 hours and 12 minutes to reach the longitude of the SW corner of Australia. A certain symmetry with the 2012-13 race emerged when Briton Alex Thomson crossed the Cape Leeuwin longitude five hours and 16 minutes later in second place. Four years ago during the last edition Le Cléac'h was five hours and 49 minutes behind race winner Gabart. In 2012 Thomson – who went on to finish the race third - was also having a great race on the previous Hugo Boss and crossed Cape Leeuwin in third place one day and three hours behind Gabart.
Thomson has lost some miles to Le Cléac'h over the last 36 hours and is 110 miles behind on the 1400hrs Monday rankings. The top duo had been suffering with difficult, more moderate airs during yesterday, but are expecting to get the strong winds from the low which Josse is struggling with, although they have a better orientation relative to its path. Le Cléac'h admitted he did not know his exact elapsed time nor how much he had broken the record by when he spoke to Vendée LIVE today before revealing that he listens to comedy podcasts to relax from the constant stress. "It was nice to pass the second cape in the lead. It wasn't really a key objective, but it's great to be in front at one of the three major capes we have to pass," he said. "Alex was first at the Cape of Good Hope a few hours ahead of me and this time it was the opposite. I haven't studied the exact time, as I have been busy on Banque Populaire, but I think it was a good time. I don't know what was up with Alex last night. He wasn't very fast. Maybe he had a problem to deal with on his boat. We're in a transition phase between two lows. Conditions are starting to change and the skies are clouding over. The wind is gradually strengthening. We just gybed as the wind shifted to the WNW. It's going to get rougher in the next few hours. We'll be entering the Pacific in just under a week, but the final week in the Indian is going to be complicated. It's not going to be easy with the first deep low moving in this evening and then another one that will be with us south of New Zealand. Yesterday I had a lot of manoeuvres to do, but after that you enjoy a good meal and change your clothes. My little heater allows me to dry my clothes, which is good as after each manoeuvre we are soaked with the sea and with sweat. Then to relax I listen to some comedy podcasts."
Japanese skipper Kojiro Shiraishi, who is heading to Cape Town after being forced to abandon due to a breakage to the top third of his mast on Spirit of Yukoh, was visibly touched by the messages of support when he spoke to Vendée LIVE today. Safran skipper Morgan Lagraviere, who also had to abandon, and got to know Shiraishi well when based at Roland Jourdain's Kairos base, shared a typical sentiment. Shiraishi said: "As the first Japanese sailor to do the Vendée Globe, it was really an honour to be there at the start. It's true that it is a disappointment not to complete this Vendée Globe. I have had lots of messages of support and would like to thank everyone." Morgan Lagravière responded: "I'm glad to see you smiling as I know how hard it must have been for you not to finish this race. You have made us laugh so far and I'm sure you'll continue to do that. I look forward to having a debriefing with you."
Radio Session Extracts:
Kito de Pavant (Bastide Otio):
"Since the front went over yesterday morning, nothing has been going right aboard Bastide Otio. Firstly, I expected a strong westerly wind, but it didn't come. It turned to the west, but only blew at between 15 and 20 knots until the middle of the night. As a consequence I didn't have enough sail up and hot tossed around on the heavy seas. Impossible to find the right speed. Cautiously around midday I hoisted the small gennaker, ready to furl it, if the wind got up. At dusk, I furled itn although the wind was still very light. Then the wind finally appeared. 45 knots and the boat accelerated. 25 knots. Then she hit a huge wave and the speed went from 25 to zero in a few seconds. Inside, I could feel the stern rise up and the boat went over on her side with sails flapping. I rushed outside, but could not get the boat back up. There were some extremely powerful gusts. We stayed like that for a few long minutes... then the gennaker started to unfurl from the top... I thought I was heading for disaster... I finally managed to get the boat positioned with the wind from astern, but the time it took to sort the sails out, the damage had been done. The gennaker that I had spent so much time repairing was in shreds with bits of sail flapping in the wind."
Jean-Pierre Dick, StMichel-Virbac:
"At the moment I have 35 knots of wind, which means I'm fairly quick. I'll be going north of the Kerguelens this evening. It's nice to see some land, but that does mean we have to remain alert. It's tough at the moment. I get soaked every time I carry out a manoeuvre. I can't wear gloves, so my hands are quickly cold. This morning to take in a reef, I spent an hour and a half or two hours out on deck. I was exhausted after that. After getting left behind early on, the goal is still the same – to make it to the podium. I'm trying to get back as much as I can. I've got my sights on Yann. Jérémie and Paul are a bit far away and the frontrunners seem to be beyond reach."
www.vendeeglobe.org/en
Thomson passes Cape Leeuwin (from Alex Thomson Racing)
British Skipper, Alex Thomson, has reached the Cape Leeuwin off Australia in a time of 29d 01hrs 28mins in the Vendee Globe. The second of the three great Capes, Thomson has now completed 45% of the solo, non-stop round the world race, with 13,500 miles to the finish. The next milestone is the infamous Cape Horn, where Thomson will turn the bow north again, and point HUGO BOSS towards the finish port of Les Sables d'Olonne, France. Both Thomson and French rival Armel Le Cléac'h have beaten the previous record to Cape Leeuwin set by Francois Gabart (Macif) in the 2012/2013 edition which he went on to win. Thomson is 5d 8hrs 55mins days/minutes faster than this previous record, passing the cape just 5hrs 16mins behind Le Cléac'h.
Thomson has been locked in battle with Frenchman Armel Le Cléac'h since the race start on November 6th, with the Frenchman reclaiming the lead from the Brit on 3rd December. Having rounded Cape Leeuwin, the duo will now head through the Pacific to Cape Horn where they will leave the ferocious South and head back through the South and then North Atlantic oceans crossing the finish in Les Sables d'Olonne, France.
Less than a week ago, the leading duo passed the Kerguelen Islands and were joined by a French Navy helicopter and Thomson told of his joy of seeing another living being for the first time since setting off on 6th November.
Thomson commented: "It was fantastic to be able to see people for the first time in months! I gave them a wave, went up on deck, and got my Union Jack flag out to wave the flag at them. It was a great moment.
"I was standing on deck going very fast, with the waves pouring over me and the helicopter pilot came and flew alongside me. He started flying the helicopter backwards – I was most impressed."
The Vendée Globe takes place every four years and has historically been dominated by the French. This year's edition sees 29 IMOCA 60s compete in the race, including Thomson, the only British entrant.
The race is renowned for being one of the most gruelling sporting challenges in the world. Just 71 of the 138 starters since the race's inception, back in 1989, have successfully completed the race, and three have lost their lives along the way.
Thomson is determined to be the first British skipper to win the race, which could take in the region of 80 days to complete.
For regular updates and to track HUGO BOSS as she races in the Vendée Globe please go to www.alexthomsonracing.com