A magical send off for the Vendée Globe
by Vendée Globe media 10 Nov 2012 09:25 PST
10 November 2012
Five skippers recalled for jumping the start gun
Bertrand de Broc has to return to port with a hull puncture sustained before the start
A straight, fast course to Finisterre
Nineteen of the 20 skippers entered for the seventh edition of the Vendée Globe solo race around the world took the start line of the 24,048 miles, three months circumnavigation race at 1302hrs local time off Les Sables d'Olonne, France today.
A small collision with his support team's rigid inflatable boat required Bertrand de Broc to return to port even before the start to make a repair to a small puncture in the hull of his IMOCA Open 60 Votre Nom Autour du Monde avec EDM Projets.
Starting in 12-14kts of westerly wind under grey skies with rain threatening there was no quarter given on the start line. With the prospect of a direct, straight line 300 miles course to Finisterre and no real tactical options every early metre gained might be critical. Pushing hard to the line proved to be an expensive early mistake for five skippers who jumped the start gun and had to return and start again. Along with Poland's Zbigniew Gutkowski on Energa were four French favourites PRB (Vincent Riou), Macif (François Gabart) Groupe Bel (Kito de Pavant) and Armel le Cléac'h (Banque Populaire), all had to turn back and recross the line, the first time that so many boats have been over the start line in a Vendée Globe start.
In fact it was Marc Guillemot on Safran, the peoples' hero of the last 2008-9 race, who opened the course, forging ahead early in the close reaching conditions. Spain's Javier 'Bubi' Sanso on Acciona 100% Eco Powered, and the youngest skipper in the race 27 year old Louis Burton on Bureau Vallée and Tanguy de Lamotte on Initatives Couer all had their moments of early glory, forming the vanguard of this Vendée Globe fleet as they headed out for the open ocean, progressively shaking off the huge spectator fleet of hundreds of craft of all shapes and sizes.
Perhaps ominously it appeared to be Cheminées Poujoulat, the very powerful new Juan Kouyoumdjian design of Bernard Stamm which steadily climbed through to the front of the fleet, up alongside Safran around one hour after the start gun. British skippers Alex Thomson on Hugo Boss and Mike Golding on Gamesa made safe, solid openings.
Tears in the rain
When the time comes to consider releasing the dock lines, emotions around the Port Olona pontoons are hard to suppress, even for the hardened skippers who are have been through this farewells process many times before. Leaving his four months old baby son, also named Javier, was visibly a wrench for Spanish skipper Javier 'Bubi' Sanso. Samantha Davies was pleased to finally find sanctuary from the intensity of the media and public interest when she skipped lightly aboard Saveol. British skipper Alex Thomson had his Hugo Boss sunglasses on throughout the dock out despite the overcast conditions, hiding his feelings for the final departure.
If these are the challenging personal moments made public, minutes later there is the massive euphoria of the legendary passage down the channel where hundreds of thousands line the walls to bid adieu to the skippers. Among the heartfelt messages painted on bedsheets held up by the crowd that advertise the public spirit of the Vendée Globe this time: 'You Make Us Dream' and 'Whose turn this time?'
Compared with previous races the Vendée Globe skippers this time are looking at a relatively straightforward first 24-36 hours. A fast course to Finisterre will test reaching speed primarily, but with the prospect of some brisk downwind sailing on the Portuguese coast with many manoeuvres, quite a lot of changing sail sizes and intense trimming for speed, skippers will have to carefully manage their own sleep and energy regime as they settle into race mode. By Wednesday there is the prospect of a low pressure system bringing some upwind conditions.
A fast passage to the equator appears to be possible, an essential component of any challenge to break the race course record of 84 days 03 hours 09 minutes set in 2009 by Michel Desjoyeaux.
Over 300,000 people connected to VendeeGlobe.org to follow the start of the Vendée Globe.
Quotes:
Bertrand de Broc, FRA, Votre Nom Autor du Monde avec EDM Projets
I asked a RIB to help us, so maybe it's my fault in a way. We asked that RIB to help us turn, the bow, but it caught a wave and then bang! That was 25 minutes before the start. I think it will only take a few hours to fix and if we can, we'll go back at sea with tonight's tide (editor's note: 3AM) or in 24 hours. We'll go as soon as everything has dried out. It's not that bad, but it will cost us a day... I received a text message from Marc Guillemot, saying: ''One day out of 90 is no big deal. Stay positive!". I thought that was really nice of him.
