Vendée Globe

After the emotional arrival of Anne Liardet (Roxy) yesterday evening, 11th in the Vendée Globe 2004/2005, there are but two competitors still left to battle it out in the difficult conditions less than 900 miles from the finish. Karen Leibovici, Karen Courage, is struggling on all fronts less than 200 miles to the NE of the Azores archipelago, determined to get Benefic safely back to Les Sables d’Olonne; on the weather front, in strong winds and messy seas, on the damage front, the job list mounting up after 120 days at sea, and on a physical front, Karen stoically enduring extreme physical discomfort and pain. Raphaël Dinelli (Akena Verandas) is becoming increasingly impatient for 12th place in this Vendée Globe after what has been a fine victory against the odds after two fruitless attempts (retirements in 1996 and 2000).

Benefic broached right over with the force of the waves on two
occasions last night. Karen Leibovici is sailing towards the Western
tip of Spain and the Bay of Biscay in a strong, SE’ly wind. “It was
perhaps one of the biggest gusts of wind I’ve had since the start” she
said earlier, clocking some good speeds now. After 4 months at sea, it
seems that Karen still has an exorbitant price to pay for her passage,
the emergency pilot barely able to hold its own against the power of
the elements, forcing her to helm through her intense back pain. Karen
remains nonetheless vigilant to the numerous cargo ships crossing her
path, and is more determined than ever to make Les Sables d’Olonne.
Fortunately she is expecting a slight respite this evening, before a
fairly beefy depression kicks in mid week. 900 miles from the finish,
this passage of strong wind may well propel Benefic to a finish next
Sunday…

Raphaël Dinelli is not hiding his impatience to finish,
nor his perplexity as regards the route options he has open to him.
Like Vincent Riou a month earlier, he too is climbing as far North as
possible in the backing wind of a ridge of high pressure barring the
way to the Vendée. The option is costing him dearly in miles and is
distancing him from the direct course, though the promise of a long
tack to the finish with a NE’ly wind on the beam is proving all too
seductive. The second solution comprises of ‘cutting the corner’ by
tacking to the finish in shifty winds. It is a shorter but slower
alternative. Pressing on his physical reserves now, the passage of the
still numerous squalls are forcing Raphaël to multiply the manœuvres
aboard Akena Verandas and his proximity to the shipping lanes is
prompting him to keep a keen look out on the radar. His daggerboard
casing is continuing to let in water, forcing long bailing sessions
heightening his fatigue still further. 500 miles from Les Sables
d’Olonne today, an ETA of this Friday seems to be on the cards.

Quotes from the Boats:
Raphael
Dinelli (Akena Verandas): “I am very tired. Conditions are difficult
and bear little resemblance to the weather files. There are lots of
little unforeseen squalls making the wind very shifty both in strength
and direction. As a result I am being forced to make a lot of manœuvres
to maintain my speed. I am happy with my progress since the Azores but
my course towards Les Sables isn’t clearly defined yet. I hope to
arrive on Thursday. I’m continuing to bail as the weight is on the
damaged daggerboard on this tack and I’m taking on a fair amount of
water. I am worried about the cargo ships. I have the radar on
permanent look out.”

Karen Leibovici (Benefic): “It’s incredibly
difficult! The passage of the front is very violent. I have broached
several times with the impact of the waves which crash in abeam of the
boat. There is a SE’ly wind. There must be 40 knots of established wind
but my lack of power is forcing me to switch off all the navigation
instruments, so that’s just an estimate. In any case, it’s one of the
most severe gusts of wind I’ve had during this Vendée Globe. My spare
pilot is holding but it’s not powerful enough to prevent the boat from
broaching so I have to helm a great deal. I’m a bit too far West and
I’m trying to luff up towards Cape Finisterre but the waves are
preventing me from doing so. I have a rip at the top of the mainsail.
The battens broke during a broach and ripped the canvas. I put my radar
transponder on at night. As soon as I receive an echo I call up on the
VHF to indicate my course and my position to the cargo ships...”
Translation Kate Jennings

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