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December 27, 2007The first three boats to register for the Vendée Globe 2008-2009

Roland Jourdain (Veolia Environnement), Jérémie Beyou (Delta Dore) and Jean-Pierre Dick (Paprec-Virbac) have become in order the first three competitors to officially register for the Vendée Globe 2008-2009. We should add that official registration for the Vendée Globe requires the entrants to carry out a qualifying run, which is generally the equivalent to a single-handed transatlantic race, and to have filed all the necessary papers. That has been accomplished by the three skippers, who all set out on the Barcelona World Race, although only Jean-Pierre Dick remains in the race. He is currently leading the fleet, which has been decimated by a series of incidents.

December 14, 2007Loïck Peyron has won the Transat Ecover B To B

Last night, Loïck Peyron (Gitana Eighty) won the first edition of the Transat ECOVER B to B, between Salvador da Bahia (Brazil) and Port-la-Forêt (Brittany). The yachtsman from La Baule finished the single-handed crossing in 14d, 09h, 13´ and 25´´. He came in ahead of the Southerner, Kito de Pavant (Groupe Bel), who was second in front of Michel Desjoyeaux (Foncia). We should add that the latter hit a fishing boat forty miles from the finish.

December 11, 2007Cruel test results for the 60-footers racing

It has clearly been a tough winter for the 60-foot monohulls. After Pindar and Artemis dismasted before and during the Transat Jacques Vabre, and then Armel Le Cléach’s Brit’Air lost her mast in the Transat Ecover B to B, it is the Barcelona World Race, the two-handed round the world race that has cost three boats dearly out of the nine taking part, and not the most insignificant ones. Thus, Vincent Riou and Sébastien Josse’s PRB, the outright favourite had to abandon the race and has just reached Cape Town after breaking off the top of her mast. Then Guillermo Altadill and Jonathan McKee’s Estrella Damm was also forced to head for South Africa suffering from rudder damage. This was followed by the complete dismasting of Jérémie Beyou and Sidney Gavignet’s Delta Dore, which occurred early this morning (Tuesday 11th December) in the forties, more than a thousand miles from the South African coast. Fortunately none of this damage led to any injuries to those on board, but it is clear that there will be a lot of repairs and preparation work to do again in 2008 before they can enter the Vendée Globe. Especially as all of the above dismastings occurred in what were tough conditions, but certainly nothing extreme in 25 to 40-knot winds. The goal of all those attempting the Everest of the seas was to check out their boat before the Vendée Globe, but they probably did not expect these tests to be so cruel.

December 04, 2007Jean-Baptiste Dejeanty and Norbert Sedlacek to enter the race

Clearly the Vendée Globe 2008/2009 is an attractive proposition. Two more skippers have just confirmed their pre-registration for the round the world race that will begin in Les Sables d’Olonne: the Austrian yachtsman, Norbert Sedlacek and the Frenchman, Jean-Baptiste Dejeanty. There will therefore be at least 27 sailors taking part in the Everest of the Seas sailing single-handed around the globe. A first.The Austrian yachtsman, Norbert Sedlacek, 45 years old is setting out again in the hope of completing the voyage: in the last edition of the Vendée Globe, a damaged keel forced him to retire from the race. He is back to complete his dream on board the same boat that he managed to sail back and repair, showing some exceptional determination.The young French designer-yachtsman Jean-Batiste Dejeanty, will only be 30, when he sets sail in the Vendée Globe and this is of course, his first attempt. The Norman has already taken part twice in the Transat Jacques Vabre, on board the boat he built himself.The two men may not be favourites for the great single-handed race around the planet, but they will certainly willingly accept the title of strong outsiders.

October 15, 2007Spirit of Canada in Halifax

Derek Hatfield arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia this week on board his Open 60, Spirit of Canada. He was greeted by a gale in the Canadian port, but Hatfield remained calm, pointing out that a third of the Vendée Globe race will be carried out in such conditions. It took him four days to reach the port of Caraquet on the Gulf of Saint Laurence, then after a short stopover a few more days to reach Halifax. Still just as enthusiastic about his machine, Derek said on his arrival, \"She’s a beast, but gradually we’re taming her!” The boat is clearly very demanding physically, as it takes 20 minutes of hard work on the grinder to hoist the 175 m² of sail. However, on the other hand, according to VPP results, the boat should be able to reach a top speed of 38 knots. Next Friday, Spirit of Canada will undergo the compulsory Imoca righting test, then Derek and his team will be preparing the boat for his qualifying run for the Vendée Globe 2008-2009, between Bahia and Brittany. In the spring, the monohull will be back in Halifax Harbour, where the Canadian yachtsman will be setting up trips around the bay for his many sponsors.

October 14, 2007Erik Orsenna names Bernard Stamm’s 60-foot boat

Bernard Stamm’s 60-footer, Cheminées Poujoulat was named on Saturday 13th October in La Rochelle by the French author, Erik Orsenna, in the company of the CEO of the Cheminées Poujoulat Group, Frédéric Coirier: «Our ongoing commitment to Bernard started back in 2003 and the forthcoming Vendée Globe will mark the climax of our project together. Bernard Stamm: “I finally got to meet Erik ten minutes ago. We talked on the phone several times during my last round the world voyage, when I was in the southern seas. We had a lot to say to each other and we have some friends in common. A few years back, I replaced his cousin on a boat in Brittany. Eric’s vision of the sea is quite close to mine. I believe I’d be right to say that it’s a vision that everyone should share today.» Erik Orsenna: “There’s one thing I find very unpleasant and that is the fact that we have just one life on Earth. When I was younger, I dreamt of being a top sportsman, but unfortunately that was a complete failure, even if I gave it a good try in fact in several sports. So, I told myself if I couldn’t be a sportsman, the next best thing would be to be guest sponsor! I have always been truly passionate about the sea and sailing, so I’d just like to say I’m really pleased to be the patron of Bernard’s boat.”