Mexican music will be the star of the show tonight in the Vendée Globe village with Cocula offering us dances and songs from Central America... Tortillas will be extra.

Two competitors have requested the right to leave harbour from the Race Directors: Jean Le Cam's VM Matériaux and Marc Thiercelin's DCNS. A large number of skippers have decided to be on board their boats today in order to meet the public.

Today, we can look forward to a sunny day, with a light 6 to 8 knot easterly wind, which will become variable and die away. Tide times for Les Sables d´Olonne: Morning: Coefficient 64 - High tide 3h13, 4m66 - Low tide 8h46, 1m64 Evening: Coefficient 70 - High tide 15h33, 4m90 - Low tide, 21h20, 1m35

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