A Classic Vintage Vendee Globe 2004-5

by Vendee Globe Event Media on 2 Feb 2005 There is little doubt that the finish of this Vendee Globe should go down in history as one of the ocean racing classics of all time.

A new solo round the world record is imminent.

The same three battle weary pugilists slugging it out on a postage stamp sized stretch of water after 86 days, and 23, 600 miles of racing is a remarkable outcome, and with less than 36 hours until the finish, the outright winner is still not clear.

Vincent Riou, cool calm and impassioned, still holds the upper hand – holding firm on the compass course for Les Sables d’Olonne. His consistency has been awesome. The worst he has been in this race is a meagre 260 miles off the lead, just to the west of Cape Horn.

Riou’s reward is a 33.8 mile lead with just 344.5 miles to sail, and ahead anything could still happen.

Still lying in third place, Briton Mike Golding in Ecover has recovered 11.1 miles over the course of the day so far – from the 04h00 rankings to the 15h00 rankings, and while his deficit may still be 90.8 miles behind PRB with the leader 344.5 miles from the safety of the finish line, Golding commented today that a slow, sticky finish is still a possibility. ‘ PRB has the advantage with a better wind angle and Bonduelle is a little better than me but I have more pressure. Unfortunately it is looking pretty stable but the high pressure could move and if the high pressure moves that could be good for me.’ Admitted Golding today, ‘A bit of stoppage at the end perhaps?’ ‘ It is still pretty frustrating but I am looking forward to getting in and seeing my family, my friends and supporters, it's been a great race and it is
extraordinary that we are so close at the finish.’

While Les Sables d’Olonne may be at fever pitch awaiting the finishers, last night there was just a vague offshore breeze off the town, in the likes of which the British skipper believes the leader would hardly have moved. His cool skipper’s logic and the weather files may not completely concur with his inner hopes but, on last night’s evidence – with the flags scarcely moving over the village – a final park up is not beyond the realms of possibility.

The separation between the three protagonists has changed little over the day. To leeward of PRB, Bonduelle has a slightly better compass course than PRB, up to ten degrees at times.

One way or another the race is expected to finish during the middle of tomorrow night, Wednesday 2nd of February.

Vincent Riou (PRB), asked if things were going to plan, in a dead pan response replied; ‘They're going. I'm making do with what I've got. It's nice to be back in home waters and it will be good to get home. I've got wind shifts of 30 degrees with eight to 18 knots last night. Jean is not on course and he's going slower. I'm reaching at the moment though it can change to close-reaching in the space of just five minutes, while he will be headed fortunately. I'm not between Jean and the mark so I haven't got perfect control’ continued Riou. ‘You just have to make as much ground as you can, you mustn't fall asleep. I have all the cards in my hand but when racing you always know you have to be careful. I'll be reaching to Les Sables d'Olonne and I think I'll be behind a small light patch. It doesn't look like a continuous lift all the way for Jean but I reckon he may yet lay the finish in one.’

Jean Le Cam was typically guarded about the current situation out on the water today, for him just 378.3 miles from the finish: ‘I couldn't rest last night with some 40 degrees wind shifts every fifteen minutes. We had 12 to 24 knots and though the fatigue might get to me eventually, I'm certainly not suffering from boredom! This high is very strange with wind shifts, and squalls that are not squalls. The forecasts aren't great for myself nor 'Mr Goldinger.' We hoped that the high would move or that Vincent would find himself becalmed as we had no choice in our options. It looks like we've got no chance of catching up, and worse still that Vincent closes the door behind him when he finishes and leaves us becalmed. I just have to concentrate on advancing on my course now. If I were to tack onto PRB's course now that would kill all my hopes stone dead.’

‘ At the moment it is fairly stable and we are in a big loop around the high pressure. PRB has the advantage with a better wind angle and Bonduelle is a little better than me but I have more pressure. Unfortunately it is looking pretty stable but the high pressure could move and if the high pressure moves that could be good for me. A bit of stoppage at the end perhaps. At the moment I have more wind than I need (he reported earlier that he had a reef in), the problem for me is the direction of the wind. I will get lifted but I will probably have to take a tack up the north and that will hurt my VMG. It's kind of hard to justify a tack but I will just have to monitor the weather and what is happening with Bonduelle. I can't control PRB but there is always a possibility with Bonduelle.’

Golding still feels that PRB has the upper hand at the moment, but he commented that he felt Riou's tactics have taken him out on a limb: ‘I am not sure that he deserves it, I think that he was way out a limb there.’ As far as the prospects changing for young British sailors thinking of, or returning to mount a challenge again: ‘It's a tough race but it always has been. There have been some disappointments for the Anglos but I am sure they will be back and make their presence felt, and I'd like to think that they're position in the UK will be strengthened.’ Once again Mike re-affirmed that he thinks the race is 'not over until its over and that he will keep fighting until the end. ‘I've seen races like this won and lost in the last 20 minutes.’ He reported that he has been packing in plenty of rest. Earlier Mike reported that he had chosen to tack early last night, responding just after Bonduelle, just so that he could maintain a little bit of separation with Bonduelle, but he felt the result of that was he was more headed to start with, confirming that he feels he will probably have to tack north later on today.

Quotes from the Boats –

Anne Liardet (Roxy): ‘The boat is a champion but you have to have some luck too. I was swept up by the biggest depression I've had since the start with a maximum of 55 knots of E'ly. A block suddenly exploded and the runner came away on its own. Fortunately Roxy's spar is a solid carbon tube with push spreaders and I was able to react quickly to avoid dismasting. I released the mainsail halyard which dropped down fairly well on its own. There was no way I could've gone up forward to drop the trinquette, such was the force of the wash across the deck (Roxy doesn't have a trinquette furler). I had the wind abeam and we were thrown around a few times. I did manage to heat myself up a tea though. I hope that's the last time I'll encounter that. You wouldn't want days like that all the time.’

Conrad Humphreys (Hellomoto): ‘It's an incredible race up ahead, it's a shame someone's got to win as all three skippers have been so close, at each other's throats for over 80 days without let up. This race finish surpasses many events of its kind. As for Mike, I still think he could win, although he needs some luck with the high-pressure system. He's in the right place for his position on the water and if the weather changes he has the most to gain, whereas PRB is on the other side of the race course, and we could see Bonduelle and Ecover reaching in fast and the door shut on PRB. Ecover is quick in these conditions and Mike just needs to stick to his game plan.’

Jean Le Cam (Bonduelle): ‘Initially I didn't want to do the Vendée Globe as I didn't think the boats were safe enough and didn't fancy going round the world on a boat that stays horizontal when you capsize (no longer the case since a change in the IMOCA rules). I didn't