Vendee Globe...first radio news 3 returning to port

by Philippe Jeantot on 11 Nov 2000 The wind has been coming in from the Northwest and shifting West gradually, the small high pressure creating
light, fickle winds with rain showers. In such conditions, the soloists have spent their first 24 hours mostly awake
and man¦oeuvering their boats throughout the night.

The first surprise came at 2100hrs (French time): Patrick de Radigues (Le Libre Belgique) suffered autopilot
failure, returned overnight and and repaired it in Les Sables d¹Olonne. He set off again just ahead of 1600hrs
French time today. Then it was Roland Jourdain (Sill ­ Matines ­ La Potagère) who returned to port at 0215hrs
after breaking both his gennaker halyard and a few teeth in the huge swell offshore. This was a formula 1 style
pit-stop, and by 0505hrs ŒBilou¹ was heading out again and stepping on the gas no doubt to catch up the rest of
the fleet.

However, the greatest surprise of the night was when Mike Golding (Team Group 4) announced that he had
totally dismasted. « I was at the main hatch, and had just changed the sail from Code 5 to genoa and heard a large
crack. The whole rig, mast & sails just disappeared over the side and I am perplexed as to why it happened. I can
still use the boom and one giant spreader, but the rest had to be cut away. The deck has superficial damage, as
well as one rudder and daggerboard, but all reparable. »

At 1245hrs French time Team Group 4 was towed back into Les Sables d¹Olonne. Mike has already galvanised his
team into action and a replacement mast is being shipped over from the UK. He prefers to also get a new set of
sails rather than use his spares, so he is now in a race against time as the line closes 10 days after the start. Will
he make it ? « May be I can¹t go out there to win the race, but I will still go for the record ».


Radio Chat Extracts

The rest of the fleet advance slowly towards Cap Finisterre and several skippers are still in sight of each other
this morning. As they have all been actively changing sails overnight, most of the skippers have reported only 10
­ 30 minute naps, preferring to keep the boat going in the fickle winds, but are all settling into the solo rhythm
swiftly, which will be their life for 100 days or more.

Ellen MacArthur (Kingfisher): 'I didn¹t start too well but soon caught up the front pack after sunset. I have
passed Wavre, Chabaud, Dubois and Coville. So I¹m really going to try and get ahead the others as well. I am
neither stressed nor worried right now, and will take a ten minute nap now.'

Eric Dumont (Euroka): 'I am on top form today! I managed to get 2-3 hours sleep overnight as well. Armorlux
(Stamm) has just crossed 200 metres in front of me, and underneath, I can spot Josh Hall (EBP Gartmore) and one
other. I think I can see Dominique Wavre (UBP) also.

Michel Desjoyeaux (PRB): 'A beautiful sunny day spent sailing on a constant tilt. We were expecting these
conditions but at the start it was pretty calm. When I escaped from this wind hole I clocked winds of up to 30
knots. I have had every sail up since the start. Now though I am looking at the weather charts to get my mind
focused on what I am going to do next.

Raphaël Dinelli (Sogal-Extenso): 'It was a calm night and fine weather, and I took in two reefs and been changing
between gennaker, genoa and solent a lot. The wind has stabilised and I am heading South anticipating more
wind to come in. There is a small low pressure, which is developing in the South of the Bay of Biscay.

Catherine Chabaud (Whirlpool): 'Things are okay. I am side by side with Josh Hall and am back up with Dubois
& Ellen. So many sail changes on the boat with the varying winds we are experiencing. I must start on my
weather and get the camera rolling tooŠ

Patrick de Radiguès (Le Libre Begique): I have suffered a small problem with my autopilot! The two pilots are
different and so when the second one was faulty I decided to return as I was near to Les Sables. There is a
technician who is doing everything to put it back in order. As soon as it¹s ready I¹m off!


Latest Ranking* at 1300hrs (UT):

No. Skipper/Boat Date/Hour Latitude Longitude
1 PARLIER - Aquitaine Innovations 11/10/2000 13:00 44.387 N 4.344 W
2 THIERCELIN - Active Wear 11/10/2000 13:01 44.648 N 4.207 W
3 DESJOYEAUX - PRB 11/10/2000 13:00 44.599 N 4.224 W
4 STAMM - Armor Lux Foies Gras Bizac 11/10/2000 13:01 45.468 N 4.841 W
5 GALLAY - Voilà.fr 11/10/2000 13:01 45.09 N 4.131 W
6 DINELLI - Sogal Extenso 11/10/2000 13:00 44.592 N 3.313 W
7 DUMONT - Euroka 11/10/2000 13:03 45.28 N 4.586 W
8 WAVRE - Union Bancaire Privée 11/10/2000 13:00 45.737 N 4.783 W
9 CHABAUD - Whirlpool 11/10/2000 13:01 45.406 N 4.687 W
10 DUBOIS - Solidaires 11/10/2000 13:00 45.71 N 4.845 W
11 HALL - EBP Défi PME Gartmore 11/10/2000 13:00 45.398 N 4.628 W
12 MACARTHUR - Kingfisher 11/10/2000 13:01 45.353 N 4.655 W
13 COVILLE - Sodebo 11/10/2000 13:00 45.4 N 4.431 W
14 MUNDUTEGUY - DDP 60ème Sud 11/10/2000 13:00 45.372 N 4.363 W
15 TOLKIEN - This Time Argos Soditis 11/10/2000 11:01 45.094 N 3.796 W
16 SEETEN - Nord Pas de Calais Chocolats du Monde 11/10/2000 13:00 45.732 N 4.564 W
17 SANSO - Old Spice 11/10/2000 13:00 45.079 N 3.755 W
18 CARPENTIER - VM Matériaux 11/10/2000 13:00 45.623 N 4.288 W
19 BIANCHETTI - Aquarelle.com 11/10/2000 13:01 45.261 N 3.439 W
20 KONYOUKHOV - Modern University for the Humanities 11/10/2000 13:00 45.286 N 3.398 W
21 DE GREGORIO - Wind 11/10/2000 13:00 45.152 N 3.337 W
22 JOURDAIN - SILL 11/10/2000 13:01 45.643 N 2.669 W
23 GOLDING - Group 4 11/10/2000 09:01 46.465 N 1.784 W
24 DE RADIGUES - Libre Belgique 11/10/2000 13:00 46.503 N 1.789 W

*Ranking ­ A series of waypoints marking a logical route have been used to calculate the rankings. The boat is
ranked according to the waypoint it is nearest to.