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PRESS RELEASE Route du Rhum 14 Nov 16.30 GMT
Datum: 14. Nov 2002 17:59
The Route du Rhum 2002 : Press Release N° 21
Ellen MacArthur Leading the Fleet
The wind is still strong, the sea is just as rough, but with the north-westerly winds the boats are not suffering from headwinds anymore and are charging down towards the Azores in reaching conditions. The skippers have finally eaten a proper meal (after 5 days racing) and rested a little bit more than in previous days. Thomas Coville on Sodebo, who was leading the 60’ trimaran fleet, is heading towards Lisbon in Portug al, due to a 50 cm hole in the front beam caused by yesterday’s storms.
Area forecast: North-westerly force 7-8, severe gusts, very rough or high seas. Thundery showers. Moderate to good visibility. After a rotation to the north during the day tomorrow, Friday, the wind will decrease slightly. The trade winds in the northwest seem to be well established.
The British tandem Ellen MacArthur (Kingfisher) and Mike Golding (Ecover) are almost sailing neck and neck towards the West Indies at more than 15 knots. The Azores are less than 200 miles away and the duo have extended their lead on the boats in their wake. Joé Seeten Arcelor-Dunkerque, in third position in the IMOCA class, is more tha n 160 miles behind! The northern route has paid off, with less violent storms than the brutal squalls in the south two nights ago, which caused a lot of damage to the fleet.
The boats’ positions indicate that the majority are on a course heading south of the Azores archipelago to round the Azores High (anticyclone) to the east. Those who pass the high pressure too close risk getting stuck with little wind. Those who pass far west will get a more solid wind, but with more miles to Guadeloupe.
Roland Jordain on Sill, who led the fleet the first three days, is heading to Madeira for a 3-5 hour pit stop to repair his torn index sail. The sail was torn above the third reef point by a violent gust yesterday morning. Jordain hopes to reach the island of Porto Santo in the northern archipelago of Madeira tomorrow morning.
Very discrete since the start in St Malo, race veteran Mike Birch has only surfaced from his silence in the past two days to get news of his good friend Philippe Monnet. 71-year old Mike Birch is tired after the night’s struggle right in the middle of the weather system, which whipped the multihulls. “The slight weather improvement has finally enabled me to sleep for a while and to restore myself adequately. I am on a south-westerly heading and I am still happy to be racing.”
The British skipper Conrad Humphreys’ Hellomoto dismasted last night and is heading to Brest. "It's absolutely gutting to see this little yacht in such a state. I've been trying to piece together exactly why the rig should fail as it did. ...it's hard to be sure without seeing the rig,” said a clearly disappointed Humphreys. He expects to arrive in Bre st Friday evening. An untimely end to his first, single-handed transatlantic race
And then they were 9
Thomas Coville on Sodebo, who was in the top of the 60-foot trimarans, has left the race track due to structural problems on the beams and is on his way to Lisbon in Portugal. "We have been experiencing crazily strong waves for several days, there are no words to describe the conditions. When they hit the boat, Sodebo was thrown sideways by several metres" explained Coville this morning. "These incredibly violent waves have damaged the under part of the exterior coating of the forebeam of the boat. I am forced to bear away to relieve the boat. The starboard forebeam has been considerably weakened by a hole of about 50 centimetres on the side where the exterior coating is delaminating," said the tired skipper who once again had not slept during the night.
Marc Guillemot on Biscuits La Trinitaine – Ethypharm is in first position hurtling along towards Sao Miguel (Azores) for a rapid pitstop in order to change the foresails. Franck Cammas (Groupama) is lending him his solent. 4 miles behind, on the 1500 GMT position report, the Swiss Stève Ravussin on Technomarine is eating away at the mil es in more than 20 knots of speed. He has gained 9 miles in the last four hours (1100-1500GMT).
Michel Desjoyeaux on Géant has lost his starboard foil and the rudder blade. He is afraid the float might take on water and will head to Madeira for a short pit stop. Lalou Roucayrol’s Banque Populaire has broken the back stay runner, but will try and repair without stopping.
Loïck Peyron was picked up by the Panama-bound Russian freighter San Maria at around 0830 GMT. The skipper of Fujifilm will be dropped off at Punta Delgada in the Azores. The freighter passed Yvan Bourgnon on his overturned Rexona Men, who is staying on his boat. A towboat will reach Rexona Men tomorrow morning. The skipper is wet and cold but holding on. Francis Joyon (Eure & Loir-Lorenove), has spent three days on his overturned boat and was close to hypothermia. He was picked up by a trawler. T he boat will hopefully be salvaged at the latest tomorrow, as well as Sopra Group and Fujifilm.
Jean-Luc Nélias Belgacom and Jean Le Cam Bonduelle will leave port later tonight and head back into the throes of the race. Frédéric La Peutrec Bayer CropSciences is due to leave port before tomorrow morning (the competitors are allowed to have a maximum of two stop-overs each of 72 hours at most).
Quotes
Ellen MacArthur Kingfisher (1st IMOCA 60’ monohull) e-mail: “Feel much happier this morning, have managed to get a couple of good hours sleep, real recuperative sleep. ... the breeze is really kicking in, it’s been down at 25 sometimes, but the squalls are really violent, the sea is so white when they hit, and the sea state is very messed up. I have no idea how the boat can handle this. It’s hard to accept that on the surfs we are touching 20 knots sometimes in these conditions.”
Mirand Merron UUDS (6th IMOCA 60’ monohull) “The squalls are harsh, they come with hail – I have ice bits all over the cockpit!”
Thomas Coville Sodebo (ORMA 60’ multihull) “Hoisting the indexsail on your own when it is more than 180 metres square in a similar sea state to those that we had before is backbreaking".
Claude Thélier Arhipel Gualdeloupe (4th class 2 multihull) “I must say - It’s magic, it’s grandiose these great waves and the strong wind. Absolutely magnificent.”
Michel Desjoyeaux Geant (ORMA 60’ multihull). “ It’s not going too bad, I still have a mast and three hulls. There are those worse than me at the moment. Otherwise, I have had my fair share of worries. I have lost my starboard foil which has slipped into its casing pulling out the rudder blade on the way. I do have an emergency rudder blade but to go to the end of the float to try to repair it doesn’t really appeal. I’m definitely going to make a pit-stop in Madeira.”
19 abandons of 58 starting:
9 ORMA 60’ multihulls:
Franck Cammas Groupama Capsize
Bertrand De Broc Banque Covefi Gives up solo-sailing
Francis Joyon Eure & Loir-Lorenove Capsize
Giovanni Soldini TIM Structural problems
Lionel Lemonchois Gitana X Masthead breakage
Yvan Bourgnon Rexona Men Capsize
Loïck Peyron Fujifilm Damaged starboard float, skipper on a freighter
Philippe Monnet Sopra Group Capsize
Thomas Coville Sodebo Structural problems to the float and beam, en route to Lisbon
4 IMOCA 60’ monohulls:
Loïc Pochet La Rage de Vivre Collision with a freighter
Sébastien Josse VMI Dismasting
Dominique Wavre Temenos Damage to the foresails
Jean-Pierre Dick Virbac Dismasting, en route to La Coruña
1 Class 2 50’ monohulls:
Christophe Huchet Apic A3S Collision with a freighter
Yannick Bestaven République Dominicaine Keel problems
1 Class 3 40’ monohulls:
Conrad Humphreys Hellomoto Dismasting
3 Class 2 50’ multihulls:
Pascal Quintin E-Sat/Tri Séléctif Electrical and various damage
Didier Le Villain Chaleur Fioul Elan Electrical problems
Patrick Morvan Groupe France Epargne Leak and electrical problems
Allan Grinda Fantasy Forest left port this morning at 11.00
Elie Canivenc Leasecom has arrived in the port of Vigo experiencing problems with his rudder blade and sails not decided if he can head out again.
Positions 14/11/02 15:00:00 GMT
Monohull 60’ORMA
1 - Marc Guillemot - Biscuits La Trinitaine - Ethypharm - 2618 miles to finish
2 - Steve Ravussin - TechnoMarine - 2622
3 - Lalou Roucayrol - Banque Populaire - 2728
4 - Alain Gautier - Foncia - 2776
5 - Karine Fauconnier - Sergio Tacchini - 2832
6 - Michel Desjoyeaux - Géant - 2838
7 - Jean Le Cam - Bonduelle - 3425
8 - Jean - Luc Nélias - Belgacom - 3443
9 - Frederic Le Peutrec - Bayer CropSciences - 3476
Monohull 60’ IMOCA
1 - Ellen McArthur - Kingfisher – 2543 miles to finish
2 - Mike Golding - Ecover - 2549< /P>
3 - Joé Seeten - Arcelor - Dunkerque - 2708
4 - Roland Jourdain - Sill - 2754
5 - Didier Munduteguy - 60ème Sud - 2771
6 - Miranda Merron - Un Univers de Services - 2817
7 - Antoine Koch - L'Heautontimoroumenos - 2858
8e - Patrick Favre - Millimages - Gédéon - 2900 milles (position de 8h43 GMT)
8 - Patrick De Radiguès - Garnier Belgium - 2960
9 - Frédéric Lescot - Dinan Pays d'Entreprises - 2970
10 - Mike Birch - Tir Groupé - Montres Yéma - 3038
11 - Georges Leblanc - Ciments St Laurent - Ocean - 3149
12 - Elie Canivenc - Leasecom - 3168
Monohull Class 1
1 - Bruno Reibel - Ville de Dinard – 3066 miles to finish
Monohull Class 2
1 - Nick Moloney - Ashfield Healthcare – 2816 miles to finish
2 - Luc Coquelin - Florys - 2877
3 - Roger Langevin - Branec III - 2926
4 - Hervé Vachée - Mille Visages - 2932
5 - Clément Surtel - Laiterie St Malo - 2998
6 - Bob Escoffier - Adecco Etoile Horizon - 3020
7 - J. F. Durand - Défi Vendéen – 3511
Monohull Class 3
1 - Regis Guillemot - Storagetek – 2839 miles to finish
2 - Etienne Svilarich - Grain de Soleil - 3010
3 - Jérôme Thiriez - Passion Entreprendre - 3015
5 - Alain Grinda - Fantasy - Forest - 3442
Datum: 14. Nov 2002 08:27
Morning Update Thursday 14 November 2002 at 07.15 GMT
ELLEN MACARTHUR IN THE LEAD
CONRAD HUMPHREYS’ HELLOMOTO DISMASTED
Kingfisher was this morning speeding at 21 knots in 35 knots of wind, leading the fleet towards Guadeloupe. Mike Golding’s Ecover broke its daggerboard yesterday and is 5 miles behind. Golding is repairing.
The two leading boats are widening the gap to the boats behind and have around 350 miles to go to reach the archipelago of the Azores.
The two Brits’ closest rival, Roland Jordain on Sill, informed the race committee this morning that he will head to Madeira for a short pit stop to repair or change his torn index sail. His sail was torn below the third reef by a violent gust yesterday morning. Sill is currently about 400 miles from Madeira.
Conrad Humphreys on Hellomoto alerted the race committee at 01.00 GMT that his 40-footer had dismasted. Humphreys is well and heading to land.
Fujifilm – Loick Peyron set off the distress beacon last night, as his dismasted trimaran is falling apart. A freighter has approached the boat this morning and Peyron can soon leave his mutilated boat.
Biscuits la Trinitaine and TechnoMarine, positioned more north west, have in rapid speeds overtaken Thomas Coville on Sodebo. Marc Guillemot on Biscuits la Trinitaine is now leading the 60’ trimaran fleet. Sodebo has slowed down remarkably as its skipper is repairing the broken battens in his index sail.
A towboat will reach the overturned Eure et Loir - Lorénove (skipper Francis Joyon) this morning. The equally overturned Sopra Group is spotted 35 miles west of Corcubion (north west Spain) and can soon be recuperated.
Leading boats 07.00 GMT:
ORMA 60’ multihulls: Marc Guillemot Biscuits la Trinitaine
IMOCA 60’ monohulls: Ellen MacArthur Kingfisher
Class 2 50’ monohulls: Nick Moloney Ashfield Healthcare
Class 3 40’ monohulls: Régis Guillemot Storagetek
Class 2 50’ multihulls: Frank Yves Escoffier Crepes Whaou!
Copyright free photos, Gilles Martin-Raget
On the web site : www.routedurhum.org / Obligatory photo credit : Gilles Martin-Raget
or gmr@martin-raget.com
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