Vendée Globe

November 11. 2008 at 06:04Last night's messages

1h36 : «Everything is fine on board. Will write more when I'm able. xxxx » Dee Caffari (Aviva)

1h39 : «Lots of little repair jobs to do . Tomorrow will be better. I'm sad about Yaya (Yannick Bestaven) and Kito (de Pavant). I'm trying to look after my « veranda » in these seas. The change in wind direction was extremely sudden: the boat came around all by herself, as it was so quick. Afterwards, there was a quick clean-up operation below to get everything stowed… » Arnaud Boissières (Akena Vérandas)

4h58 : «We're taking advantage of the calmer conditions to eat and sleep a little. Have seen several cargo ships off Cape Finisterre.» Armel Le Cléac’h (Brit Air)

November 11. 2008 at 00:13Statement from Alex Thomson/Hugo Boss

Alex Thomson's Hugo Boss team have issued this statement:

" After 32 hours of horrendous Biscay conditions in the Vendee Globe race, Alex Thomson is returning to Les Sables d’Olonne following the discovery of a structural problem onboard HUGO BOSS.  A crack has appeared on the port side hull, the opposite side to the recent repair.

At 19.45 GMT Alex Thomson turned HUGO BOSS around to head back to Les Sables d’Olonne. Thomson is in no imminent danger; the boat is taking on water, but at a manageable rate. On arrival in Les Sables D’Olonne the damage will be assessed. He is currently approximately 290 miles from the port.

HUGO BOSS will be the eighth yacht to return to Les Sables D’Olonne since the race start on Sunday afternoon.  The Vendee Globe rules only allow the competing yachts to return to Les Sables D’Olonne to carry out repairs using outside assistance and restart the race within a 10 day window of Sunday 9th November (the start date)."

November 10. 2008 at 20:59Another mast

Groupe Bel have just informed the Race Office that Kito de Pavant has been dismasted and has been forced to head back, probably towards Les Sables d'Olonne. As well as the mast breaking, the boom and one of the carbon deck spreaders is broken. Bel was positioned 260 miles from Les Sables d'Olonne.

November 10. 2008 at 20:47Short delay

Apologies but there is a short delay to the publication of the 2000hrs local/1900hrs GMT classifications.

November 10. 2008 at 19:26Fifth skipper returning

Derek Hatfield on Algimouss Spirit of Canada is reported to now be the fifth skipper who is returning to Les Sables d'Olonne. He is the third citing some form of electrical problems as the reason to return to the start port.

November 10. 2008 at 18:57Message from Arnaud Boissières

"We can't wait for the front to arrive. Everything is very wet and we have 3 reefs and are sailing under ORC storm jib. There are some huge waves, the visibility is reduced and there are cargo ships all around. I took advantage of that to try out the radar. Several times, I had to stack the gear away. The stacking boxes tend to get thrown around right up to the ceiling. Everything is fine and I'm pleased to be at sea."

November 10. 2008 at 18:15 Jean-Baptiste Dejeanty heading back to les Sables d’Olonne

The skipper of Groupe Maisonneuve informed the race directors at 17h that he was heading back to Les Sables d’Olonne. He hopes to reach the harbour at around noon tomorrow (11th November). A deck panel was damaged in the bad weather. Jean Baptiste estimates that repairs will take two or three days.

Reminder: Vendée Globe rules stipulate that if they suffer damage, the competitors may only return to Les Sables d’Olonne to carry out repairs before heading off again. They must cross the start line by 13h02 on 19th November.

November 10. 2008 at 17:21A cargo vessel, not a fishing boat

Thanks to the AIS tracker on the onboard computer, Cheminées Poujoulat's support team appear to have identified the boat with which Bernard Stamm collided. In fact, Stamm's team report that is is not to be a fishing boat, but an 80-metre long Maltese cargo vessel which is believed to be a freight carrier. According to reports the paint from the ship's hull side matches that left on the Open 60's hull side.

November 10. 2008 at 16:28Monday afternoon, small gains and losses as the winds build

The 1500GMT positions show Marc Guillemot on Safran making a small increase in his lead to 10.1NM with second and third places changed again as Loick Peyron on Gitana 80 swaps once more with Roland Jourdain on Veolia Environnment who is now 12.2 miles behind the leader. Peyron’s tack to the south from the main pack, now following the same line as Safran, has been a small gain, while that slightly southerly path also continues to pay for Mike Golding on Ecover 3 who is now up to ninth from 13th this morning, with Dee Caffari on sistership Aviva in eighth. Caffari is to his north west on the same line as Veolia Environnment, Kito de Pavant’s Groupe Bel.
Sam Davies on Roxy has gained four to lie thirteenth. Alex Thomson on Hugo Boss is out to the north and west of  the middle group, Veolia, Groupe Bel and BT, working for position and is 14th, while a noticeable drop of four places is that of Brian Thompson on Bahrain Team Pindar.

November 10. 2008 at 15:55Today's radio cast

Every day at 15h30, you can hear Pierre-Louis Castelli's radio programme (in French) looking back on the key events of the previous 24 hours. Today, Michel Desjoyeaux's problems, the leader, Marc Guillemot's satisfaction, Sam Davies's joy of being at sea and Jean-Pierre Dick's tiredness. http://www.vendeeglobe.org/fr/mediatheque/radio/