This evening (Friday) at 9.30, the Kaf La Kour group will be playing in Le VOG´, the Vendée Globe village bar. So we can look forward to some Afro-Ragga, Reggae and Ska...

Seven competitors have asked the race directors for the authorisation to sail out to sea this Friday. This does not mean they necessarily will. Arnaud Boissières (Akena Vérandas), Brian Thompson (Bahrain Team Pindar), Sébastien Josse (BT), Yann Eliès (Generali), Norbert Sedlacek (Nauticsport-Kapsch), Dominique Wavre (Temenos II) and Jean Le Cam (VM Matériaux) have all obtained their authorisation.

The forecast today is for sunny periods and showers over the Vendée area. Things should improve again tomorrow, but for the moment the situation is not looking too good for Sunday.

Tide times in les Sables d’Olonne :
Friday 24th October 2008: coefficient 53 – 58
High tide: 2h25 – 14h47
Low tide: 7h44 – 20h28
Saturday 25th October 2008 : coefficient
High tide: 3h13 – 15h33
Low tide: 8h46 – 21h20

This evening, the Village bar, The VOG’ will welcome the Beach Band from Les Sables at 9.30. Jazz and swing on the programme this evening…

Spirit of Weymouth, Steve White’s monohull, was today treated to a little facelift on the underwater section of the hull. Lifted onto the hard yesterday, her undersides were entrusted to Karcher to remove the algae and barnacles, which were beginning to grow. The British skipper has to touch-up a little of the coating prior to applying some protective underwater paint and returning her to the liquid element.

Armel Le Cléac’h, Marc Thiercelin, Bernard Stamm (Cheminées Poujoulat) and Roland Jourdain (Veolia Environnement) were transformed into fashion models for Gala magazine during a photo session. They had their hair done, got made-up and dressed-up and played the game with a certain ease… despite amused grins from their shore crews!