7.Vendee Globe 2012/13 - Teil 2 - Äquator - Cape Leeuwin

Fotogalerie
Monday 3rd December : PM
Day 23, 50 miles into the Indian Ocean
Leader Le Cléac'h Breaks Riou's Record
Armel Le Cléac'h sets a new record 22 day 23 hours 48 minutes
The rich get richer

The Jackal, Armel Le Cléac'h http://www.vendeeglobe.org/en/skipper/1/armel-le-cleac-h.html (Banque Populaire) is the new race record holder for the fastest Open 60 from Les Sables d'Olonne to the Cape of Good Hope, clocking a time of 22 days 23 hours 48 minutes and managing to knock an astounding 24 days 2 hours and 22 minutes off the record set by Vincent Riou in the 2004 edition of the Vendée Globe.

Pierre Dick gönnt sich Schlafpause
Foto: P.Dick

There is just over 50 miles to go before the fleet reaches the longitude of South Africa's most southern tip, the Cape of Agulhas, which serves as the true gateway into the Indian Ocean. However, the symbolic crossing of the meridian may go unnoticed by the competitors because they have their sights firmly set on the Gate of Crozet.

But the leading trio, lead by Armel Le Cléac'h http://www.vendeeglobe.org/en/skipper/1/armel-le-cleac-h.html (Banque Populaire) but with Jean-Pierre Dick http://www.vendeeglobe.org/en/skipper/13/jean-pierre-dick.html (Virbac Paprec 3) and François Gabart http://www.vendeeglobe.org/en/skipper/31/francois-gabart.html (MACIF) hot on his tail are engaged in a fight with unusual intensity. It will be recorded in the annals of Vendée Globe history as one of the fiercest charges into the Indian Ocean as the three pretenders shuffle continually up and down the leaderboard each day.

Over the last 24 hours the boats have slowed down following the record breaking speeds http://www.vendeeglobe.org/en/news/article/5177/record-breakers-gybe-ho.html of a few days ago and it has given the skippers the respite they needed to be able to scrutinise their boats and ensure they are still in tact. "The sea is getting bigger and bigger. There are some 4-5 meters holes. The sun is coming back; we have softer conditions than the days before. It allows me to check out the boat. We have been sailing very fast for the last couple of days so it's important to check out the boat." Armel Le Cléac'h http://www.vendeeglobe.org/en/skipper/1/armel-le-cleac-h.html (Banque Populaire) said today, on Vendée Globe LIVE http://www.dailymotion.com/vendeeglobetv.

The next hurdle to overcome is which route to choose when negotiating the quickest path through the wallowing high, which blocks their road to the gate of Crozet. They have two options available to them; the short cut around the western edge of the high and then dive into the south, or make an attempt to circumvent the high on the south side, the longer distance but with stronger winds and then join it the eastern edge gate. By the first option they run risk of being trapped in the high and with the second, the software depicts a busy road south, traversing through a minefield of icebergs located between Heard Island and the Crozet Archipelago. Decisions, decisions.

Behind this trio, Bernard Stamm http://www.vendeeglobe.org/en/skipper/17/bernard-stamm.html (Cheminées Poujoulat), and Alex Thomson http://www.vendeeglobe.org/en/skipper/25/alex-thomson.html (Hugo Boss) appear to be losing ground. Thomson was pragmatic in his email report today, "At the moment, the rich are getting richer, the guys ahead are extending as I am from the guys behind. Once we all get into the same weather we will go the same speed until the 7th when the leaders and I will run into a high pressure, slow up and the fleet will compress again. It is like we are attached by a piece of bungy!"

Gradually, Mike Golding http://www.vendeeglobe.org/en/skipper/12/mike-golding.html (Gamesa), Jean Le Cam http://www.vendeeglobe.org/en/skipper/16/jean-le-cam.html (SynerCiel), and Dominique Wavre http://www.vendeeglobe.org/en/skipper/15/dominique-wavre.html (Mirabaud) are making their way out of the weather system that assists leaders. "We are into the new breeze now, heading downwind and will get headed progressively to make the gate. It is a little too puffy for a spinnaker and the Code sails are never that good when you are trying to run deep. Everything is fine with the boat. I had a good look round yesterday when we flattened out. I was ready for the change. It was a lovely night, albatrosses by the boat. It feels like we are truly in the south." Said Mike Golding http://www.vendeeglobe.org/en/skipper/12/mike-golding.html (Gamesa).

