Vendée Globe

After 84 days of sailing, Roland Jourdain took the decision this morning to bring his Vendée Globe to an end and stop racing at the Azores.

After losing part of his keel last Thursday, the skipper of Veolia Environnement has done his utmost to ensure the stability of his boat and his own safety in some difficult sea conditions.  He is currently continuing towards Ponta Delgada on the island of Sao Miguel, some 50 miles away, which he is due to reach this afternoon. Two members of his shore team will help him over the final miles.

" Once the decision was taken, that was it. I would have found it more difficult to come to this decision if the forecasts had indicated light winds, but it’s the exact opposite.  For 3rd February, they are talking about 50-knot winds with a ten metre swell.  I’ve been lucky to have come this far without capsizing, particularly in yesterday’s storm, so I’m not going to push my luck.  I have gambled enough.  It’s no use now and it would be unreasonable to continue.  It’s a bitter pill to swallow, but it would be even harder, if 24 hours after passing a port, where I could have stopped, I capsized and had to abandon the boat. "

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