Vendée Globe

October 17. 2008 at 12:30Light show

Based on a scenario Bruno Seillier, set up by the « Spectaculaires, les allumeurs d’images » company, the multi-tech show using video and laser projection will light up the monohulls moored in Port Olona as they are about to set sail around the world. Entitled « Vendée Globe, the Everest of the Seas », this light show will begin on Saturday 18th October at 19h15 to celebrate the opening of the Vendée Globe village. Lasting eleven minutes, using 34 4.5 kW skytracers, six 20,000 to 30,000 video projectors, two 40W lasers, a Line Array sound system and sixty LED projection lights fed using more than 50 kilometres of cable, this show will be repeated every evening until the eve of the start at 19h15, 19h45, 20h15 and 20h45, and will be visible throughout the marina in Les Sables d’Olonne.

October 17. 2008 at 08:56Dawn arrivals

It was at five this morning that four monohulls entered Port Olona to moor up after arriving on a very light breeze. Jean-Pierre Dick (Paprec-Virbac) was the first to turn up in les Sables d’Olonne, followed by Yann Eliès (Generali), Jonny Malbon (Artemis) and Samantha Davies (Roxy). Then at around 6h30, it was the turn of Jérémie Beyou (Delta Dore), Michel Desjoyeaux (Foncia) and Jean Le Cam (VM Matériaux) to come ashore. Other skippers are expected on the tide this evening (between four and ten o´clock) such as Marc Guillemot (Safran), Loïck Peyron (Gitana Eighty), Armel Le Cléac’h (Brit Air), Roland Jourdain (Veolia Environnement), Bernard Stamm (Cheminées Poujoulat)... The boats must all be moored up in Les Sables d’Olonne by the tide on Saturday morning.

October 17. 2008 at 08:52A fine day

For the arrival of the majority of the boats in Les Sables d´Olonne, it looks like being a sunny day. A few clouds are expected in the afternoon, but the temperature remains mild (around 18°C) and there is a pleasant north-easterly breeze resulting from a high pressure area over France. The wind will remain fairly light, around ten knots this morning and easing off this afternoon. This weekend, the temperatures will once again be very pleasant and the forecast is for sunny weather with a light to moderate easterly wind. Tide times in Les Sables d’OlonneFriday 17th October: coefficient 101 - 98High tide: 6h39 – 19h04Low tide: 0h32 – 12h56Saturday 18th October: coefficient 93 - 88High tide: 7h20 – 19h51Low tide: 1h15 – 13h42

October 16. 2008 at 12:23PRB has reached Les Sables

The winner of the last edition of the Vendée Globe moored up this Thursday at the pontoon in Port Olona: She was the ninth Imoca monohull to reach Les Sables d’Olonne. Vincent Riou delivered his new PRB, a Farr design from the latest generation, with the help of his shore team, from Port la Forêt. We can add that all of the boats and their skippers will be present at the latest on Saturday morning for the inauguration of the Vendée Globe Village by Philippe de Villiers at ten. Many yachtsmen plan to leave their home port this evening (Thursday), to arrive in Vendée on Friday morning. That is the case for Michel Desjoyeaux, who is expected around breakfast time tomorrow morning…

October 16. 2008 at 12:18Weather for Thursday 16th October

With the passage of a front over France, the skies are slightly cloudy this morning in Les Sables d’Olonne, with the temperature remaining mild (17°C this afternoon). The light northwesterly wind this morning will veer northerly for a time around lunchtime and strengthen to around ten knots before backing northwesterly in mid-afternoon, while remaining below twelve knots. For Friday and Saturday, the weather looks like it is going to be pleasant, although there will be some cloud, but on Sunday we can look forward to some sunshine with temperatures nudging 20°C. Tide times in Les Sables d’Olonne Thurs 16th October: coefficient 104 - 103 High tide: 6h00 – 18h22 Low tide: 12h14 Friday 17th October: coefficient 103 - 101 High tide: 6h39 – 19h04 Low tide: 0h32 – 12h56

