...and theyre off! the Vendée Globe starts
by Vendée Globe media 9 Nov 2008 14:37 GMT
9 November 2008
After the emotional farewells on the dock, the final goodbyes were an undignified scramble for most teams, with shore crews despatched to RIBs at the very last minute. With one minute to go it was Foncia who was closest to the line, but at the gun Mike Golding on Ecover 3 was ahead — too early by a few seconds, he was called OCS and returned. Algimouss was then the 1st Open 60 to cut the line in this 6th edition of the Vendee Globe.
Vincent Riou on PRB pulled away into an early lead, with Aviva on his hip — Dee Caffari having got a great start on the far right-hand side of the course. Seb Josse's BT, Alex Thomson on Hugo Boss, and Jérémie Beyou's Delta Dore were all in the front row of the main pack.
The fleet are being chased by a flotilla of RIBs, spectator boats, and yachts, with 60 Zodiacs marshalling the race area.
More information on the www.vendeeglobe.org website
Goal one achieved – Alex Thomson starts the Vendee Globe (from Gail Willows, HUGO BOSS)
Alex Thomson has made the start of the Vendée Globe 2008, crossing the startline on port tack at 13.02 local time today.
“When I drove HUGO BOSS into Les Sables D’Olonne three weeks ago, she had a big hole in the side and the mast was 2 miles out to sea at the bottom of the seabed. It’s so incredible to be coming out of the canal today and seeing so much support for us. Although it is much easier to deal with than last time, I am still choking a bit, but managing to hold it back,” said skipper of HUGO BOSS Alex Thomson “Since the incident the objective was always to get to the start line and we have done it, my whole team have done such a great job to get us here. .”
The conditions for the start were 15-18 knots of wind with large swell of 6ft – 9ft. This is forecast to increase through the night, which will test the single handed sailor and his repaired boat, HUGO BOSS:
“After the last couple of weeks I’m hoping the next week will feel like a bit of a holiday! But I think we’re in for a hard couple of days. We’re expecting 30 knots tonight building to 40 knots tomorrow. It’s definitely going to sort out the men from the boys. This is either going to be good or bad for us, it could be bad if we break something, but if we do I would rather do it close to the start.”
After an emotional farewell, the crew of HUGO BOSS were cheered through the canal by thousands of well wishers. Sir Keith Mills, Alex Thomson Racing Chairman, Team Principal of Team Origin and deputy chairman of the 2012 London Olympics, was onboard HUGO BOSS as they exited the canal. “This is unbelievable; no event is quite like this in the world. It is quite extraordinary. What a great send off for the skippers, it’s all a bit emotional,” commented Sir Keith Mills.
Alex Thomson’s race to the start has been deemed one of the most miraculous repair story in the Vendée Globe history – as Alex and his team triumphantly overcame the disaster of being stuck by a fishing vessel only 3 weeks ago.
At 9.23 this morning, friends and family had gathered on the docks to wave Alex and HUGO BOSS goodbye. Alex and his brother, David Thomson, will both be in the Southern Ocean at the same time, as his brother competes in the Portimão Global Ocean Race; for his family this is a testing time.
“We are very proud to see Alex on the start line. My first reaction was the feeling of relief that Alex and his team have achieved the impossible by making it to the startline. It is a complete miracle. We haven’t had much time to think about him going. Now the realisation that he is gone now for 90 days is very hard but we just have to grin and bear it. We have a very strong family – and Alex will call us a lot whilst he is away – like he always does. It doesn’t get any easier – particularly as both Alex and his brother David are away at the same time. I will be particularly worried the whole time he is in the Southern Ocean. And certainly when he reaches Cape Horn we will all breathe a sigh of relief.” Peter Thomson, Alex Thomson’s father
Bay of Biscay set to deliver baptism of fire for British skipper (from Artemis Ocean Racing)
Jonny Malbon, the British skipper of the Artemis Ocean Racing II, slipped slowly away from the docks in Les Sables D’Olonne (France) at 10:11, to the cheers of friends, family and supporters. Carrying a large red poppy above the Union Jack on the hull of his IMOCA 60 in remembrance of those killed in the World Wars, Malbon began what will be the challenge of a lifetime as he takes on the Vendée Globe, the Everest of ocean racing, for the first time in his career.
His epic journey officially began when the starting gun fired at 13:02 local time, signifying the start of the three month marathon circumnavigation of the planet, alone without stops or assistance. Hundreds of thousands lined the shores to bid farewell to the brave solo sailors as they set off from the Vendéen port that will welcome them back when they return in 2009.
