Vendée Globe 2008-9: Le Cam is Safe; Desjoyeaux Leads

Top: Jean Le Cam (left) and Vincent Riou, safe and sound aboard PRB. Image copyright Vincent Riou/PRB/Vendée Globe.
Bottom: Jean Le Cam's boat, as seen from PRB. Image copyright Vincent Riou/PRB/Vendée Globe.

by Véronique Teurlay and SailRaceWin

Le Cam, whose boat overturned yesterday, explained that he thought he had hit a container when the bulb separated from the keel. He grabbed some things, and his survival suit and headed for the only dry place left, towards the front of the boat. He was cold, and concerned about sufficient reserves of air, but knew he must not leave the boat in the absence of help.

Riou arrived on the scene at Tuesday at 1521, concerned about Le Cam's ability to survive withe the likelihood of hypothermia in water of only 5°C. The opportunity for Le Cam to get out came about 1900, when a wave lifted the stern of the boat so that he could escape through one of the (normally submerged) escape hatches, and then clung to one of the rudders. The rest has already been explained (see articles below).

Isabelle Autissier (the former skipper of PRB) will take Jean Le Cam off PRB at the entrance to the Beagle Channel (Tierra del Fuego). This is likely to occur on Thursday morning.


Michel Desjoyeaux in the Southern Ocean. Image copyright Michel Desjoyeaux/Foncia/Vendée Globe.


Foncia still has all the other competitors in her wake. Image copyright Michel Desjoyeaux/Foncia/Vendée Globe.


Roland Jourdain passes Cape Horn. Image copyright Roland Jourdain/Veolia Environnement/Vendée Globe.


Armel Le Cléac’h passes Cape Horn. Image copyright Armel Le Cléac’h/Brit Air/Vendée Globe.


Sam Davies' chart table aboard Roxy. Image copyright Samantha Davies/Roxy/Vendée Globe.

Vincent Riou is keen to re-join the race and finish the Vendée Globe 2008-9. Meanwhile the other boat that went to the assistance of Le Cam, Brit Air (Le Cléac’h), has re-joined the race, and is currently lying in third place, behind Michel Desjoyeaux in Foncia and Roland Jourdain in Veolia Environnement.

Leaders (1500 GMT 7th January)

1 Michel Desjoyeaux (Foncia) 6,312.5 miles from the finish
2 Roland Jourdain (Veolia Environnement) 108,9 miles from the leader
3 Armel Le Cléac’h (Brit Air) 659.7 miles
4 Vincent Riou (PRB) 742.5 miles
5 Samantha Davies (Roxy) 1,860.4 miles

Vendée Globe 2008-9

Vendée Globe 2008-9: More Drama as Riou Rescues Le Cam

The scene of VM Matériaux’s capsize, showing the missing keel bulb. Image copyright Marine Chilienne/Vendée Globe.

by Véronique Teurlay and SailRaceWin

At 1421 (GMT) Vincent Riou on PRB arrived at the scene of VM Matériaux’s capsize. Riou reported that he found the yacht floating upside down, missing its keel bulb, but a small ‘flag’ was visible at one of the through-hull fittings on the bow of the upturned yacht. Riou shouted for Le Cam and heard a response from the French skipper inside the capsized boat.

The stern of VM Matériaux, where there is an emergency escape hatch, is underwater.


VM Matériaux is down at the stern, upside down. Image copyright Marine Chilienne/Vendée Globe.

While the Chilean navy was on the way to the scene, with a RIB and divers, Vincent Riou communicated that he had recovered Jean Le Cam on board PRB at 1910 GMT.

Jean, dressed in his survival suit, left the upside down VM Matériaux all by himself. At the fourth attempt to pick up Le Cam on passing, an outrigger on PRB caught in the remaining part of the keel of VM Matériaux and broke. In the mess, Jean Le Cam managed to climb aboard PRB, but the two men had to get clear of the upturned hull and tack quickly to ensure that PRB's mast did not fall down! (It was leaning at 30° initially.) They are currently sailing on starboard tack on a course of 110° with three reefs in the main and no headsail, while making a repair. Armel Le Cléac’h, who had also reached the place, is following in their wake on board Brit Air.

"It's an incredible story that has finished well", according to Alain Gautier, the safety consultant of the Vendée Globe.

Vendée Globe 2008-9

A-Cat Worlds 2009: Glenn Ashby has one hand on sixth A-Cat Crown

A-Cats after the start. Image copyright Sail-World.com/AUS.

by Rob Kothe

Australia's Glenn Ashby performed brilliantly today in Races 4, 5 and 6 of the A-Cat Worlds at Belmont, on Lake Macquarie.

All three races for the 94-boat fleet were sailed in similar 10-12 knots conditions, perfect for these high performance catamarans.

The fourth race of the 2009 A-Cat Worlds was one for the history books with three Australian Tornado (multihull) Olympic champions competing. Ashby, the Beijing Olympic Tornado Silver medallist (with Darren Bundock) won the race from Gosford's Scott Anderson, the Australian 1984 Olympic Tornado Silver medallist and the Australian 1996 Olympic Tornado Bronze medallist Andrew Landenberger.