Jean Le Cam http://www.vendeeglobe.org/en/skipper/16/jean-le-cam.html (SynerCiel), is regaining is ground and looking to take back from Golding. He lost valuable ground yesterday, diving beneath his boat to cut away a fishing net http://www.vendeeglobe.org/en/news/article/5267/le-cam-is-the-catch.html that was entangled around his keel.

For the pack at the back the wind is beginning to fill in for Javier Sanso http://www.vendeeglobe.org/en/skipper/39/javier-sanso.html (Acciona 100% EcoPowered), Arnaud Bossières http://www.vendeeglobe.org/en/skipper/10/arnaud-boissieres.html (Akena Verandas) and Tanguy de Lamotte http://www.vendeeglobe.org/en/skipper/51/tanguy-de-lamotte.html (Initiatives Cœur) are beginning to make progress down the track. Further west, Bertrand De Broc http://www.vendeeglobe.org/en/skipper/47/bertrand-de-broc.html (Votre Nom Autour du Monde avec EDM) is reaping the rewards of his southerly track and enjoying speeds of over fifteen knots.

The new ice gate Amsterdam Today, Mike Golding http://www.vendeeglobe.org/en/skipper/12/mike-golding.html (Gamesa), echoed the sentiments of many, and as much as it may be an inconvenience for the skippers to have the fleet pushed into lighter airs by the introduction of new ice gate http://www.vendeeglobe.org/en/news/newswire/5289/new-amsterdam-gate.html, not a single one of them wants to collide with boat breaking icebergs and growlers."I think in the end they will shuffle all the gates and they have added another one. I have seen the detailed ice information and it is pretty clear why they have done it. There is a lot of known ice down there. They don't want us dicing with ice and so it is better to play it safe."

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THEY SAID...
PRESS OFFICE Liliane Fretté Communication MEDIA center Tel: +33 (0)1 46 53 53 20 Tel: +33 (0)1 46 53 53 19 FRENCH PRESS pressefrance@vendeeglobe.fr INTERNATIONAL MEDIA intpress@vendeeglobe.fr Skype: sabinamollartrogerson Tel: +33 (0)6 43 86 20 09 +34 666 759 530

03/12 - 4:00 P.M.
1 - Armel Le Cléac'h [ Banque Populaire ] to 17873.1 miles from the finish
2 - Jean Pierre Dick [ Virbac-Paprec 3 ] at 31.6 milles from leader
3 - François Gabart [ Macif ] at 43.1 milles from leader
4 - Bernard Stamm [Cheminées Poujoulat ] at 108.4 milles from leader
5 - Alex Thomson [ Hugo Boss ] at 187.9 milles from leader
> FULL RANKING

When I scuba dive yesterday, I did not have the time to think about the cold. You have to think about our plan before you go done. I tried everything before going down. I was very very happy when I get back onboard. Those are incredible moments. Scuba diving in the 40th is unbelievable. This is what the Vendée Globe magic is too me. You go from white to black moment. There is no grey moment in the Vendée Globe.

Jean Le Cam http://www.vendeeglobe.org/en/skipper/16/jean-le-cam.html (SynerCiel) I have more wind since 4am. I am getting closer to the southern oceans. It's nice to have more speed. "Thanks to" the Saint Helena anticyclone I had the time to check out the boat even if I'd rather go faster. I checked everything out beside the mast. I tried something on the Saint Helena anticyclone, but it wasn't a good choice. I saw everyone sailing at 15-20 knots when I was going at 3 knots. This is the game. I can't wait to enter the southern oceans. Arnaud Bossières http://www.vendeeglobe.org/en/skipper/10/arnaud-boissieres.html (Akena Verandas) I'm always amazed seeing the southern oceans. Everything is so different from what we are use to. The wave, the sea, the wind, the wild life. It's so different. I love it.

Jean-Pierre Dick http://www.vendeeglobe.org/en/skipper/13/jean-pierre-dick.html (Virbac Paprec 3)