Speaking from onboard Artemis Ocean Racing II before leaving, Malbon concluded, “It has been a mission to get to the start line but we’ve done it and it’s all very real today. The team has done an awesome job. The boat is ready to go. I knew leaving the dock would be the most difficult bit but now I just want to get on with the race. I wouldn’t be here without the hard work of the team and the constant support of Artemis. At times it looked like we wouldn’t make it but we have, and it’s a testament to them. Hats off to the team and now it’s over to me.”
The start delivered choppy seas and Souh, South Westerly winds of 10 to 15 knots, with a swell of two to three metres. Artemis Ocean Racing II headed out into the infamous Bay of Biscay, which looks set to live up to its fearsome reputation by delivering strong winds and confused seas.
The Vendée Globe fleet look set for a severe battering, a baptism of fire for Malbon, who is participating in his first solo ocean adventure. Malbon commented, “We have a really aggressive cold front coming through and we’re going to see 30-40 knots, not for long, but it’s going to be pretty heinous with a horrible sea state. But it will mean that the wind will go around to the North, North West, so we should have a nice run past Finisterre and down the Portuguese coast.”
The Bay of Biscay delivered similar conditions after the start of the VELUX 5 OCEANS from Bilbao, and all the competitors will be concentrating on safely surviving the first 24 hours before focusing on the month long journey down into the Southern Ocean, which promises equally tortuous weather patterns and challenges. After thirty days in the isolation of the roaring forties and furious fifties, Malbon will pass by the iconic landmark of Cape Horn, turning north back into the Atlantic to sprint home to Europe.
Jonny Malbon, an experienced sailor onboard yachts of all sizes and in competitions around the world, is taking on the Vendée Globe for the first time in what is his solo ocean racing debut. Sailing onboard the only all British IMOCA 60, Artemis Ocean Racing II, Malbon is hoping to complete what he describes as the challenge of a lifetime.
Bahrain Team Pindar joins record fleet in race start (from Jo Gawith)
At 13.02pm today, Britain’s record breaking yachtsman, Brian Thompson embarked on the biggest race of his life as he crossed the start line of the gruelling non-stop, solo round the world yacht race, the Vendée Globe, on board his 60 ft yacht, Bahrain Team Pindar.
Following an emotional farewell to family and friends on the pontoon of the race village, a record 30 boats, set out in choppy waters and 12 knots of breeze, in a spectacular display, off the coast of Les Sables d’Olonne, in North West France. Hundreds of thousands of well wishers turned out for the occasion, lining the walls of the harbour and surrounding shoreline, to wish them ‘bon voyage’.
Known as the ‘Everest of the Seas’, the Vendée Globe is the ultimate test in solo ocean racing. Competitors will spend the next three months alone at sea, pushing themselves and their boats to the limit, through some of the most treacherous waters on the planet, including the Southern Ocean.
Thompson, who despite having broken 25 sailing records to date, will be looking to rewrite the history books in his first solo circumnavigation. Held every four years, this is the 6th edition of The Vendée Globe, which has only ever been won by a French skipper. The best British performance in the race was in 2001, when Ellen MacArthur sailed to fame, with her incredible second place finish.
The fleet will be chasing a race record of 87 days, 10 hours, 47 minutes and 55 seconds set by defending champion Vincent Riou on PRB in 2005. And with 20 new boats having been built for this edition, organisers are predicting a new race record.
Speaking from the pontoon, before he left, Brian commented:
“Ever since I was a boy, I’ve dreamt of sailing solo round the world so it is almost surreal to think that today has finally arrived. It’s a day of very mixed emotions – the sadness of saying goodbye to everyone, coupled with the excitement of what lies ahead. The reception in the race village over the last few weeks has been incredible, everyone has been so supportive. It’s hard to imagine a bigger contrast than being part of this amazing spectacle to the solitude we’ll all experience in a few hours time. I’m determined to savour every moment and am looking forward to getting underway.”
Chairman of Bahrain Team Pindar, Andrew Pindar said:
“As with any yacht race, one of the key challenges is to make it to the start line itself. I am immensely proud of Brian and all the team for all they have achieved over the last year. The stage is now set for an incredible race and we wish Brian and all the skippers a great adventure and safe return.”
With a cold front approaching, the wind is expected to pick up dramatically overnight, forecasting gusts of up to 45 knots tomorrow.
Steve White sets sail in epic Round the World challenge (from Toe in the Water)
A dream that seemed unimaginable just weeks ago for British solo sailor Steve White has today come true. Just after 1pm local time he set-sail in his IMOCA 60 yacht ‘Toe in the Water’, to take part in the Vendée Globe, the gruelling solo, non-stop round the world race.
Although winds at the start had been predicted to gust up to as much as 35 knots, it was in fact a more reasonable 12 knots that started 30 sailors on their globe-spanning journey.