Jean-Pierre Dick, FRA, Virbac-Paprec 3
You want to think about yourself and to protect yourself throughout the race because you really want to come back and see all these faces again. I'm going to do my best to avoid dangerous situations. But on the other hand, I'll do my best to do really well in this race. It's an amazing race and I'm so proud to represent my two sponsors, who are also my friends. I don't feel pressure to reach particular goals. I'm just happy to be here today. It's all good!
Alex Thomson, GBR, Hugo Boss
It is always a bit tense when you are leaving. The weather is very simple the wind might be a little left to start but I think most will go straight for the corner, I will just try and do what most other people are doing. It will be a fetch and just get broader as we go. When we get to Finisterre there is a very slim option to go west, but very slim. Then we go from a reach to a run down the coast, a gybe out across a ridge quickly getting into some southerly wind. It could be quite quick to the equator. Simple is good. I think it will be really tough for us, the number of sail changes we are looking and around Finisterre we go inside the traffic separation zone then we have the ships going up and down, it will be very hard work in terms of sleep-wise for all the skippers, so managing that and no getting over-tired. I will just be trying to stay safe and do everything well. I think that in this case if you push too hard in the first day or so you are just going to go slower. So, managing sleep will be important.
I slept well last night and then you wake up this morning and there are people everywhere, it is amazing.
Zbigniew Gutkowski, POL, Energia
I am a little stressed, but I slept all night. The weather is looking good for everyone, reaching to Cape Finisterre, for me too. For the first 24 hours I just want to be in the fleet. I am not sure if I will have the speed to do that, but I have to check everything in the first hours, just trying to not lose contact with the leaders and after that see what it is going to be like but mostly I just want to be in one piece on the finish line. I did not really have breakfast, just this can of Red Bull at the moment.
Jérémie Beyou, FRA, Maitre CoQ
I am not going to cry, but it is hard when you have so many friends and family here, sponsors. It is very difficult. I guess the little front will be to the south of us then it might be a bit easier. I want to just to go fast and to make sure we get the best updated forecast for the first night.
Sam Davies, GBR, Saveol
I am looking forwards to it, to finally get going. The weather looks good and so we should get a good crossing of Biscay. It is an emotional day but I am so really proud of the whole team and just so pleased to be here.
Tanguy de Lamotte, FRA, Initatives Coeur
I am pretty emotional. It is intense. Today is a big day. I am more confident about the weather and going sailing, that is what I know how to do. But I think there are good conditions for the start, except maybe for the rain, but otherwise it is good. I hope everyone enjoys it. I never felt I would always get here one day, that was all quite quick and I have enjoyed every minute of the project so far since the beginning in January 2012. And now I do what I want to do.
Mike Golding, GBR, Gamesa
It looks like pretty good conditions, a little breezy now with threatening skies, but the forecast looks fairly reasonable for the first 24 hours. There is a little depression that comes to us mid week and it looks quite fruity, which might be a bit of a sorting hat for the fleet, but otherwise we should have a good get away. There's a great atmosphere here and I'm now just focusing on the off and getting out of here.
It is tough, tough for the family and the whole build up is so intense. We have been here for three weeks, the visitors have been coming here in their hundreds of thousands, it's an amazing build up and it is hard not to get caught up in that. The reality is that all the teams now have to turn our attention to the race course, which happens as soon as we are out of the channel. There is always a bit of nerves at the start line, we are very conscious that we are all sailing solo, in a restricted area, we don't want any catastrophes But after a couple of hours, once you are over the start line, you start settling down. You have your first drink, first food and you get your head round the mission ahead.
I got good sleep last night, in my mode. Waking every 20-30 minutes, walking around the room and back to bed. I had a simple breakfast - Cornflakes and fruit, that's it. Just nice light breakfast, you don't want anything too much to start the Vendée.
Javier Sanso, ESP, Acciona 100% Eco Powered
I just want to get going and to have the stress of racing, not having the stress of before the race. The weather is the same for everybody and it could be a lot worse so I am not complaining. This is a race I have wanted to do since I was a kid, so this is a dream come true.
