Vendée Globe

On the 1000hrs ranking Loïck Peyron has gained two more miles ahead of Seb Josse as the breeze continues to lift very slowly. Since last night the compass course of the leaders has risen nearly 20 degrees, allowing them to make slightly east of south.

Peyron (Gitana Eighty) is now computed to be 27.9 miles ahead of Seb Josse, or less than two and a half hours at current speeds after 14 days, effectively making about 2870 miles down the race track.

Mike Golding, GBR (Ecover 3) has now passed Générali to hold sixth place and is sill the one of the fastest of the leading group of boats along with Roland Jourdain, slightly more to the west of him on Veolia Environnement.

Jérémie Beyou is making for Brasil, after discovering damage to his leeward spreaders this morning, he has just told this morning’s radio broadcast:

“ I laughed when I saw what had happened as so incredible.  But I am certainly not laughing any more. I had 20-22 knots of wind under staysail and full main.  There was a gust of wind, a cracking sound and I saw the damage immediately.  I waited until it was light to see what had happened.  The whole (spreader root) attachment had broken away and rigging getting tangled. Seems to be the same on top spreaders too.  I bore away and slowed down. The sea is still a bit choppy. I would like to climb, but spreader is swinging around, so cannot get to it for moment. Both are clearly broken.  I think the mast might be damaged too.”

He explained that he is heading for Recife and looking for best place to shelter.  There are mechanical parts required for repairs, which he says he cannot manufacture.  He sounded fairly sure he cannot repair alone.. One of the few parts that cannot be repaired alone. Had already refitted these parts (same on BT, Gitana 80 and Générali) a few weeks before race as highly complex to manufacture.  He sounded pessimistic.

Dee Caffari, GBR, (AVIVA) is the sixteenth of the fleet to pass across the Equator, paying her dues to Neptune around 1000hrs GMT this morning. She is now just less than 43 miles behind Michel Desjoyeaux (Foncia).

Otherwise speeds have picked up a little for those struggling to clear the Doldrums. The exception is Norbert Sedlacek who has average less than three knots this morning.

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