December 21, 2012
41 days, 3 hours. 365 miles to the east end of the New Zealand gate
Stammering South
Bernard Stamm's winch goes again, Thomson cold and lonely
"This is not a regatta" - leaders insist
Sansó getting ready for big weather about to hit the four veterans
The problems continue to mount for Bernard Stamm (Cheminées Poujoulat) after he revealed that his central winch has broken again.
"I'm a little out of breath because I've just added a reef (to the mainsail) and since my winch column is broken, it's exhausting," Stamm dropped in to the conversation on Vendée Globe TV live. "As far as repairs are concerned, I'm focused on the hydrogenerator, it's definitely my priority.
"Right now, the situation is 90% pleasant and 10% frustrating. But it depends on what has just happened. I repaired my hydrogenerator and it broke again 10 minutes later, and believe me, then it was 100% frustrating. Being ahead of the Englishman (Thomson) feels great, though."
The 49-year-old Swiss skipper spoke a little too late because at the 1100hrs (UTC) ranking Thomson had re-taken fourth place, albeit only by a 1.4 miles.
If it is essential for the leaders to pretend that everything is fine on their boats so as not to encourage an attack from the others, perhaps Stamm is trying the reverse psychology. If he is not and is hiding things as well, then it is incredible that he is 'only' 884 miles behind the leaders. Each bulletin of damage or despair may make him seem like less of a contender, but the truth is he and Alex Thomson http://www.vendeeglobe.org/en/skipper/25/alex-thomson.html (Hugo Boss), for all their problems, are still in the race and would be on top the leaders quickly if they slip.
At 51 degrees south and on course to plunge deeper into the Pacific, Thomson's hydrogenerator problems seem so severe that he cannot turn on his diesel heater or even call his wife.
"I need to be on power saving mode at the moment in order to give myself enough power to finish the race in case anything else goes wrong," Thomson wrote. "With most of my communications shut off, I am missing speaking to my wife and team every day but I am dealing with it ok. I am still receiving emails and messages of support from Facebook and Twitter, which really keep me going.
"Although Christmas is just another day in the race it still is hard to be out here with limited contact. My wife Kate and son Oscar are in Sweden with her family this Christmas. I have gifts from them onboard and I was also prepared this year and bought all my presents in November but I am going to miss spending my son's second Christmas with him."
Thomson may have some company soon with Stamm only 16 miles south of him as they come together on the longitude of the Auckland Islands. Whilst the leaders are inseparable, in the other Pacific battle, 880 miles behind, Thomson and Stamm are like two lovers who keep separating over the same argument, making gybes and getting back together.
And all problems are relative at the end of the 41st day in the last edition in 2008-09 Yann Eliès had just been rescued by the Australian Navy after breaking his left femur.
Francois Gabart http://www.vendeeglobe.org/en/skipper/31/francois-gabart.html (MACIF) held his slenderest of leads over Armel Le Cléac'h http://www.vendeeglobe.org/en/skipper/1/armel-le-cleac-h.html (Banque Populaire), back to just 2.5 miles at the 1500hrs (UTC) ranking. Le Cléach'h gybed north to the New Zealand gate and Gabart followed. Earlier Gabart, on the Vendée Globe TV live, was keen to dismiss the notion that their battle has become like a regatta because they are so close they can see other. Even half a world away he seems conscious of the French press suggesting that he, as the 29-year-old junior, is just covering Le Cléac'h rather than sailing his own race.
"I can see Armel," Gabart said, "not all the time, but because he's five miles away, I can see Banque Populaire often. It's fantastic, really. But it's not really like a regatta either because I don't adapt my decisions, manoeuvres and sailing to what I see him do, I have my own race."
Le Cléac'h agreed: "Sure, MACIF is very close, we can see each other, it's been going on for 36 hours, but I'm not obsessed with that," he said. "It's a good landmark, it helps me make sure my heading and speed are right, but I'm sailing my own race, making my own decisions. Our routes have been close so far, but maybe at one point one of use will try something different."
The duo will soon cross the international dateline at 180 degrees and go from being 12 hours ahead of us to 12 hours behind. But unlike when you fly from New Zealand to Chile and arrive before you left, no one will notice the difference because they have been working off universal from local time around the world.
As the leaders headed deeper south, third-placed Jean-Pierre Dick http://www.vendeeglobe.org/en/skipper/13/jean-pierre-dick.htmlhttp:/www.vendeeglobe.org/en/skipper/13/jean-pierre-dick.html (Virbac-Paprec 3), won back 50 miles in the morning, he's 547 miles behind and passing south of the Auckland Islands. He talked of the noise on board as the wind built to 30 degrees.
That was what Javier Sansó http://www.vendeeglobe.org/en/skipper/39/javier-sanso.html (Acciona 100% EcoPowered) was anticipating from a gathering low-pressure system about to descend on the four veterans in the chasing pack. Like Mike Golding http://www.vendeeglobe.org/en/skipper/12/mike-golding.html (Gamesa) he was scratching his head as to why Jean Le Cam http://www.vendeeglobe.org/en/skipper/16/jean-le-cam.html (SynerCiel) had dived south.
Le Cam in 6th is 1,708 miles behind the leaders, Golding is 171 miles miles behind him, Dominique Wavre http://www.vendeeglobe.org/en/skipper/17/bernard-stamm.html (Mirabaud) 89 miles behind Golding and Sansó in 9th, is 75 miles behind Wavre. Just 335 miles cover the four.
