Favourable conditions mean that the Royal Australian Navy Frigate Arunta has improved her ETA by three hours to approximately 1100hrs GMT tomorrow when she should be approaching station to start the evacuation of injured solo skipper Yann Eliès (Generali).
Conditions are not anticipated to be as favourable tonight and so the ship may have to slow slightly.
In close cooperation with Erwan Steff, the Logistics and Technical Manager for the Generali team, Race Director Denis Horeau and Vendée Globe Safety Consultant Alain Gautier a detailed plan has been put in place for the Australian Navy personnel to evacuate Eliès from the Open 60. It is understood they will use a very large RIB to transfer the injured skipper. The improved schedule means that they should have around two hours of daylight to complete the procedure.
Those involved will be strictly military, while the medical supervision aboard the ship will be under the care of a civilian doctor, Race Director Denis Horeau confirmed. The civil doctor will assess Eliès as soon as he is onboard the Frigate and draw up a detailed care plan.
“The have assured us of their care of Yann until he is feeling better.” Horeau explained today, “They are very experienced and diligent operators and no one knows the conditions in the Southern Ocean better than they do.”
Erwan Steff outlined the improvement in the mood of his friend, the Generali skipper;
“He was able to eat, to drink and has managed to take some painkillers. As soon as he did that, about half an hour later he was able to sleep better, and since then his morale as been on the up. He has re-hyrdrated some. It is the first time in two days that I have heard my friend smile and laugh a little. I feel like he is now ready to leave the boat.”
A plan is also in place by the Generali team to recover the Open 60 whose position will continue to be tracked by the race direction team taking receiving a position report every ten minutes.
Steff paid warm tribute to Safran skipper Marc Guillemot for his attention and encouragement. Guillemot’s words are those who has known great pain the desperation of waiting fro rescue. More than twenty years ago he was badly injured when the catamaran Jet Services capsized, sustaining two broken legs.
“Without doubt Marco (Guillemot) has really found the right words to push Yann through these difficult times. He really pressed him and motivated him to get to a bag today which he opened with his knife. And as soon as he had opened it and taken the painkillers he could sleep better.”
Still at the front of the fleet, Michel Desjoyeaux is continuing to put the pressure on those that are chasing in that leading group. Only Roland Jourdain (Veolia Environnement), who has had a remarkable race, is keeping up with the punishing standards set by the skipper of Foncia.
Sébastien Josse (BT) and Jean Le Cam (VM Matériaux) are refusing to be drawn into this game of ever increasing speed. For these four, what is going on behind them is not on their minds for now. They may be thinking of Yann, but the fight at the front does not leave much time for reflection.
As for those at the rear, they are telling themselves that there is still a long way to go, that they need to look after themselves and their boats, while remaining determined to face up to the ravages of the elements.
The competitors will be hoping for less confused seas, which should allow better surfing conditions. However, the nerves will remain on edge, particularly as the first observations indicate the presence of ice ahead, which has led to the New Zealand Ice Gate being moved further north.
