Jean-Pierre Dick is currently in New Zealand overseeing the construction of his new IMOCA 60 monohull, while preparing physically for a busy end to 2010 with the Route du Rhum and the Barcelona World Race.

JP Dick: “I arrived in New Zealand three weeks ago and I’m being kept busy! I go down to the Cookson yard every day to work on some of the important details to ensure the boat is completely functional: the layout of the deck hardware, the ballast tanks, the mast. This is a fascinating stage of the project and I’m really enjoying myself. Late next year, I shall be following the solo transatlantic race with a double-handed round the world race. So I’m taking care now of my physical condition. I do some muscle strengthening work, cycling, gym, trekking and of course, swimming. I take part in a competition in Takapuna (Auckland) every Tuesday evening after work, where we swim a kilometre in the sea. Last time there were more than 300 of us and I finished around fiftieth. Not bad, eh?"

On Sunday 8 November, British sailing duo Dee Caffari and Brian Thompson will start in the ninth edition of the Transat Jacques Vabre onboard the Open 60 Aviva. The Transat Jacques Vabre will be the first competitive race for Dee since the 2008-2009 Vendée Globe.

Joining Caffari, Thompson and Aviva on the start line, will be 13 other Open 60s. The 4800-mile course will be the first time Caffari and Thompson have sailed two-handed together having been rivals throughout the 2008 / 09 edition of the Vendée Globe. Dee Caffari said: “I can’t wait to be back out on the water racing Aviva and the opportunity to sail with Brian as co-skipper is fabulous. We were so close to each other during the Vendée Globe it’s as if we’ve already spent a lot of time sailing together.” Brian Thompson added: "We have a quick boat and get on well together so I believe we will be competitive out there. With so many new Open 60s racing it is going to be intense, but very exciting."
 

Vincent Riou has cracked a bone in his foot after falling from a ladder. He is being well looked after by the orthopaedist at Lorient Football Club and will be using crutches and a splint for ten days, but should be well enough to take part in the final training session alongside Arnaud Boissières on Monday 19th October. Although this accident is rather annoying at this stage, it does not throw into question his taking part in the Transat Jacques Vabre. After resting today, he will be visiting the yard tomorrow to see how work is progressing on his new monohull.

Three IMOCA 60 monohulls carried out a joint training session this week off the southern coast of Brittany. Artemis with Sam Davies on board set sail from Port-le-Forêt alongside BT for a speed trial to Quiberon, where they met up with Marc Guillemot's Safran. The three monohulls took advantage of the strengthening north-easterly wind to sail further away from the the coast under spinnaker. With a wind reaching thirty knots, they furled the spinnaker to head up towards Ushant.
These were perfect conditions to test the various configurations and to get used to such sailing conditions. At dawn, the three boats headed back towards Penmarc'h in SW Brittany. Sam freely admits that the speed of Artemis tends to drop off when reaching and Jonny Malbon's former monohull is certainly much more demanding than her old Roxy.
 

The shore team of the BT IMOCA 60 are working hard on the preparation of the boat for the major race of the season - the Transat Jacques Vabre starting from Le Havre on the 8th of November. Pierre Emmanuel Hérissé, boat captain of BT commented: "BT has now been in the shed in Port La Foret (in Brittany) for 10 days. We are doing a complete check, but no major changes are being made. The final preparation of the keel, hull and rudders has been done. We checked, cleaned and replaced when necessary the deck hardware. 80% of the running rigging is being changed and we are replacing all the standing rigging. BT should be back in the water on the 7th of September and we will do the 10 degree test to ensure she conforms to IMOCA rules and can obtain her 2009/10 certificate."

Out of the five Vendée Globe skippers taking part in the 2009 Solitaire du Figaro, only Yann Eliès, who finished in a remarkable second place and Michel Desjoyeaux, who ended up fifth, were ranked in the final top ten in this exceptional edition of the race, which was won in Dieppe by the young Breton skipper Nicolas Lunven. A little further down the rankings, we could find Jérémie Beyou, who in spite of two leg wins finished 14th, with Armel Le Cléac'h 35th and Jonny Malbon 45th.

The Top Ten in the 2009 Solitaire
1 - Nicola Lunven
2 - Yann Eliès
3 - Frédéric Duthil
4 - Thierry Chabagny
5 - Michel Desjoyeaux
6 - Nicolas Troussel
7 - Gildas Morvan
8 - Nicolas Béranger
9 - Erwann Tabarly
10- Charles Caudrelier Benac