Vendée Globe

The impressive fleet in the eighth Route du Rhum set sail from Saint-Malo, with some boats from the IMOCA class among them, with their eyes fixed on the global race: the 2008 Vendée Globe. Whether they be veterans or young pretenders, the large majority of the talents of the monohull circuit are already preparing the major date on the calendar for yachtsmen sailing around the world without stopovers or assistance…

With this in mind, the observers obviously were keen to take a look at the three new generation sixty-footers lining up for the start in Saint-Malo. While Jérémie Beyou, who has just arrived from the Figaro circuit, attracted attention with his new Farr design, it should be stressed that it was Vincent Riou, aboard a brand new PRB, which also bore the signature of the American designer, who won the popular vote. Powerful, very wide in the beam, and with a lot of protection offered by his roof, the two machines unfortunately did not stay in the race for long. Jérémie was called back to his wife’s bedside for medical reasons, and was forced to retire within the first few hours of the race. On the next day, we learnt with some consternation that Vincent Riou had dismated with his mast split into three pieces. The fight we had so been looking forward to between the winner of the last Vendée Globe and his runner-up, Jean Le Cam, will not be taking place. As for the third new boat in the fleet, Dominique Wavre’s very beautiful Temenos II (an Owen Clarke design), she is experiencing problems with her keel, which is stopping him from showing off her true potential – teething problems, which we may have expected, but we must not forget that this Route du Rhum was above all considered as the first phase of fine tuning for these boats from the new generation.

As for those still in the race, the leading trio is no big surprise, as we find three big names from the Vendée, Jean-Pierre Dick checked in in the lead this Tuesday ahead of Roland Jourdain on board Sill & Veolia, which is only four miles astern. Roland, who had to retire during his global voyage because of a keel problem, has strengthened his Lombard design considerably and is now one of the favourites. Second in the 2005 Vendée Globe, Jean Le Cam today in the colours of VM Matériaux is in third place, but needs to be watched closely. Fitted with a new mast, his boat can fly a larger surface area of sail, which should offer better performance especially in light airs. In the list of great names from the past, let us not forget Roxy, sailed by Anne Liardet (11th in the last Vendée), which is none other than the former PRB, the current titleholder and twice round the world winner. Another Finot design, Armel Le Cléac’h’s Brit Air stood out around the world in the hands of Sébastien Josse, who finished fifth in the colours of VMI. Armel has got a new Finot design under construction for the 2008 race, and is not the only one to have hired a 60-footer to take part in the Rhum. That is also the case for Marc Guillemot, who is sailing the former Kingfisher (second in the 2000 Vendée Globe with Ellen MacArthur, which suffered from a broken keel in 2005 with Nick Moloney). Marc will soon also be receiving a new monohull designed by VPLP – Verdier in order to line up for the start in Les Sables d’Olonne in 2008.

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