Vendée Globe

The parties went on long into the night as Les Sables d’Olonne welcomed home France’s sporting hero, celebrating not just his second Vendée Globe success and his incredible 100% race record, but the incredible margin of Michel Desjoyeaux’s victory.

 While the race has always engaged the French nation, this epic edition has gripped them at times with episodes of raw human drama but yesterday was the time that Desjoyeaux delivered the sporting finale, a crushing, comprehensive victory, the fairy tale ending.

Desjoyeaux’s long time friend, acknowledged by Desjoyeaux yesterday as the only skipper of the 30 who started, to have provided him with a real, sustained challenge, Roland Jourdain should arrive in Sao Miguel in the Azores later today, three days after losing his keel bulb. Yesterday Bilou might scarcely have had time to consider what was going on in Les Sables d’Olonne since he was dealing with some of the most challenging conditions of his race so far – 6-8 metres swell and 40 knot winds.

He had around 70 miles to sail early this morning and remains determined to finish the course. The last few days have at least given him a clearer understanding of what, in reality, the keel-less Veolia Environnment is capable of in big seas and strong winds.

Stage one of what he considered a three step plan to make the finish line.

Armel Le Cléac’h is back on the march and closing fast on the stricken Veolia Environnement, making more than twice Bilou’s speed. Brit Air has closed more than 200 miles, 70 miles since yesterday afternoon and this morning is just 219 miles behind Veolia Environnement.

As the pair open gauge, now 140 miles apart west to east, so Sam Davies has gained from her more easterly position, making 16 miles against on Marc Guillemot since yesterday afternoon and is now about 99 miles ahead of Safran, But Guillemot, making a slightly more westerly course, is quickest in the fleet this morning making 15.4 knots.

Brian Thompson has made a small gain on Safran also, and is now 269 miles behind on Bahrain Team Pindar, working to press every advantage in what should be some of the powerful Open 60’s optimum conditions, upwind in the trade winds.

Dee Caffari crossed the Equator back into the Northern Hemisphere, at 1110GMT yesterday.  She reported:

“ This is the 8th time I have crossed the doldrums and Equator and this is definitely at the top of the list for being the worst. The saving grace for me achieving my short term goal of getting into the same hemisphere and the same part of the Atlantic Ocean as Michel Desjoyeaux before he finishes was that every rain cloud I met last night allowed me to head north, unlike the previous night.”

“ So I crossed the Equator at 1100hrs this morning and was so busy trying to get Aviva to move in the right direction that I missed the moment of the GPS changing from south to north. In fact I have tried so hard to get out of the doldrums that I am exhausted. I have not slept more than two hours in two days now as I am really trying and it is frustrating me loads.”

“ Just to make sure we stayed on Neptune's good side I got Sizzles the bear who is celebrating his second lap of the planet having joined me on the Aviva Challenge going the wrong way round. He is from Alverstoke Junior School and he is allowed out for record breaking voyages only and we hope will be the first bear to sail both directions around the world. We also had Gully the sea gull from Jean Monnet College in Vendee. They came to visit Aviva and I at the race village and now this bird is celebrating his return to the Northern Hemisphere too. He too will return to the college with a great story. Together we toasted a bottle of Mumm Champagne to Neptune.”

Caffari’s belief that she is starting to move out of the Doldrums appears to be borne out by some quicker spells, but she has still only averaged 5.4 knots overnight, though was making a more promising 8.9 knots, but from being around 60 miles behind Brian Thompson she is now 316.5 miles behind.

While Raphael Dinelli is making good progress, more than 11.3 knots towards Cape Horn and should round later this afternoon, he has left behind Norbert Sedlacek who is stuck in a high pressure system and making less than two knots.

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