Vendee Day 29, skirting Prince Edward Islands

by Vendee Globe Media on 9 Dec 2008 The speed tables alone show that the gaps are widening between the leaders and the groups of different boats in pursuit as the leaders still hold on to a decent westerly breeze. As Jean-Pierre Dick (Paprec-Virbac 2) leads now by 35 miles from Roland Jourdain (Veolia Environnement).

Sébastien Josse (BT) has relinquished his longstanding place among the top three with his northerly routing, electing to pass to the north of the Prince Edward islands, saying this afternoon that his strategy sees him balance prudence against the 'high risk' sailing in ice territory, perhaps with memories of his collision with an ice floe during the last race, influencing his choice of course.

' Strategically the end of the depression we're riding now is good for the front of the fleet but the next low pressure system will help the others come back and we won't really see the leading pack make a massive breakthrough and create a huge gap. I don't want to go further south because of the risk of ice - the water temperature is only 5 degrees.' Josse said in his daily report this afternoon.

The speed differential between the following groups and the leaders has been noticeable. Skippers like the Austrian Norbert Sedlacek (Nauticsport-Kapsch) in 24th, and even Dominique Wavre, SUI, (Temenos II) - reported slow progress at the back and in the middle of the fleet respectively. Armel Le Cléac'h (Brit Air) in 10th was averaging just 6 knots between the rankings at 10h and 15h GMT/UTC, while Jourdain in second has been sailing at more than 15 knots.

Times to the Cape of Good Hope
It took Sébastien Josse 26 days 19 hours 38 minutes, or 2 days 17 hours and 20 minutes more than Vincent Riou four years ago to reach the Cape of Good Hope. While it is still possible to imagine the record time to les Sables d'Olonne from 2004 being broken, the 80-day barrier seems unlikely to be reached… Almost two days behind the time to the Equator (1d 19h 45' to be precise), it was still possible to make up for lost time on the way down the South Atlantic. However, an uncooperative St. Helena high made the task of breaking Vincent Riou's 2004 record all the more difficult.

The passage between the Equator and the Cape of Good Hope, offered very varied experiences to the first 17 solo skippers to have passed the course's first great Cape by Monday lunchtime. Some lost time in comparison to the time they took to reach the Equator, while others made gains. The differences from the time to the leader at the tip of Africa (Sébastien Josse) offer us a better picture of the order than an analysis of the distance to the finish. Some figures and some surprises…

In 2004 Vincent Riou (PRB) took 13d 14h 05' to sail this section from the Equator-Cape of Good Hope. Bernard Stamm (Cheminées Poujoulat), who smashes this time by sailing this distance in 12 days 04 hours 50 minutes followed by Michel Desjoyeaux (Foncia), the only other sailor to improve on the previous record with a time of 13d 08h 53' ! All the other competitors took at least 14 days to reach this longitude…

The best times Equator to Cape of Good Hope.
1-Bernard Stamm (Cheminées Poujoulat) : 12d 04h 50'
2-Michel Desjoyeaux (Foncia) : 13d 08h 53'
3-Marc Guillemot (Safran) : 14d 02h 09'
4-Jean Le Cam (VM Matériaux) : 14d 05h 43'
5-Dominique Wavre (Temenos II) : 14d 07h 25'
6-Yann Eliès (Generali) : 14d 07h 50'
7-Sébastien Josse (BT) : 14d 08h 55'
8-Roland Jourdain (Veolia Environnement) : 14d 09h 47'
9-Mike Golding (Ecover 3) : 14d 10h 47'
10-Armel Le Cléac'h (Brit Air) : 14d 11h 18'

Quotes from Boats
Seb Josse, (BT): If you look at the average speeds it's clear that some people are really pushing to the limit and when I need to accelerate to remain with the leading pack I do it but I also know how not to put too much strain on the boat otherwise it's not reasonable. Strategically the end of the depression we're riding now is good for the front of the fleet but the next low pressure system will help the others come back and we won't really see the leading pack make a massive breakthrough and create a huge gap. I don't want to go further south because of the risk of ice - the water temperature is only 5 degrees.'

Mike Golding, GBR, (Ecover 3): ' You could probably forecast that it would be like this just looking at the line-up, it was always going to be pretty tough at the front of the fleet. The day before yesterday I passed within a half of mile of Loick and yesterday I saw him again about a mile away. It's quite incredible and quite intense.'

' The reason why BT hangs out in the north is not the best option, he's looking for leverage. It's hard to imagine and go around the world and not finding the leverage at some point and splitting away. You may see some groups form up more and groups splitting away from other groups.'

' I am quite surprised that the entire spread of the fleet is so small front to back . The front of the fleet is being forever held up. The back of the fleet has been able to back up. Whether that continues is anyone's guess.'

' Brian (Thompson) is clearly still in the play, I was talking to Dee few days ago. She is less distance from the front that I was in the last Vendee at the same point and I lead up the Atlantic so they just have to keep going. I think the person who is sailing extraordinarily well is Steve White he's done an amazing job with that boat.'

Norbert Sedlacek, AUT, (Nauticsport-Kapsch), who retired from the 03-04 race four years ago tomorrow: ' After the video transmission worked so well today, I was really motivated and just went for it: I have sealed the deck house, checked the tension in the the steering lines and the drive belt, sealed the hatch at the front, tidied the cockpit, Sliced some bread, processed photos and video clips…It is simply unbelievable how sensitive I am now, after just four weeks.

On the one hand I have tears in my eyes when I read that Unai had dropped out. Yet, I know only too well how he must be feeling. There are still 590 nm to the first gate, roughly 1300 nm to the Cape of Good Hope. That should mean a reason to celebrate next weekend – big time!

Now I have the winter things on as well, as my ears were cold for the first time today.'

1500 HRS GMT. Rankings, Monday 8th December. (FRA unless stated)
1 - Jean-Pierre Dick (Paprec-Virbac 2) at 16576.2 miles
2 -Roland Jourdain (Veolia Environnement) at +35 miles
3- Loïck Peyron, (Gitana Eighty) at + 52.9 miles
4- Seb Josse (BT) at + 57.3 miles
5 - Mike Golding, GBR, (Ecover 3) at + 73.9 miles

Selected International
12- Dominique Wavre, SUI, (Temenos 2) at + 404.1 miles
13- Brian Thompson, GBR, (Bahrain Team Pindar) at + 637.6 miles
14- Sam Davies, GBR,(ROXY) at + 678.4 miles
15- Bernard Stamm, SUI, (Cheminées Poujoulat) at + 717.4 miles
16- Dee Caffari, GBR, (AVIVA) at + 825.7 miles
18 - Steve White, GBR, (Toe in the Water) at + 938 miles
19 - Johnny Malbon, GBR, (Artemis) at + 1036.2 miles
20- Rich Wilson, USA, (Great America III) at + 1205.4 miles
22- Derek Hatfield, CAN, (Algimouss Spirit of Canada) at + 1640.1 miles
24- Norbert Sedlacek, AUT, (Nauticsport-Kapsch) + 2088.1 miles

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