Behind them it's more spread out, but they are all enjoying good pressure, Tanguy de Lamotte http://www.vendeeglobe.org/en/skipper/51/tanguy-de-lamotte.html (Initiaves Cœur) is catching Bertrand de Broc http://www.vendeeglobe.org/en/skipper/47/bertrand-de-broc.html (Votre Nom autour du Monde avec EDM Projets), closing 60 miles in the last 24 to be 228 miles behind. And Alessandro di Benedetto http://www.vendeeglobe.org/en/skipper/32/alessandro-di-benedetto.html (Team Plastique) is out of his anticyclone hole.
- Matthew Pryor https://twitter.com/matpryor
THEY SAID...
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21/12 - 16:00 (UTC)
1 - François Gabart
[ MACIF ]
at 11,184.9 miles from the finish
2 - Armel Le Cléac'h
[ Banque Populaire ]
at 2.5 miles from leader
3 - Jean-Pierre Dick
[ Virbac Paprec 3 ]
at 547.6 miles from leader
4 - Alex Thomson
[ Hugo Boss ]
at 887.2 miles from leader
5 - Bernard Stamm
[ Cheminées Poujoulat ]
at 892.9 miles from leader
> FULL RANKING
The wind and the sea are both calmer now, it's a transition before the westerly wind is back stronger. I'm a little out of breath because I've just added a reef and since my winch column is broken, it's exhausting. As far as repairs are concerned, I'm focused on the hydrogenerator, it's definitely my priority. Right now, the situation is 90% pleasant and 10% frustrating. But it depends on what has just happened. I repaired my hydrogenerator and it broke again 10 minutes later, and believe me, then it was 100% frustrating. Being ahead of the Englishman feels great, though! I can tell we're basically halfway through because everything becomes more complicated. Recovering is more difficult, too…The weather will determine who widens the gap with the skippers behind and who catches up with the guys ahead. We can do the best we can but we can't really have objectives because in the end, the weather will decide. I'm trying to sail as well as possible and do my best, that's all.
Bernard Stamm (SUI, Cheminées Poujoulat)
I can see Armel, not all the time, but because he's 5 miles away, I can see Banque Populaire often. It's fantastic, really. But it's not really like a regatta either because I don't adapt my decisions, manoeuvres and sailing to what I see him do, I have my own race. My English may sound better but it's not because it's improved in such a short time, it's just that the conditions are better so I'm less tired and more relaxed, I guess that's why.
François Gabart (FRA, MACIF)
My beard is keeping me warm, that's a good thing. I've slept for 6 hours non-stop, so I feel great. But it wasn't something I had planned. I was actually supposed to sleep for an hour but when the alarm clock went off, I decided to stay in bed a little bit but I woke up six hours later! And still, I did better than Bertrand in that period, so it wasn't too bad.
I've had to wear warmer clothes lately because of the temperature.
I'm happy to see I'm getting closer to Bertrand de Broc and I'm very happy to still be in the race, to still be here for Christmas. It's going to be a solo Christmas, which is different and unusual for me. I'll have Champagne and foie gras, so I'll be fine. I've already spent Christmas in the southern hemisphere but with a crew. Alone, it will not be the same.
Choosing the right sails is about the wind, of course, but also about the waves, and here in the Indian Ocean, they're really big. But at least the conditions will be decent for Christmas. It might get tougher after that, though.
Tanguy de Lamotte (FRA, Initiatives Cœur)
We're 53 ° south, the night fell an hour and a half ago, I'm currently sailing towards the New Zealand gate. The wind is back so we'll soon be able to go faster. Of course the nights are short, about 5-6 hours, and the night is actually on mid-day UTC time, which is the time we try to stick to. But as we sail east, that will keep changing. Yesterday was tough, after 48 hours of shaker with 30-35 knots of wind, you just want things to get quieter so you can catch your breath. And it's been sunnier, too, so everything has become more pleasant and the morale is up, definitely. I even had time to look around the boat and check a lot of things on my boat. I'll be supporting Brest against PSG in tonight's football game, I know the Brest players will be very motivated, and I think they will win 1-0. I've been able to recover with 40-minute naps as the pilot was on, it was calmer and you really need to take advantage of such moments. I charged the batteries, so to speak, and I'm feeling better. Sure, MACIF is very close, we can see each other, it's been going on for 36 hours, but I'm not obsessed with that. It's a good landmark, it helps me make sure my heading and speed are right, but I'm sailing my own race, making my own decisions. Our routes have been close so far, but maybe at one point one of use will try something different.
Armel Le Cléac'h (FRA, Banque Populaire)
I'm doing good, the conditions have been much better and I've been able to actually stand on my feet on board, which is a nice change! I've been on my hands and knees for so long that I get sore now that I can stand up. I'm wearing two layers of fleece, thick socks and my winter hat, it's pretty cold.
The good thing about my boat is that everything is close to the floor, and since I'm not very tall, it's great! And it also makes it more ok to crawl for so long.
Being halfway through isn't that important to me, I'm more interested in sailing well, gaining miles and doing what I have to do.
Arnaud Boissières (FRA, AKENA Vérandas)
Hola qué tal? There's not much we can do about the conditions and the weather, but we try to keep up the pace. It's been good sailing anyway lately. A low-pressure system is actually developing right above us as we speak, so things will change a lot, we'll need to keep a close eye on it.
I'm not sure why Jean Le Cam went south. As far as I'm concerned, I'm happy to be where I am, but maybe it's because I'm coming from behind so I'm satisfied to have caught up with this group.
ACCIONA has had some small problems, but she is basically doing fine and the issues can be fixed, hopefully. If the next 24 or 48 hours are a little calmer, at least I will be able to spend time taking care of that.
Javier Sanso (ESP, ACCIONA 100% EcoPowered)
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