Although Steve (35, from Weymouth, Dorset) qualified for the race at the beginning of 2008, he only secured the final backing required to take the challenge on in the last few weeks. A group of private individual raised the shortfall in his racefund and in a philanthropic move requested simply that the boat be named ‘Toe in the Water’. Thus raising awareness of the organisation set up to inspire and aid the rehabilitation of injured British servicemen through competitive sailing.
Since realising his dream was on, it has been a race against an ever ticking clock to assemble a team who could help him undertake the extensive work required to get his boat ready – and it has literally been all hands on deck as friends and family mucked in to make sure that everything was completed in time.
A crowd of at least 300,000 gathered in Les Sables, D’Olonne (France), filling every inch of available space along the canal and beach. They gave a rapturous send-off to each of the 30 heroes of sailing who will compete for the coveted Vendeé Globe. The race will take the skippers approximately three months, during which time they sail entirely alone and with no outside assistance.
Steve is excited about the adventure that lies in front of him, “I’ve dreamed of this for so long, and now that the start is here it seems almost unreal. Now that the moment is here I just want to get out there and start sailing; I won’t be last, and I’ll be trying as hard to get round in a decent position as I tried to get here. I’m eternally grateful to my family, friends and backers for getting me to this point, and look forward to seeing them in a few months.”
Roxy Skipper Sam Davies (GBR) Sets Sail in Vendée Globe (from Justine Ozoux)
Roxy Sailing, the sailing team sponsored by Roxy, crossed the start line of the infamous Vendee Globe at 12:02 GMT today, commencing her circumnavigation of the globe against a fleet of 29 other IMOCA 60s. The solo non-stop round the world race is the first one for skipper Samantha Davies, one of two female British sailors in the race. It is the pinnacle event of her campaign, taking the British sailor 24,000 miles from Les Sables d’Olonne to Les Sables d’Olonne (France).
After three amazing weeks for Roxy Sailing in Les Sables d’Olonne spent doing final checks, cleaning and loading food on the boat but also training, resting, and doing interviews; it was time to say a final goodbye to the families, friends and thousands of people who came to see the start of the race.
Just before leaving the docks, onboard two times winner of the race Roxy (formerly PRB), Sam Davies commented: “It has been an amazing few weeks emotionally. Thousands of people came to the race village to offer me presents, take pictures or ask me to sign posters. The Vendee Globe is a magical race because of its atmosphere and the public following and I feel really privileged to be here on the start line. I have felt ready since I arrived and have been counting the minutes before the gun fires”.
With a three meter swell and 15 to 18 knots of south-westerly wind at the start, Sam Davies stayed west of the rest of the fleet. Despite a fierce weather forecast for the first few days, her main fear in the Vendee was the start itself. With thousands of spectator boats on the water the start is very stressful and with safety the first priority, Sam decided not to go with the rest of the pack and so avoid the spectator fleet. “I will only be relieved tonight when offshore and on my own,” explained Sam. “The Vendee Globe is such a long race that you can’t afford to have a problem on the start line. The conditions we should have in the next couple of days also mean that I have to take it easy at the moment. A cold front will bring us rain and very strong wind/gusts. It won’t be pleasant or easy but I am still hugely excited as if it was Christmas! It is weird emotionally because you go from one extreme to the other but that is what we have all signed up for.”
Within a fleet mainly made of new boats, Sam’s primary goal is to complete the race, and ideally to be back in Les Sables d’Olonne in less than 87 days, 10 hours and 47 minutes, the record held by Vincent Riou and established by Roxy in 2005 (when previously known as PRB). “I am realistic about the race. Roxy is an old lady so it won’t be easy for me but she knows the way so well that it can make a difference. We are going for an amazing adventure together and my victory will be to be back here in less than three months. When I went around the world ten years ago with a crew of 11, I remember finding it hard so I know the scale of the challenge is huge. I am here to enjoy it and that is what I intend to do.”
Golding eager to start his third Vendée Globe (from Mike Golding Yacht Racing)
Such was Mike Golding's eagerness to start his third Vendee Globe that he crossed the line 15 seconds early and had to go back and recross the line.
For a perfectionist like Mike, it is a disappointing start to this much anticipated race, but within five minutes he was back on starboard tack and chasing down the rest of the fleet.
Early morning routing showed that starboard tack was the favourite positioning for the first few hours of the race, taking ECOVER 3 south, and then moving to port tack and beginning to head west.
"He had a very good start but it was a few seconds too early. It was probably about half a boat length," commented Bruno Dubois, ECOVER's sail developer and co skipper with Mike in the Transat Jacques Vabre. "But the decision to go on starboard tack was right as it gave him free air once over the line."
