Monday 5th January 2009
MICHEL DESJOYEAUX, INITIAL ATLANTIC REACTIONS
Leading the Vendée Globe, Michel Desjoyeaux on his 60 foot monohull FONCIA
rounded Cape Horn (Chile) at 0310 UT this Monday 5th January. As such Michel
has taken 56 days 15 hours and 08 minutes to reach Cape Horn and round the
last of the great capes to be left to port after that of Good Hope (South
Africa) and Leeuwin (Australia). As a result the skipper of FONCIA has taken
two hours less than Jean Le Cam in 2004 (56 days 17 hours and 13 minutes),
who was the first to round Cape Horn during the Vendée Globe 2004/05. A
staggering performance by the Michel Desjoyeaux/FONCIA duo when you note
that the course across the Southern Ocean has been extended by 1,200 miles,
given the N’ly position of the seven ice gates which have punctuated this
navigation across the Indian and Pacific Oceans.
Though FONCIA has taken 16 days 05 hours and 40 minutes to traverse the
Pacific Ocean, that is just quarter of an hour longer than Mike Golding in
2004/05, Michel Desjoyeaux may well set a new record for the Indian Ocean
passage. For now the record is awaiting approval from the WSSRC (World
Sailing Speed Record Council) but if it is recognised then the new reference
time will be 13 days 6 hours and 30 minutes. Moving quickly onto the next
ocean, Michel Desjoyeaux is today celebrating his return to the Atlantic
with a new race on the horizon: 7,000 miles to go via the Saint Helena High,
the Doldrums, the Azores High and the dreaded Bay of Biscay. There’s a
month’s sailing on the clock according to Michel: “28 days after the Horn
would be my rough estimate”.
Contacted at 0930 UT this morning for a special link-up, Michel looked back
at the past month’s sailing in the Southern Ocean, the deliverance of the
Horn, FONCIA’s condition after two months at sea, his physical and mental
state, his rivals and the climb up the Atlantic. Extracts…
Passage around the Horn… “It was a bit full-on. The goal was to get to see
the Horn but there was 35/40 knots of breeze with 45 knot squalls and, above
all, little visibility. It was night time… Conditions were lively but it was
pleasant... It’s rather like a deliverance as it signifies leaving the
Southern Ocean and the permanent oppression of the wind! It’s not so much
the sea which is difficult… I think I have even less wind than I did 8 years
ago. It’s not the strength of the wind or the height of the waves which is
tiresome; it’s the constant presence of the wind… The was a lack of
variation in the pace… Here, even if you’re not making headway, you can
relax a little. This morning I did some jobs on deck for a couple of hours,
which was nice. I even passed some albatross sitting on the water, which is
something I’ve never seen before. Even they come here to relax…”
Assessment of the Southern Ocean… “I’m in fine fettle. I’m happy to get out
of my foulies and boots. My hands have been through it too… As regards food
I have all I need; enough to have a stowaway onboard and get him home! Other
than that I am happy to be here. My mind’s in good order and I’m relieved to
have rounded this barrier. I’m also happy to be gradually getting closer to
the finish line, home, landlubbers and civilisation.”
Recipe... “80% of the result is achieved through teamwork, from the moment
the boat is built. There are things which can be improved on, but the real
substance isn’t bad… In fact I shape 20% of the final result and in that
20%, you have to know how to be sparing with your gear and know what
stresses it can withstand. I admit that in a few hellish surfs and memorable
moments where she ploughed into waves, you just hold on in the hope that she
stays upright. When I went to empty the water up forward this morning, I saw
a little crack, but it was nothing drastic or serious. The boat has suffered
all the same though… It just goes to show that I haven’t escaped without
incident either”.
Positive attitude… “It’s not because I’m leading the Vendée Globe that I can
ease off the pace. From first thing this morning I made the most of the
conditions to do a few jobs in the garden and have a look at a whole bunch
of things I haven’t been able to look at for the past month. You also have
to shift the weight forward again, hoist more sail area, tidy up down below…
My lead over Bilou (Roland Jourdain) will be reduced as there’s a tricky
passage ahead but it’s necessary to get through it… I’m really enjoying the
situation!”
Atlantic difficulties… “Between here and Cabo Frio along the Brazilian
coast, we’re going to be calling each other’s bluff for the next 8/9 days…
It’s an area where, on a strategic level, it’s going to be more risky and
more treacherous because it’s fairly uncertain and there are lots of weather
phenomena kicking about in every direction. In the long term it’s hard to
build up a clear strategy. This isn’t the case in the Southern Ocean or in
the rest of the Atlantic. There’s some mastic awaiting us here. Once we hit
the Saint Helena High it’s a fairly classic system again with some strategic
routes which are familiar to this zone. It’s reminiscent of our own
backyards… However, what awaits us in the near future is not our backyard;
it’s a shambles. It’s going to require a lot of decision making and a lot of
manśuvres… It’s certainly not over yet; we’re going to have to wait until
the finish line has been crossed to find out the ranking.”
Ahead… “We’re working with the same weather data, the same software and with
virtually the same boats beneath our feet… There aren’t 36,000 solutions to
get from one point to another. It all comes down to subtleties, which is
something everyone appreciates. The important thing is to stay ahead of the
game in order to win, and that’s where I am… We’re going to try to stay
here. As such I’m not going to swap my weapon for another for the time
being!”
Competition… “You know your adversaries but you can always be caught
unawares… You have to stay on the alert. Bilou could always play a prank… I
know him well. We’ve sailed together and we’ve always had a lot of fun doing
so. Over recent days he’s shown that he’s capable of belting along on his
Veolia without any trouble at all and without showing any signs of
difficulty. Indeed I’m not in the least surprised to find him here, just
beside me, like Jean (Le Cam). He has an interesting boat. Added to that
there are our two rogues (Vincent Riou and Armel Le Cléac’h), who’ve got a
little left behind and missed the train at the point where you had to keep
the pedal to the metal. In view of how far we’ve got left though there isn’t
that much separation.”
A word to the wise… “When you tackle problems the right way and you put your
heart into them, a lot of great things can happen.”
Ranking on 05/01/2009 at 1430 GMT
1 – Michel Desjoyeaux (FONCIA) 6,904.7 miles from the finish
2 - Roland Jourdain (Veolia Environnement) 76.8 miles from the leader
3 – Jean Le Cam (VM Matériaux) 461.2 miles
4 – Vincent Riou (PRB) 653.2 miles
5 – Armel Le Cléac’h (Brit Air) 665.9 miles
Translated by Kate Jennings – Expression
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