Vendée Globe 2016-2017

The Facebook page for Les Sable D'Olonne has a vid of Jp and Yann coming up the canal together.
Alex Thomson Racing's Facebook page has a vid of Jean crossing the line.
Nothing out there of him coming up the canal.
 
I was sent a really nice video a couple of days ago which was about a minute and a half long and revisited (showing on a map) the Thomson/Boss race, from start to finish; unfortunately, I can't find it now :nonchalance: nor remember which site (Vendée, Thomson Racing, YouTube, etc) it came from.]

Is this the video you're talking about?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ic8ltL21g5U
 
I will just have to find something else of global significance - but I will of course keep an eye on Enda - what a stalwart character.?
 
Sort of Vendee related...
Alex Thomson and HUGO BOSS to hopefully take part in the Round the Island Race this year.

I always enjoy Round the island Race, it is a local race for me! I don’t often get the opportunity to be based local so if I am here and HUGO BOSS is in the water we will take part in the race. The start is always a beautiful sight and it is good to see so many boats on the water. I also like the fact that it doesn’t matter if you have a Contessa 28 or a MOD70 it is a race for all. Which other sport gives anyone the opportunity to race against the best and potentially beat them on corrected time? Hopefully we will be taking part in 2017 if we can fit it into our schedule

Just need Armel to confirm now :-)
 
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Meanwhile:

Well I gather that Jean Le Cam did get into harbour last evening, because he is quoted as joining the press conference with JPD and Yann. I quote one of his comments from the VG website which references the physical challenge of the race:

Jean Le Cam (Finistère Mer Vent):This was my favourite Vendée Globe without any hesitation. I really enjoyed it and learnt a lot. I think others enjoyed watching too. For three days, I knew I wouldn’t be able to catch Yann (Eliès). I thought he’d finish five or six hours ahead of me. I’m pleased to have completed my Vendée Globe in 80 days like in the Jules Verne story. I don’t know if I’ll be able to welcome Bernard (Stamm) and IDEC Sport home in Brest tomorrow in their Jules Verne Trophy. The way I feel at the moment, you’d have to take me there in an ambulance.

Louis Burton (7th) did not have a great day in terms of progress towards the finish covering a mere 226 miles, while routing slightly to the NW, to catch an Atlantic low pressure system which should set him in better conditions overnight and tomorrow. He is currently 844NM ahead of Nandor Fa.

Nandor Fa (8th , covered 265 miles today with a lead of 995 miles over Eric Bellion (9th), who has covered 216 miles today. Conrad Coleman (10th) has caught up a wee bit on Eric reducing the gap to 230NM.

A day of slow progress for the next group of 4 (which spans 355 miles) and very much slower for Rich Wilson! Arnaud Bossieres (11th) leads, with Fabrice Amedeo (12th) just 20 miles behind, with Alan Roura (13th), 145 miles (no change) behind Arnaud. Rich Wilson (14th), has not profited from being out to the West of the group covering a paltry 160 miles (average 6.6 knots) but he may have the better winds of the group tomorrow.

Didac Costa (15th) and Romain Attanasio (16th), continue to slug it out with Romain having the better of it, reducing Didac's lead by half to 47 miles. They are predicted to have favourable winds for the next 24 hours.

Pieter Heerema (17th) - had a good day average 14.5 knots and is well clear NE of the FI.

Eight thousand miles behind Burton and 900 miles west of Cape Horn, Sébastien Destremau is due to encounter stormy conditions, even though he slowed to avoid the worst of a low pressure system. He should reach Cape Horn late on Sunday or on Monday.*
 
I think he is having a really tough time at the moment 40+ knots and the seas really build up there quite horribly - must be a tad tense for him and with a real sense of 'being alone' (until he gets around the corner).
 
Homecoming for Alex and HUGO BOSS. More details to be announced shortly!

For all our supporters who didnt make it out to see Alex and HUGO BOSS arrive in Les Sables d'olonne, there is another chance to welcome Alex and the boat back to their home port!

We will be holding a homecoming celebration for Alex & HUGO BOSS to welcome them back to Portsmouth Harbour and our home base of Haslar Marina in Gosport.

