Vendee Globe - Virbac-Paprec 3 ready to tackle North Atlantic

by Laurent and Anne-Charlotte on 18 Jan 2013 In the Vendee Globe, yesterday at the end of the day (French time - UT+1), Jean-Pierre Dick completed two important repair jobs on board Virbac-Paprec 3. The skipper can now confidently tackle the sail up the North Atlantic and intends to grab any opportunity to gain on the leaders. The skipper from Nice spent his 'last equator single-handed' this morning at 11:02 and is now sailing in the northern hemisphere, after one month and a half spent in the south.

JP: 'Yesterday was a good day. I am glad to have completed two important repair jobs: the consolidation of the stay on the bridge (damaged on 7 January), and the releasing and replacement of the second halyard at the top of the mast (blocked since December 22).'

'Virbac-Paprec 3 will now be operational. I will be able to use the solent thanks to the stay repair job and hoist all my head sails thanks to the replacement of the halyard. This is good news and it will enable me to attack in these last days of racing. There will be opportunities to seize.'

'From now on, I am closer to Les Sables d'Olonne than I am to Cape Horn. It is pleasant to feel the finish approaching and to be in the top three. In principle, this will be the last time that I cross the equator single-handed. One heck of a Vendee Globe website