[BREAKING NEWS] Ecover 3 ha disalberato
IncidentiOceanoVelaVendée Globe 16 Dicembre 2008 Zerogradinord 0
[singlepic=1108,250,170,,left]Vendée Globe – Oceano Indiano – Alle 06.47 GMT di questa mattina, Mike Golding ha contattato la Direzione Gara della Vendée Globe per comunicare il disalberamento di Ecover 3. L’IMOCA 60 del solitario inglese, da poche ore divenuto leader della regata, si è verificato mentre sulla flotta si scatenava una violenta tempesta, con raffiche di vento prossime ai cinquantacinque nodi. Al momento Golding si trova 940 miglia a sudovest di Perth.
“Ero appena salito in coperta quando un groppo ci ha investito e il vento è salito rapidamente. Avevo la randa con due mani di terzaroli e il fiocco ridotto: la situazione è rimasta invariata per due ore. Durante la notte il vento non aveva superato i 45 nodi e in quelle condizioni ho viaggiato bene con due mani e la trinchetta. Il fatto è che il vento si è mantenuto teso per troppo tempo e l’albero, alla lunga, ha ceduto”.
Sulle dinamiche dell’incidente Golding ha spiegato: “Mi ero appena vestito quando la barca si è piegata improvvisamente. Ho sentito un rumore molto forte. Ho aspettato che Ecover 3 si raddrizzasse per vedere cosa fosse successo e quando sono tornato in coperta non ho più trovato l’albero. Anzi, l’ho trovato, ma steso per metà sulla barca. Dato che mi frenava lasciandomi in balia delle onde ho provveduto a tagliare il sartiame e ora sta valutando come attrezzare un armo di fortuna, dato che non mi è rimasto granchè da issare: ho salvato il boma, ma le vele sono andate quasi tutte. Spero che il fiocco da venti mi torni utile in qualche modo. La barca, fortunatamente, non ha riportato danni importanti”.
In seguito al ritiro di Ecover 3 il nuovo leader della regata è Michel Desjoyeaux. Lo skipper di Foncia, all’inseguimento sin dalla ripartenza da Les Sables d’Olonne, è primo davanti a Roland Jourdain (a 5 miglia) e Jean Pierre Dick (a 23.2 miglia).
Day 37, 10.00 GMT, ranking
1 – Michel Desjoyeaux (Foncia) +13772.2 nm
2 – Roland Jourdain (Veolia Environnement) +5.0 nm
3 – Jean Pierre Dick (Paprec Virbac 2) + 23.2 nm
4 – Sebastien Josse (BT) +34.0 nm
5 – Jean Le Cam (VM Materiaux) +47.5 nm
Per seguire la regata sul web clicca qui.
[flashvideo filename=video/oceano/Ecover3_161208.flv /]
Video courtesy Vendée Globe.
VENDEE GLOBE, ECOVER 3 DISMASTS
[Vendée Globe Press Release] Having only just taken the overall lead in the Vendée Globe British solo skipper Mike Golding was cruelly dismasted in the Indian Ocean this morning at 06.47 GMT reporting to Race HQ shortly afterwards that the rig of Ecover 3 had collapsed when he was caught in winds of over 55 knots. Golding is about 940 miles SW of Perth, Australia
The British skipper, whose 2001 Vendee Globe challenge was thwarted when he was dismasted early in the race, had gained a lead of 30 miles over Jean-Pierre Dick, who himself had suffered rudder damage yesterday. Golding had been sailing under a changed sail configuration when the sudden rise in wind speed forced Ecover 3 over on her side.
“I was just out on deck when a squall came through with winds of 55knots. I had the main with two reefs and a reacher and had been like that for two hours. Overnight we had winds of up to 45k so I had two reefs and a staysail and then changed to the new configuration in the early morning. It basically went from being a near gale to a hurricane, and the mast didn’t like it.” commented a very calm Golding this morning.
Golding had managed to secure a 30 mile lead over second-places Paprec Virbac 2 after 36 days of racing.
“I was just getting into my jacket when the boat rounded up and then heeled right over. I heard a bang and immediately went back below deck and waited until the noise had stopped. The whole rig is down, there is not even a stump left. Once everything had settled down a bit I went back out and the mast was lying across the deck and was acting as an anchor. When things stopped moving about dramatically I set about cutting off the rig. There is some superficial damage to the boat, but nothing major. My options now are controlled by what I can set up as a jury and unfortunately I don’t have much left. I am about 1500nm south of Perth and Adelaide, so whatever the deal will be to try and cover 1500 miles somehow. I managed to save the boom but have lost all my sails, other than storm staysail but this will probably fit and then I will how to work out how to fly something off the back of that. But whatever I do, I will only be able to reach and will not be able to go up or downwind. I am gutted. But there is not much I can do about it.”
Day 37, 10.00 GMT, ranking
1 – Michel Desjoyeaux (Foncia) +13772.2 nm
2 – Roland Jourdain (Veolia Environnement) +5.0 nm
3 – Jean Pierre Dick (Paprec Virbac 2) + 23.2 nm
4 – Sebastien Josse (BT) +34.0 nm
5 – Jean Le Cam (VM Materiaux) +47.5 nm
To follow the race on web click here.
No comments so far.
Be first to leave comment below.