"Indescribable emotion" (from Virbac-Paprec Sailing Team)
In Les Sables d'Olonne this morning, after an emotional mixing with the crowd and deeply moving "goodbyes", Jean-Pierre Dick cast off at 10:06 and headed along the well-known channel. It was an "indescribable feeling" for the skipper from Nice. At 13:02, the skipper of Virbac-Paprec 3 crossed the starting line for his third round-the-world single-handed. At 16:00, Virbac-Paprec 3 was sailing at 11.5 knots in second position 0.3 miles from the leader Bernard Stamm and was setting a course for the ocean under a grey sky and a surging sea.
One emotion after another leaving the pontoon
Jean-Pierre Dick: "This morning was one emotion after another! I had a last breakfast on shore with all my family and my sponsors who were many to come to support me. 575 "blue Virbac Paprec jackets" does your heart good! These are powerful moments and all these people watching fill me with energy. This is my third Vendée Globe but I am still not used to all this. My stomach is always in a knot at the start. It is fantastic to be able to share these wonderful moments! I would like to thank all my team who really have done an excellent job."
The channel an indescribable feeling
"Sailing along the channel is really amazing. All this support and enthusiasm gives an indescribable feeling. It's magical! It is the kind of moment that gives you incredible strength again, when the race becomes difficult. There is great admiration in peoples' eyes. I want to be worthy of it, and to work flat out to finish this race in a good position."
A hasty start for some
François Cluzet fired the starting gun at 13:02. The 19 contenders on the start line dashed forward and five jumped the start and were obliged to go back. Bertrand De Broc had to return to the marina due to a collision as he was sailing out of the harbour. JP is currently sailing in second position in a westerly wind and has set a course towards Cape Finisterre for the first step of the race, the crossing of the Bay of Biscay.
Marc Guillemot leading the Vendée Globe on Safran (from Safran Sailing Team)
They're off! The adventure that is the seventh Vendée Globe could not have got off to a better start for Safran: at 13h32, after the first half hour of racing, Marc Guillemot was leading the way.
A twelve-knot south-westerly wind, choppy seas, with showers passing over in grey skies, mist and with hundreds of accompanying boats... that was the scene at the start of this seventh Vendée Globe, which took place on Saturday 10th November at 1302hrs CET (1202hrs GMT) off les Sables d'Olonne. A lively start, not because of the weather conditions, but because the skippers were clearly impatient to get away. No fewer than five boats (Banque Populaire, PRB, Macif, Groupe Bel and Energa) crossed the line too soon. They were called back by the Race Committee and had to set off again, leaving them a few lengths behind.
Marc Guillemot took things rather more cautiously and got underway at just the right moment. After thirty minutes of racing, Safran was clearly in front, ahead of Louis Burton's Bureau Vallée and Bernard Stamm's Cheminées Poujoulat. There were in fact only 19 boats competing in these first few moments of the race, as unfortunately some damage had already been sustained by Bertrand de Broc (the hull was holed when the boat was hit by a RIB 20 minutes before the start). Votre nom autour du monde was therefore forced to return to the port of les Sables d'Olonne, the only stop that is allowed in this round the world race, to carry out repairs.
"Tense, focused, happy and serene"
A few hours earlier this morning, there was the farewell to the team and close friends and family on the pontoon, a tradition that Marc Guillemot respected to the letter. The skipper of Safran said that he was "at the same time feeling tense, focused, happy and serene." With a big smile on his face, and happy to joke with journalists and the other skippers that came to say hello, Marc Guillemot cast off in a warm, friendly atmosphere, before making his way out of the famous harbour entrance channel, which was lined by tens of thousands of spectators.
Just before leaving the pontoon, Marc told us, "We shall be setting off on the starboard tack, in other words with the wind coming from the right, and we should be able to stay on a long tack like that all the way to Cape Finisterre. After that, it is possible that our route will see us diving south immediately... but I'll have time to work on that between now and tomorrow evening, when we should be rounding Cape Finisterre. Let's just say that the first part of the race should see us clocking up some decent speeds."
