Jean-Pierre Dick before the start this Sunday: «I'm starting to feel the butterflies. The pressure is gradually but surely building. You say goodbye to your close ones trying to reassure them, You take a look at the latest weather charts. It's a strange day, as we're somewhere between the shore and the ocean. I'll be up early to get to my boat by eight. At 9h47,I'll be leaving the pontoon with four members of my shore crew. We'll be heading out through the harbour channel. That is a magical moment with thousands of people applauding, singing, chanting your name. It's going to highly emotional. A few minutes before the start, I'll be hugging my shore team before they go ashore on their Zodiac. Then, I'll be alone for the next three months... »

Tomorrow, Sunday 9th November, from 9h15 (French time) it will be in the following order that the 30 monohulls taking part in the 2008 Vendée Globe will be leaving Port Olona every four minutes:

1 - Aviva

2 - BT

3 - Hugo Boss

4 - Ecover 3

5 - Algimouss Spirit of Canada

6 - Gitana Eighty

7 - Safran

8 - Generali

9 - Paprec-Virbac 2

10 - Delta Dore

11 - Fondation Ocean Vital

12 - DCNS

13 - PRB

14 - VM Matériaux

15 - Artemis

16 - Bahrain Team Pindar

17 - Brit Air

18 - Maisonneuve

19 - Temenos 2

20 - Cheminées Poujoulat

21 - Toe in The Water

22 - Pakea Bizkaia

23 - Akena Verandas

24 - NauticSport Kapsch

25 - Great American III

26 - Roxy

27 - Aquarelle.com

28 - Foncia

29 - Groupe Bel

30 - Veolia Environnement

As they prepare for three months at sea, most of the skippers have chopped off all or part of their hair. Some turned up this morning with a bald head, or at least a short back and sides. Even Jean Le Cam has thinned his thick wavy hair, while Arnaud Boissières is due to be receiving a visit from a hairdresser on board his Akena Vérandas. This is not just to look respectable, as they meet Neptune, but to simplify washing, shampooing and hair care… which cannot really be their main worry aboard their monohulls.

According to the start order decided by the race directors, based on where the boats were moored at the pontoon, it is the British sailor, Dee Caffari, who will be the first to cast off tomorrow morning at 9h15 and follow the local fishermen out of the harbour. After that, the boats will leave their moorings at four-minute intervals.

"I can't quite believe that tomorrow Aviva and I will be lining up against so many sailing legends and to lead the fleet out is an awesome feeling. In 2000, I was here as part of Mike Golding's shore crew, but at the time my limited experience meant I was given the glamorous jobs like jumping in the freezing water and scrubbing the bottom of the boat! Now I'm here with my own Open 60 and I can't wait to go racing against the best in the world," declared Dee.

Gildas Morvan, French single-handed ocean racing champion, came to visit the Vendée Globe sailors and offered us some of his thoughts.
 

The aim of his visit
«To see the boats, to observe and compare. In the back of my mind, there is the idea that maybe next time around, I will be there at the start, so it's worth checking things out… Besides, I came to lend a hand to Jean Le Cam's team during their final preparations.»

His vision of the Vendée Globe
«The lads know they will have some difficult times. For me, it is the cool-headed sailor, who avoids any major technical problems that is likely to win… Some are so at ease on their boat that they can spend all their time navigating. Sailing the boat just comes naturally to them.»

The line-up for the Vendée Globe
«The boats are so close to each other in terms of performance that it wouldn't surprise me to see that it will all come down to the ability of the sailors to find the right trajectory… These boats are so well tested in comparison with previous races. Everyone appears to be ready. When you look at the line-up, you really feel that the question of confidence is essential, like experience. I think that those, who have already succeeded in major races, have an advantage over the others. My selection for the first four in random order: Peyron, Desjoyeaux, Riou, Le Cam… . »

This morning at ten, in the Palace Cinema in Les Sables d'Olonne, the thirty solo competitors who will tomorrow be lining up at the start at 13h02 (French time) attended their final briefing in front of the media.
They came on foot, by bicycle or by car. Alone or accompanied by TV cameras. The thirty sailors, many of whom had just had a haircut, listened to the final safety recommendations for the start. Some final technical points and the weather forecast were discussed. A few had some last minute official papers to sort out, before they were wished "Fair wind and a good Vendée Globe" by Philippe de Villiers, the President of the SEM Vendée organisers.
As requested by the skippers, Sylvie Viant, the President of the Race Committee, will be setting up the start line so that the thirty sailors can set off westwards on the port tack - the sailors have agreed to start on port, in order to avoid having to put in a rapid tack. The start sequence will begin at 12h54, eight minutes before the gun is fired at 13h02. The sixth Vendée Globe looks set begin with some very rough conditions forecast...