Please select your home edition
Edition
Maritimo 2023 S-Series LEADERBOARD

Vendee Globe: Thomas Ruyant knocked flat, principal working jib shredded

by Vendee Globe Media 2 Jan 20:31 PST
Thomas Ruyant was knocked flat in a 55kt squall and shredded his J2 jib © Thomas Ruyant

Vendee Globe Race Control have just reported that on Thursday afternoo, Jan 2 2025, off the coast of Montevideo (Uruguay), Thomas Ruyant was suddenly caught in an extremely violent squall with winds exceeding 55 knots.

The squall was so strong and sudden that Ruyant’s IMOCA Vulnerable was knocked flat.

The Koch-Finot Conq design righted itself promptly but it was to the detriment of the headsail which he had been sailing with for several days The J2 is a working headsail of approximately 100 m2 fixed to a structural. The sail suffered in this brutal broach. Ruyant waited for a lull to go out on deck to assess the damage.

The J2 is reported to be shredded and so now unusable. This incident comes on top of damage suffered a few days ago to the first reef of the mainsail, which he can no longer set despite numerous repair attempts.

The skipper from Dunkirk is currently fourth in the provisional ranking of the 10th edition of the Vendée Globe.

The latest update on the incident, with video is in Sail-World's daily Vendee Globe report from Mark Jardine:


Related Articles

Vendée Globe Saturday 18th January Update
What is it with J2's in this edition of the race? The J2 seems to have been a weak point on the IMOCA yachts during this edition of the Vendée Globe, and Jean Le Cam is the latest skipper to have to make repairs to this vital part of his rig after his J2 cable snapped. Posted today at 6:56 am Sébastien Simon 3rd in the Vendée Globe
The first Les Sables d'Olonne skipper to finish on podium in race history "The welcome was extraordinary, despite the freezing cold. It was an incredible moment, and I will retain such unforgettable memories of it. Everything went by so quickly that I feel like I left yesterday." Posted on 17 Jan Vendée Globe Friday 17th January Update
Séb Simon completes Vendée Globe podium French skipper Sébastien Simon crossed the Vendée Globe finish line in third place at 00:27 UTC on Friday January 17, after 67 days, 12 hours and 25 minutes of racing, finishing 2 days and 17 hours behind the overall winner. Posted on 17 Jan Sébastien Simon, 3rd in the 2024 Vendée Globe
The first time a sailor from Les Sables d'Olonne has finished on the podium French skipper Sébastien Simon crossed the Vendée Globe finish line in third place* at 00h27 (UTC) on Friday January 17, after 67 days, 12 hours and 25 minutes of racing, finishing 2 days and 17 hours behind the overall winner. Posted on 17 Jan Vendée Globe Thursday 16th January Update
Simon cruising in safe mode towards a Sablais podium While the Les Sables d'Olonne skipper Sébastien Simon is completing his final miles towards his home port to complete an emotional, important third place on the Vendée Globe, Germany's Boris Herrmann is facing a whole new level of challenge. Posted on 16 Jan Vendée Globe Thursday 16th January Update
Storms, Plum Seeds, Mazu and Ropes! Antoine Cornic has rounded Cape Horn, we have an update on Yoann Richomme after he finished in second place on PAPREC ARKÉA, then Sam Goodchild looks at the North Atlantic storm that the next group are going to have to navigate. Posted on 16 Jan Yoann Richomme reflects on his first Vendée Globe
"I want to continue to progress, to go forward and to have fun in what I'm doing." "It was fantastic, it was wonderful. This is a great moment and I was happy to have waited a little bit (before the finish), so that yesterday was Charlie's day and today is mine. Posted on 15 Jan Vendée Globe Wednesday 15th January Update
Yoann Richomme finishes 2nd Yoann Richomme on PAPREC ARKÉA has finished the Vendée Globe this morning in second place, and winner Charlie Dalin was amongst the first to greet him ashore. Posted on 15 Jan Yoann Richomme finishes 2nd in the Vendée Globe
After a thrilling and long-running duel with winner Charlie Dalin After a thrilling and long-running duel with winner Charlie Dalin, the PAPREC ARKÉA skipper completed his first solo round the world race this morning at 0612 UTC, taking a superb second place after 65 days, 18 hours and 10 minutes at sea. Posted on 15 Jan "Today I am the happiest man in the world"
Charlie Dalin on the Vendée Globe win Winner of the tenth edition of the Vendée Globe, Charlie Dalin has entered race legend. After 64 days at an electric pace the 40 year old Frenchman has his name on the trophy. Posted on 14 Jan
Lloyd Stevenson - AC Alinghi 1456x180px BOTTOMSOUTHERN-SPARS-OFFICIAL-SUPPLIER-52-SS728-X-90 BottomVaikobi 2024 December
This site and its contents are Copyright © 2025 Sail-World Sail-World USA and/or the original author, photographer etc. All Rights Reserved. Photographs are copyright by law. If you wish to use or buy a photograph contact the photographer directly.
If you have any questions about advertising or editorial then please contact our team. If you encounter any technical issues then please email techsupport@sail-world.com
Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy