10.12.2008
The dream is over for Loïck Peyron
Gitana Eighty has dismasted in the Indian Ocean
High but sad emotion at the Vendée Globe Race HQ and at Nautic (the Paris
International Boat Show). Shortly after 1400 hours, Loïck Peyron informed
his shore crew about Gitana Eighty’s dismasting. Barely three hours later,
battling with what reindexed of the spar to manufacture a jury rig, the
skipper of the monohull equipped by Baron Benjamin de Rothschild, went over
this fateful incident during a special radio session. It is worth pointing
out that Loïck Peyron climbed to the top of the mast no later than yesterday
and was able to perform a thorough and satisfactory check of the rig at that
time.
The time seemed to stand still in the aisles of the Nautic when, during a
special link-up, Loïck Peyron recounted what had happened during the earlier
dismasting with great precision: “I have no explanation as to why it
happened yet… There was 30 knots of breeze and Gitana Eighty was under one
reef indexsail and solent. There was no reason to put the boat under pressure
and everything was going very well aboard when the mast fell violently
without warning. I was down below when I heard a loud noise. Such a sound
associated with such a violent sensation left me with little doubt. Indeed,
on going up top, I noticed that the mast had gone” commented the solo sailor
before going on to say: “The following hour involved a great deal of work.
On a deck completely covered with shards of carbon, it was necessary to cut
the ‘umbilical cords’ which link the mast to the boat. The spar had
seemingly broken into three or four pieces, and this debris was beginning to
pound against the deck and the hull. There are a fair number of points of
impact but there’s no structural problem to report.”
For the time being, Loïck Peyron and Gitana Team are looking into the safest
and most comfortable solution to go and meet up with the monohull. Three
routes are open to them today: South Africa, Madagascar and Reunion or
Australia. Though the first two destinations are the closest geographically
(around 1,600 miles) the sailing conditions are not ideal to get there, as
Gitana Eighty will have to make most of the journey against the wind.
Australia, situated 3,000 miles ahead of the monohull’s bow, offers a more
attractive prospect as it is synonymous with making headway downwind.
As we await his definitive decision, Loïck Peyron is attempting to set up a
jury rig with the boom, the daggerboards, the ORC and the indexsail sheet,
which he managed to rescue: “Before night falls I’m going to try to complete
my jury rig as it’s not very comfortable when you’re not making headway in
this situation” concluded a naturally emotional Loïck Peyron, prior to
rounding off the special radio session.
However, in these painful moments, the skipper from La Baule also expressed
his deep disappointment for all those who had enabled him to take the start
of the Vendée Globe 2008-2009: “Naturally I’m disappointed that things have
ended this way, but the disappointment is collective. I am sorry for Ariane
and Benjamin de Rothschild, the LCF Rothschild Group and of course the
members of Gitana Team, who’ve worked so hard on this fine boat.”
Since the announcement of the dismasting, messages of support have been
streaming in from every direction. Whether they are from journalists, simple
enthusiasts or even members from competing teams, everyone is expressing
their support and their admiration for Loïck Peyron’s fine race in this
Vendée Globe 2008-2009. A big thank you for these numerous comforting
testimonies.
Rights free photos and images for press use are available on request
Photo credits: Yvan Zedda / Gitana SA
Translated by Kate Jennings – Expression
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