Vendee Globe

9 Boats have so far turned back for reasons as varied as Dismasting (x2), Electrical (x2) and Structural (x2) 

Is this the worst start to the event ever, or is it a case that too many people do not take the challenge seriously enough and are ill prepared.

Personally, I think that there is a lot of ill fortune, and a small amount of people who do not prepare enough.  I will agree that the event started into a full gale, but surely the boats must be capable of standing up to high wind and sea

 

 

There's mitigating factors behind at least one of the "stuctural" damage problems- I would lay heavy money that the splits appearing in Hugo Boss are as a result of the collision with the fishing boat.

Perhaps the fact that so many boats are so close means that they are all pushing the kit harder?  What a race.

 

 

so so so gutted for mike, poor guy

Vendee has always had a high attrition rate but I think this time around the major storm just after the start and now this 50+ knt depression through the south have been extraordinary events.... and there is still plenty of room for some more.  So far (and I hope I'm not proved wrong) one of the things that has marked this edition out is the ability of the competitors to 'rescue the situation' themselves and no outside assistance has been called in (bar the help to Stamm when he got to K-Islands but it was blowing 50+, at night, onshore!  )