Ashby won the second race of the day, Race 5 of the series, from Bob Baier, the top German A-Cat sailor and Steve Brewin, the second ranked Australian.

In the third race (Race 6) Baier won from Ashby with Dave Brewer in third.

With racing back on schedule after the first day was blown out due to high winds and with six races in the series now completed, tomorrow marked as the reserve day, has been declared a lay day.

One drop has been taken into consideration in the progressive scores. In the case of Glenn Ashby this is a lowly third.

With one further drop coming into play after the next three races, at this point in the regatta it appears that Glenn Ashby only has to get another 'keeper' to become unbeatable and claim the A-Cat World Championship title for the sixth time.

Here is how the day unfolded.

At the start of Race 4 Glenn Ashby and Steve Brewin started right, near the Committee boat.

Andrew Landenberger was first to the bottom mark, followed by Ashby and Brewin, who had come in from the right hand side of the course. James Spithill picked up 30 seconds around the right hand mark, zipping across from the left to avoid gas from the oncoming fleet.

The wind shifted fifteen degrees to the right, causing Principal Race Officer Moor to shorten the race at the bottom mark after two laps.

First across the line was Glenn Ashby, followed by Scott Anderson, Andrew Landenberger, Steve Brewin, Ben Deed, and James Spithill.

As Race 5 began there was a 10-degree wind shift to the left, to 080 degrees, as the fleet came down the run; Brewin was first to the bottom mark ahead of Bob Baier. Next came Manuel Calavia (ESP), then Ashby, Tom Slingsby (AUS), Brad Collett (AUS) and Nathan Outteridge (AUS).

At the second bottom mark Baier lead the fleet, followed by Ashby and Calavia.

A big finish from Ashby produced another win for the champion sailor. Next came Baier followed by Brewin, Calavia, Anderson, Brewer and Outteridge.

In Race 6 there was, in the last minute, a stack up of boats above the Committee boat.

The Spaniard Manuel Calavia started above Glenn Ashby. Below him was Steve Brewin and this group won the start.

Early in the first beat there was a shift to the right and on the run the breeze shifted back again. Germany's Bob Baier was the major beneficiary; Brewin the big loser as he lost eight places in the lap. Baier led Ashby round the bottom mark with Brewer in third place.

By the next lap around, these three boats had cleared away from the fleet and stayed in the same order until the finish.

Bob Baier had a convincing win finishing about 100 metres ahead of Glenn Ashby. Dave Brewer came a very solid third ahead of Luc Du Bois (SUI) and Manuel Calavia (ESP).

A-Cat Worlds 2009

Vendée Globe 2008-9: Le Cam Update

by SailRaceWin

It is understood that a tanker is now alongside the upturned hull of Jean Le Cam's boat, VM Matériaux, while two other race competitors should arrive in the vicinity within the next few hours. The keel of VM Matériaux is reported as missing, which appears to be the cause of the boat's capsize.

The boat's position locating beacons were set off several hours apart, which suggests that Le Cam is inside the hull, awaiting rescue. Conditions in the area do not permit going alongside the upturned hull at present, with 25-30+ knot winds and a 3-4 metre swell.

Vendée Globe

Vendée Globe 2008-9: Two round the Horn; Le Cam in Distress

Michel Desjoyeaux waves as Foncia rounds Cape Horn in the lead. Image copyright Jean-Marie Liot/DPPI/Vendée Globe.

by Véronique Teurlay and SailRaceWin

Leaders Michel Desjoyeaux (Foncia) and Roland Jourdain (Veolia Environnement) have rounded Cape Horn and are now back in the Atlantic Ocean.


Michel Desjoyeaux (Foncia) rounds Cape Horn. Image copyright Jean-Marie Liot/DPPI/Vendée Globe.

Meanwhile, Jean Le Cam (VM Matériaux), who had been in third place in the Vendée Globe, notified his shore crew of a problem at 56° 17’S 73° 46’W, 200 miles west of Cape Horn. The distress beacon was activated shortly afterwards, and assistance was sent from land.

Competitors Vincent Riou (PRB) and Armel Le Cléac’h (Brit Air) were diverted towards the position of VM Matériaux. The conditions in the area of VM Matériaux at the time of the incident were southwesterly winds of 25 knots with gusts.

An earlier retiree, Seb Josse (BT), arrived in the Viaduct Basin in Auckland, New Zealand, at 2345GMT on 5th January.

Vendée Globe

A-Cat Worlds 2009: The Cats are Purring

Start of race 2 of the A-Cat Worlds. Image copyright Sail-World.com/AUS.

by Rob Kothe

Light winds for the A-Cat Worlds Race One, on Australia's Lake Macquarie today.

Spain's Manuel Calavia claimed first place. Calavia was the first ranked European behind five times A-Cat World Champion Glenn Ashby and Scott Anderson in the 2007 European Championships and was placed second behind Steve Brewin in the 2008 Europeans. 'I was the third boat up from the pin. I went left, found clean air and was good after that,' Calavia said.


Glenn Ashby talks dockside after racing. Image copyright Sail-World.com/AUS.