This theory of being able to sail on one tack to Cape Finisterre is likely to be confirmed in the next few hours. Backing westerly, the wind forecast to be around 14 to 20 knots should allow them to open up the sails slightly in this first part of the race across the Bay of Biscay. What is important is not getting left behind, as those at the front are likely not to suffer as much in the ridge of high pressure as those further back, with an area of light winds developing off Portugal... which may even lead to the first gaps opening up. "We shall see," said Marc Guillemot before leaving les Sables d'Olonne, perfectly aware that there will be more than a few weather transitions like this one to deal with in the 80 to 90 days that lie ahead.
After 45 minutes of racing, Marc decided to take in a reef in the mainsail on Safran, indicating that the wind had freshened a little for the frontrunners. Already the number of accompanying boats had started to drop off and the horizon was clear in front of their bows. In brightening conditions, Safran was leading the fleet, doing battle with Bernard Stamm.
Dominique Wavre is all smiles at the start of his tenth round the world race (from Mirabaud)
Dominique Wavre, skipper of Mirabaud, and his fellow competitors raced out into the open ocean this afternoon, alone for the first time in three weeks and having seen over a million visitors in Les Sables d'Olonne.
The start began with the traditional boat parade along the Port Olona channel watched by an estimated 150,000 people according to race organisers. Dominique Wavre was all smiles and in great shape, clearly savouring the moment. As he cast off he described it as 'very powerful' and the 'culmination of a long and busy phase of his life'. His parting words were: "Take care of the land while we take care of the sea!"
Conditions at the start were shifty and around 10knots. Most of the fleet started as if they were racing an Olympic event and four were recalled. Dominique Wavre got off the start line in clean air and bang on the gun at the front of the fleet.
With 24,000 miles ahead, the fleet has a long way to go and the standings at the end of day 1 mean little. The first night at sea is promising to be a drag race to the Bay of Biscay where the fleet is likely to encounter their first tactical test: should they hug Portugal and try to pick up the trades which are looking elusive at this stage or should they head west to pick up a forecast westerly. A difficult choice which may prove critical.
Kito de Pavant gets carried away by the crowd (from Groupe Bel)
The sea had boats heeling and hearts reeling today at the start of the Vendée Globe. Spirits rose as the 20 skippers sailed down the channel of Les Sables d'Olonne, which from the first gleams of daylight resembled a jam-packed stadium.
Moved to tears as he hugged his children tight, Kito de Pavant remained generous with his family and friends, the media and the public, conscious that these moments mark your life. After two hours of preparation at sea with his technical team to prepare Groupe Bel, the skipper found himself alone, four minutes from the starting gun.
At 13:02, the gun went off and the boats forged ahead with three meters of swell into a westerly 12 knots head wind. So eager to do battle, five contenders crossed the line a few seconds too early. Energa, Groupe Bel, Macif, Banque Populaire and PRB had to turn round and set off a second time. This small hitch is not of particular importance on the scale of these three months of racing. From now on, the sailors will be returning to their element. Kito has cut the cord with the land for good.
Before casting off, Groupe Bel's skipper was particularly moved.
"I must leave, cast off, and focus on what is going to happen and it's not going to be easy. We are clearly in the race. I am on the point of taking some emotional blows in the channel. You have to concentrate and try to remain calm. It is surely the hardest day. There is a strong contrast between what we experienced in the last three weeks at Les Sables d'Olonne and the solitude that awaits me."
Half an hour after the start, Kito enjoyed friendly discussions with the Groupe Bel employees and guests, who cheered him on at sea on this special day.
"I jumped the start a little. It's a pity because I was at the right pace and I had the right sail configuration. It doesn't matter. Everything is going fine and little by little I'm catching up on my contenders. It was an eyeful in the channel this morning. I had a wonderful time, even though obviously this put the pressure on a little. I am now calm and collected and already feel part of the Vendée Globe race. See you soon on the Internet!"
In a Westerly wind flow, strengthening slightly to 14-18 knots, the fleet is now heading towards Cape Finisterre (North tip of Spain) on a long starboard tack. At 16:00, Groupe Bel clocked in in 4th position of a fleet lead by the Swiss sailor, Bernard Stamm, on board Cheminées Poujoulat. Go Kito!