More details coming soon and we will keep you up to date on our channels..
 
Sorry no time for a full update today, but there are no significant changes.

So key points.

1. Pieter Heerema (17th) - had the best day in terms of progress towards the finish, covering 373 miles (average 15.5 knots).

2. Romain Attanasio (15th) has got the better of Didac Costa (16th) in their duel and they are currently within visual, chatting on VHF. Light and confused winds ahead for them both for the next 12 hours.

3. Sebastian Destremau (18th), is having a tough time in high winds (40 knots) and unpleasant seas, but is making good progress (307 miles) and could round the Horn, early Sunday. The Race DIrector has asked Sebastian to close the door on the Southern Ocean and lock up.

4. Louis Burton still leading of course, looks as though he will have good conditions all the way to the finish line, eta very late Tuesday night.
 
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I have been thinking since post #1387
Taken from the Vendee Globe website.

© Pieter Heerema/ Vendée Globe
As the Vendée Globe entered its 77th day 65-year-old No Way Back skipper Heerema, the second-oldest in the fleet after 66-year-old Rich Wilson, admitted to struggling with the enormity of the race. “To be really honest, I'm really fed up,” Heerema told Vendée Globe HQ today. “I've had enough. The race has already been very long and it's going to take another month. It's gonna be 100-plus days and there's still a lot to come – a lot of cold, a lot of heat, and then there's the North Atlantic. I have enough food for 130 days so that's no problem, it's more in the head. I look at another month as a big mountain to climb and I'm lacking a little bit of motivation for that.” Heerema said his motivation to finish the race, regarded as one of the world's toughest sporting challenges, came from the messages of support he receives from friends, family and fans. “I must say the amount of people that are following me is quite unexpected,” he added. “No-one in Holland really knew what the Vendée Globe was before this one apart from a few hardened sailors. But all the enthusiasm and all the 'likes' on Facebook, and the messages and the emails that I get, are really important motivation to carry on, otherwise I'm not so sure I'd want to.”

At thast stage he had not rounded the Horn. He maybe a bit more upbeat now that he is in the South Atlantic. I would not blame him at all if he retired, took a rest in a convenient port, and sailed home in a more liesurely fashion. As his race result is now essentially decided, it would be the responsible thing to do. There would be no shame, as he has endured in time what ALC, AT and the finishers have in distance.

NormanB may know, is there a time limit on this race?
 
I heard Destremau say he doesn't have enough food for the duration, or at least he does only because he ate fresh food on the way out. Maybe he was catching fish?

I understand it'll be late February or early March before he's back.
 
Sorry no time for a full update today.

So key points.

1. Louis Burton (7th) covered the most miles today (347 miles) and the weather gods look like they may be facilitating a direct run towards the finish line, which is now less than 1460 miles away. Predicted to finish midday Wednesday.
2. Nanda Fa (8th) following almost 1200 miles behind LB made reasonable progress (287 miles). The predictions show stable winds ahead for him.
3. Eric Bellion (9th)is within a couple of hours of the equator and has closed a bit on NF covering 325 miles and is now 667 miles behind him, but is likely to lose some ground over next 24hrs.
4. Conrad Coleman (10th). Is making sterling progress (with his much reduced sail locker) and is some 274 miles behind EB with just over 3,600 miles to sail to the finish line.
5. Arnaud Boissieres (11th) leads the group of 4, which has stretched out due to the slow progress of Rich Wilson (14th) who covered a mere 140 miles. RW is 470 miles behind AB. Tomorrow's winds offer no solace to RW who is likely to fall back further.
6. Romain Attanasio (15th) and Didac Costa (16th) both covered less than 200 miles today. They are less than 15 miles apart. Tomorrow hold unfavourably light winds for them.
7. Pieter Heerema (17th) - had the best day in terms of progress towards the finish, covering 373 miles (average 15.5 knots.
8. Sebastian Destremau (18th) spent another day in high winds (40 + knots) and 5m seas but still made reasonable progress (290 miles). Things should calm down for him now and he should round the Horn by 0900 GMT tomorrow.
 
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