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2004 Edition

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A breathtaking finish

The Vendée Globe racers sail their machines at an incredible pace and the rhythm was set from the first few miles. It was no longer the case that they were managing the long term, but ensuring they got one over on their challengers from the outset sailing aboard monohulls that had made further gains in potential… The winner Vincent Riou never had a moment's rest with Jean Le Cam in particular being particularly threatening: less than seven hours separated them after 87 days of racing!

There were still men (and two women) for whom the non-stop solo round the world race was an adventure, but it was clear to them that they were no longer on the same level as the skippers, who had trained in close-contact sailing and tactical battles… While the emotions were higher at the rear of the pack rather than at the front, the match resembled something of a sprint with in particular a kind Bay of Biscay: light downwind sailing, with just a quick low off Cape Finisterre, and some fine trade winds off Portugal to enable them to get around the Canaries after four days, then the Equator after only just ten days! However the collateral effects were quite something: only six solo yachtsmen got quickly out of the Doldrums and made their getaway… Even for this pack of leaders, Saint Helena was to wield a powerful blow: the high-pressure area created a scar that would take thousands of miles to heal.

Thus, as they approached the Cape of Good Hope, Vincent Riou and Jean Le Cam were sailing in sight of each other after 6000 miles of racing! The two sailors widened the gap to more than 300 miles over the duo of Roland Jourdain and Sébastien Josse, with Mike Golding relegated one and a half days behind… while the pack lost more than four days. The punishment was all the more painful, when the leaders entered the roaring forties: the only option for those chasing from behind was to put their foot down to close the gap and that meant success or failure… Alex Thomson was the first to retire in Cape Town, Roland Jourdain pushed his machine so hard her keel failed, forcing him to head for New Zealand… Only Mike Golding managed to catch Sébastien Josse, but the Pacific offered some icy seascapes, which cooled the ardours of the young skipper: he hit a growler and broke his bowsprit, which was to punish him all the way to the finish. In the lead, the duo played a game of yo-yo in the rankings and throughout their voyage, until Cape Horn, which is supposed to open the mind and free the spirit…

The South Atlantic was not going to let that happen, when it grabbed hold of Jean Le Cam in its high-pressure area, while Vincent Riou had to keep an eye on the mirror with Mike Golding coming up towards him! The fleet was more spread out than ever, as when the leading trio crossed the Doldrums for the second time, Karen Leibovici had not completed half of the Pacific crossing! Then, it was disaster with the keels, as after Roland Jourdain stopped in New Zealand, Nick Moloney headed to Brazil and Mike Golding finished in Les Sables without his ballast… The finish for the leaders was all the more exciting, but PRB achieved victory for the second time, this time with Vincent Riou, smashing the race record by almost six days! Jules Verne had already been shaken up by the crewed multihulls, and now was to be stirred by the solo monohulls: An average of 12.73 knots over 26,714 miles…

Rankings for the 2004-2005
 edition
1 – Vincent Riou (Fra, PRB) : 87d 10h 47’
2 – Jean Le Cam (Fra, Bonduelle) : 87d 17h 20’
3 – Mike Golding (GB., Ecover 2) : 88d 15h 15’
4 – Dominique Wavre (Sui, Temenos) : 92d 17h 13’
5 – Sébastien Josse (Fra, VMI) : 93d 17h 13’
6 – Jean-Pierre Dick (Fra, Virbac-Paprec) : 98d 03h 49’
7 – Conrad Humphreys (G.B, Hellomoto) : 104d 14h 32’
8 – Joé Seeten (Fra, Arcelor-Dunkerque) : 104d 23h 02’
9 – Bruce Schwab (USA, Ocean Planet) : 109d 19h 58’
10 – Benoît Parnaudeau (Fra, Max Havelaar-Best Western) : 116d 01h 06’
11 – Anne Liardet (Fra, Roxy) : 119d 09h 28
12 – Raphaël Dinelli (Fra, Akena Vérandas) : 125d 04h 07’
13 – Karen Leibovici (Fra, Benefic) : 126d 08h 02’

Outide of the race
Marc Thiercelin (Fra, Pro-Form), technical problems, stopped in New Zealand
Patrice Carpentier (Fra, VM Matériaux), broken boom, stopped in New Zealand

Retirals
Roland Jourdain (Fra, Sill & Veolia), keel problems, stopped in New Zealand
Alex Thomson (Hugo Boss), hole in the deck, stopped in Cape Town
Nick Moloney (Skandia), lost his keel, stopped in Brazil
Hervé Laurent (UUDS), rudder problem, stopped in Cape Town
Norbert Sedlacek (Brother), keel problems, stopped in Cape Town