Ashby, who came second, described his approach to the challenging conditions. 'The secret was to go hard left until your nose bled or you almost bricked, and then come away,' he said.

For the start of Race 2 it was A-Cat Heaven - Winds were gusting 15 to 18, possibly 19, World Champion A-Cat brochure conditions on Lake Macquarie.

It was sensational first leg for Tom Slingsby, the duel Laser World Champion who is definitely a multihull talent. Off the start line, the entire fleet went left. Although the line was pin end favoured Slingsby had started 50 metres down from the boat end, went hard left and tacked on the port lay line, while others overlaid.

He came in on the port tack, fast ahead of the five times A-Cat World Champion, Glen Ashby for the third time in the last week, with Brad Collett and Andrew Landenberger close, followed by Luc Du Bois (SUI).

The young red headed Laser sailor says 'I haven't really figured out how to sail these things downwind. Well he is not too bad the second time at the top mark he was third behind the five time World Champion, just behind Brad Collett, who hit the bottom mark and fell back.

Slingsby. I'm, going well upwind, first to the top mark again. I was happy to get third. In my view I feel like I'm dog slow down-wind.'

After a late lunch the A-Cat fleet was back on the water for the third race in the series. Conditions had changed little from Race 2, again perfect A-Cat conditions, 15-18 knots from the north east.

At the top mark BMW Oracle mono and multihull racer James Spithill came in on starboard tack to lead, with Tom Slingsby speeding in on port, slotting into second ahead of Brad Collett and Hamish Sinclair. Fifth was Glen Ashby, who flew down the run, quickly over taking Collett and Sinclair.

At the top mark for the third time, World Champion Glenn Ashby has sailed through Spithill. Third on the water was veteran Scott Anderson ahead of Dave Brewer, Steve Brewin. Slingsby was nowhere to be seen, and then the green and gold trampoline appeared, about 15th on the starboard lay line, struggling for boat speed, after a gear failure.

A disappointed Slingsby had to retire from the race. 'One of my lines snapped. While I tied it up, I couldn't put any load on it so I had to come ashore.'

Ashby won again, from Spithill, Scott Anderson, Dave Brewer, Steve Brewin and Andrew Landerberger.


Light winds on Lake Macquarie for day two of the A-Cat Worlds. Image copyright Sail-World.com/AUS.

In the series overall after the first three races Ashby, with five A-Cat World Championships under his belt is certainly looking good for number six with a 2,1,1 result. Behind him is Spithill 3, 9, 2 and Switzerland's Luc Dubois has 7, 2, 7 is third. Dave Brewer, the unlucky sailor who was struck by lightning on the first day of the Pre-Worlds event is fourth with 5.10,4

Ashby commented dockside - 'Pleased to be 2, 1, 1 against this quality fleet. It's been great racing. James is surprising everyone with his boat handling, race tactics and race management. I'm sure we'll have some classic races down the track. '

Spithill commented. 'There is a long way to go in the series, but it was certainly fun out there today.'

Brewer, who spent the night in the regional base hospital after being the only A Cat sailor holding onto his carbon mast when lightning struck the water has sailed into contention in this top quality fleet.

He was smiling in the boat park 'You've got to start well and sail consistently. The last race was beautiful; about 15 to 16 knots.

'All the Olympic guys have been doing well, so I am just pleased to up there.'

A-Cat Worlds 2009

Vendée Globe 2008-9: Cape Horn for the Leaders; a third competitor heads for New Zealand

Roxy, the fastest in the last 24 hours, reaching along in the Southern Ocean. Image copyright Sam Davies/Roxy/Vendée Globe.

by Véronique Teurlay and SailRaceWin

Michel Desjoyeaux (Foncia), who has been in the lead for 19 days now, will reach Cape Horn within the next 24 hours. He has one last day in the Pacific Ocean, where the winds are blowing 40 knots and the waves are a permanent menace.

Desjoyeaux is 73 miles ahead of Roland Jourdain (Veolia Environnement), and has a lead of 452 miles over Jean Le Cam (VM Matériaux). Sixth placed Samantha Davies (Roxy), who has been the fastest over the last 24 hours, is 2,000 miles from the leader.


Sam Davies is happy with the wind, while Chuck (the autopilot) sails Roxy. Image copyright Sam Davies/Roxy/Vendée Globe.

Jonny Malbon (Artemis II) has decided to head for New Zealand as he has significant delamination issues with his mainsail. Following a succession of technical issues since leaving les Sables d’Olonne, the British skipper and his sponsor prefer to throw in the towel before engaging completely in the Pacific Ocean.


Shadow over the moon. Image copyright Sam Davies/Roxy/Vendée Globe.

Leaderboard at 0500 GMT 4th January 2009

1 Michel Desjoyeaux (Foncia) 7375 miles to the finish
2 Roland Jourdain (Veolia Environnement) 73 miles from the leader
3 Jean Le Cam (VM Matériaux) 452 miles
4 Vincent Riou (PRB) 701 miles
5 Armel Le Cléac’h (Brit Air) 724 miles
6 Sam Davies (Roxy)

Vendée Globe