October 15. 2008 at 14:42A little rain

The weather forecast this Wednesday is not too hopeful for the rest of the day, but it is looking brighter for the weekend: a little rain this afternoon and a slight fall in the temperature to around 18°C… The weather is likely to remain variable and overcast with some damp conditions for Thursday and Friday, but a major improvement is expected this weekend, and indeed particularly on Sunday for the opening of the Vendée Globe Village. The light southwesterly to westerly wind this morning will strengthen to around fifteen knots this afternoon as a rainy front passes over. A ten-knot westerly breeze will continue throughout the evening with overcast skies tonight.

Local tide times for Les Sables d’Olonne

Wed 15th October:
coefficient 100 - 102
High tide: 5h23 – 17h42
Low tide: 11h33 – 23h50

Thurs 17 October:
coefficient 104 - 103
High tide: 6h00 – 18h22
Low tide: 12h14

October 14. 2008 at 17:01A Village befitting the round the world race

The Village is certainly quite impressive covering a huge area, as huge as the challenge facing the thirty contenders, who will be setting sail on Sunday 9th November... A ground surface area of more than 10,000 square metres on one, two and even three floors will be host to the stands of the exhibitors, the partners´ area, the VIP saloon, a hall, offering a presentation of the race with educational displays and fun events, the Cape Horn centre, looking at the three oceans: the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific… A lot of logistical planning has gone into ensuring access to the Vendée Globe pontoon is easy for the public. The official opening by Philippe de Villiers is planned for ten in the morning (local time) next Saturday (18th October), and this will be followed an hour later by the official photo and then an initial briefing to welcome the competitors at lunchtime.

October 14. 2008 at 16:14Mild weather in Les Sables

Little or no wind on Tuesday 14th October off Les Sables d’Olonne, but a slight northwesterly breeze blowing between five and eight knots was expected later in the day. The sky remained overcast until the middle of the afternoon, but a few rays of sunshine are expected before sunset… The temperatures remain above the seasonal average, reaching almost 20 degrees this afternoon. For Wednesday 15th October, similar conditions are expected with however some more cloud and maybe a few drops of rain late in the afternoon, while temperatures are forecast to remain very mild for the season. The outlook for the weekend is for cooler conditions, but we are expecting some sunshine particularly on Saturday.

Tide times in Les Sables d’Olonne:
- Tuesday 14th October:
coefficient 92 - 97
High tide: 4h48 – 17h05
Low tide: 10h54 – 23h12

-Wednesday 15th October:
coefficient 100 - 102
High tide: 5h23 – 17h42
Low tide: 11h33 – 23h50

October 13. 2008 at 12:05Aviva on her way to Les Sables d´Olonne

After a few days of intense activity in Gosport (GB), Dee Caffari finally set sail yesterday evening accompanied by a few members of her shore team. During the weekend, the final checks were carried out on the spare parts and supplies. As she set sail yesterday evening, a group of schoolchildren turned out to wish her well and to present her with Sizzles, a bear, that will be her mascot during the Vendée Globe, as on the previous occasion she sailed around the world in the opposite direction. Sizzles is thus about to become the first bear to have been around the world in both directions!

October 12. 2008 at 13:19Alex Thomson heading for Les Sables

Alex Thomson left his shore base in Gosport on Friday evening on board his monohull, Hugo Boss, for the delivery trip to Les Sables d´Olonne. He is accompanied by the rigger Giles Waterhouse and his boat captain Ross Daniel, who will be carrying out a final training session with Alex during this voyage. If all goes well, the boat is due to be in Les Sables before Friday, as the rest of his team will be waiting for him there. Over the past few weeks, Hugo Boss has undergone some final modifications in order to be in the best of shape for the Vendée Globe, while Alex has been busy training by cycling, playing squash and exercising in the gym.