February 23, 2001 - 2:45:36 PM]
Mike Golding (Team Group 4) is positioned in the East to pick
up expected Westerly breeze...
Only very brief contact today with Mike Golding on Team Group
4. Golding did have time to report that after a slow and
frustrating evening yesterday the breeze filled in throughout
the night, albeit very shifty with up to 50 degree shifts. By this
morning the wind strength was up to 25 knots and he is now
moving again - upwind at an average 10 knots and
positioning to the east to pick up the expected Westerly and
South Westerly breeze.
Source: MPR
[February 23, 2001 - 2:16:11 PM]
Wavre & Coville at home - Parlier gone fishing
By Philippe Jeantot
Dominique Wavre (Union Bancaire Privée) crossed the Vendée
Globe finish line in 5th place at 1858hrs local time last night,
just 4 and a half hours before his sparring partner Thomas
Coville (Sodebo), who came in at 2335hrs to take 6th place.
And so ends their close, transoceanic duel, which they had
fought out of sight of each other, but in verbal contact, all the
way up the Atlantic from Cape Horn. These two skippers,
bonded by their mutual suffering through encountering every
calm patch and fickle breeze that could block their progress,
both managed to beat the previous record set by Christophe
Auguin, by coming in under 105 days and 20 hours.
Both skippers, during their press conferences, saluted the
performances of those who made it onto the podium, and
those who were left to endure the sea for much longer again.
Wavre & Coville are ardent racers and naturally regretted that
the weather did not open a single door for them, where the
leaders had a more or less smooth and direct ride home.
Thomas Coville explained: "It’s exhausting and demoralising
Wavre & Coville are ardent racers and naturally regretted that
the weather did not open a single door for them, where the
leaders had a more or less smooth and direct ride home.
Thomas Coville explained: "It’s exhausting and demoralising
when you have to race without a chance of winning left."
Yves Parlier (Aquitaine Innovations) was however delighted to
hear his ‘ancient pupil’ Thomas Coville over the radio chat this
morning. They shared their woes, Parlier confessing his latest
setbacks: "I’ve exploded my lightweight spinnaker, which took
me a while to gather up out of the water. Then my bait was
eaten by a fish, who left without giving me his address, so I’ll
have to make up another one. Finally the lights, which I had
made on deck to illuminate the sails and attract some flying
fish, aren’t functioning anymore." On a happier note, Parlier at
least has more wind, "otherwise I wouldn’t be in until May!"
The next skipper to come in will be Thierry Dubois
(Solidaires), who had to stop in New Zealand to change his
alternator and failing batteries. Despite being knocked out of
the race rankings, he nevertheless has decided to bring the
boat home and finish. He is due to arrive in Les Sables at the
start of next week, and we will resume communications with
him until his finish. For the moment, however, he too is
plagued by the abnormal weather conditions, constrained to
tack into head winds to reach his goal. "Last night, there was
next to nothing. I had a Northerly wind which lasted 2 hours
yesterday, and after that zilch, nothing. I could more easily
get to Cork, Ireland, right now!"
The two British skippers Mike Golding (Team Group 4) and
Josh Hall (EBP/Gartmore) were yet again tested by more light
airs in the vacuum between the two low pressure systems
either side of them. Golding however, is placed further to the
North East and so has finally reached some stronger breeze
off the system of around 25 knots.
Hall reindexs optimistic about his tenuous situation, with Gallay
(Voila.fr) closing the gap again, and expects to catch the
depression in the West to head towards the finish. "However,
when it does we may well be North of it and have strong
headwinds, which would be about right considering our fortune
with the weather the last 4 weeks!" Not the only problem to
have struck though, he went on to explain: "this morning I
realised, at a rather important moment in the proceedings,
that I have run out of toilet paper!"
Catherine Chabaud (Whirlpool) has arrived in Vigo, where her
team are pulling the stops out to get a jury rig assembled so
that she can sail back to Les Sables d’Olonne. Classed or not,
every skipper who makes it back to home port will receive the
same welcome, a great witness of how many supporters there
are out there, who have followed this race avidly, enthralled by
the stories written by these circumnavigators for over 100
days.
[February 23, 2001 - 12:41:13 PM]
Yves Parlier (Aquitaine Innovations): "Aaaaah! Thomas! I’m
so happy to know that you’ve finished!"
"I’m averaging 6.5 knots, a good speed compared to the last
4 days, and I’ve even risen above 9 – 10 knots. So that’s
good. It’s been really hot but today should be better, there’s
more of a breeze.
I’ve had a few little problems; I’ve exploded my lightweight
spinnaker, which took me a while to gather up out of the
water. Then my fish bait was eaten by a fish who left without
giving me his address so I’ll have to make up another one.
Finally the lights, which I had made on deck to illuminate the
sails and attract some flying fish, aren’t functioning anymore.
Thomas Coville takes the microphone to say hello to Yves.
"Aaaaah! Thomas! I’m so happy to know that you’ve finished!
With all the light wind traps you’ve had! But us, behind, we’ve
got wind! But you really had to pull out all the stops! I wouldn’t
have expected anything less of you! If I was to have all the
light airs from here I wouldn’t arrive until May! We’re a perfect
pair for the longest Vendée Globe in history together, what
with me breaking my mast and you getting stuck in all the
calms!
Thomas talks about his food supplies and remarks: "Naturally
sailing with you anyway has always been a matter of survival,
so there, in real survival mode, it must be something else!
Robinson Crusoe must be turning in his grave! Don’t forget
you have to turn up in Les Sables without a stitch of clothing
on!
Yves replies: "Yep, I’ll have to fashion some shorts in fish
skin with a seaweed wig! Talking of seaweed I have been
cured for the moment. But it’s only because I have
undertaken a strict diet to keep my figure: seaweed – fish –
fish – seaweed, harsh!" Thomas & Yves burst into laughter
together, obviously happy to talk to each other.
Yves also invited Thomas to join him on his boat as soon as
he crosses the line: "That way I shall have my two old pupils
on board!"
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