Hundreds of spectator boats escorted the fleet away from Les Sables d'Olonne and before the start a calm and collected Golding had commented:
"I am definitely looking forward to it. At the moment it is more apprehension. It is important to get away cleanly. Such a lot can happen in this early part, you are keen to get away and get away from the possibility of any problems."
Almost anticipating the start, he continued: "It is not what you would call an ideal Vendee Globe start. There is going to be a lot of activity in the first 48 hours of the race. At least it is not slow and we will get away. I am sure that we will see some breakages in the first 48 hours."
This year's Vendee Globe is far bigger than the previous editions not only in terms of number of boats taking part but also the number of spectators visiting the pontoons and watching the start from every possible vantage point along the coast:
"They are talking about this being bigger than the Tour de France and certainly one of the biggest spectator events there is, which is pretty extraordinary for a yacht race", commented Mike this morning.
"As a British sailor we are not used to seeing this. It is really lovely to have that feeling when you are here in France and the Vendee Globe is a very special event no doubt, but this one is exceptional with 30 sailors, 20 new boats and 7 Brits."
This evening conditions are set to worsen with the arrival of a low over Ireland generating south-westerly winds in excess of 30 knots gusting to more than 45.
Marc Guillemot and Safran in the leading pack (from Safran Sailing Team)
They're off! Marc Guillemot got off to a good start on Safran crossing the Vendée Globe start line today (Sunday) at 13h02 (French time). With one reef in the mainsail and under solent, the grey and orange monohull rapidly made her way to the front, and a few minutes after the gun was fired was in fifth position. In the 16h rankings, Safran shared the lead with Sébastien Josse's BT.
Overcast, gloomy weather, a fairly light westerly wind, reaching only around twelve knots, heavy seas, lots of spectator boats out on the water, after the crowds thronging along the harbourside… In short, that was the backdrop for the start of this sixth Vendée Globe, which took place at 13h02 today off Les Sables d’Olonne. A massive popular success and a great turnout for the thirty solo sailors about to tackle the round the world voyage.
Aboard Safran, as planned this morning, when he set out from the pontoons in Les Sables d’Olonne, Marc Guillemot got off to a cautious start. «Taking a risk is out of the question, when there are three months of sailing ahead,» Marc stated. Under solent and with one reef in the main, he remained cautious… but efficient: fifteen minutes after the gun, Safran was already up with the pack, in fifth place in a fleet led by the title-holder, Vincent Riou on PRB.
Gitana Eighty heads off on the Vendee Globe (from Kate Jennings)
After over three week’s wait in Port Olona and, for a lot of participants, numerous years of preparation, the event has become a reality. The thirty solo sailors in the 6th edition of the Vendée Globe set off this Sunday 9th November at 1302 hours. Ahead of their bows is a solo circumnavigation of the globe, without stopovers and without assistance, involving some three months at sea and over 21,000 miles of sailing. The adventure can begin for the monohull equipped by Baron Benjamin de Rothschild!
With precision timing for both their departure from the pontoons this morning and the race start, the thirty participants in the Vendée Globe 2008 – 2009 set off in unison. As planned, at 1302 hours, boosted by a moderate but strengthening SW’ly, the fleet of Imoca monohulls took to the seas.
Aboard Gitana Eighty, Loïck Peyron opted to benefit from the right hand side of the race zone in the wake of Sébastien Josse’s 60 footer, the leader in the first ranking. However, in addition to the technical precision, such as the tack chosen by the sailors as well as their sail plan during the start procedure, the unique setting offered at the start of the afternoon off the Vendée coast certainly deserves a mention as the magic of the Vendée Globe was in play once again! Despite the rain taking hold for a while with grey skies and a motley sea, it was a fantastic spectacle. Escorted by their shore crews, the 60 footers carved out a path through the numerous spectator craft. After an hour long procession to get offshore it was time to bid a final farewell before being left alone to sail their race.
Given the weather forecasts, the first night’s racing looks set to involve some work, with increased vigilance on deck being a must. Indeed, setting out on the trailing edge of a rainy front, which swept across the Vendée coast this morning, the solo sailors are now heading towards another front, still located a good way off to the west. The wind is set to fill rapidly, peaking tomorrow morning with an average of 30 to 35 knots and gusts in excess of 40 knots. In other words, there will be little time for Loïck Peyron and Gitana Eighty to ease gently into the rhythm of the race. On casting off this morning, the skipper of the monohull in the colours of the LCF Rothschild Group alluded to the fact that his main goal initially would be to get into the right wagon from the outset. This is a done deal tonight with Gitana Eighty occupying 4th place at the 1600 hour ranking.
It should be noted that Dominique Wavre alerted the organisation shortly after 1500 hours that he would have to return to port following electrical issues. The Swiss skipper hoped to resolve the matter as quickly as possible so he could head back into the race again.