[BREAKING NEWS] Vendée Globe, Gitana Eighty ha disalberato
IncidentiOceanoVelaVendée Globe 10 Dicembre 2008 Zerogradinord 0
[singlepic=1058,170,250,,left] Vendée Globe – Oceano Indiano – Alle 13.00 UTC di oggi, Loick Peyron si è messo in contatto con la Direzione Gara della Vendée Globe per comunicare il disalberamento di Gitana Eighty. Peyron, unico skipper ad aver preso parte a tutte le edizioni della regata a partire dal 1989, era in terza posizione, 180 miglia a sud dell’Isola di Crozet e 650 miglia a ovest delle Isole Kerguelen.
Al momento dell’incidente, Gitana Eighty navigava sotto solent e randa ridotta in trenta nodi di vento mentre lo skipper, rimasto fortunatamente illeso, era all’interno della barca. Le cause del disalberamento sono ancora ignote, ma Peyron ha confermato di avere ancora il boma, che utilizzerà per predisporre un armo di fortuna con il quale farà prua verso la più vicina terra emersa dove, con ogni probabilità, deciderà di ritirarsi. Ricordiamo infatti che la Vendée Globe non prevede nessuno scalo e nessun aiuto esterno per gli skipper.
La notizia della rottura ha colpito molto duramente lo shore team del solitario francese e tutti gli appassionati. Gitana Eighty, infatti, ha dimostrato ottimi spunti prestazionali durante la discesa dell’Atlantico, affrontato da leader della flotta. Una leadership durata sedici giorni e ceduta solo nel momento dell’ingresso in Oceano Indiano, quando Peyron ha lasciato il passo a Sebastien Josse (BT) e Jean Pierre Dick (Paprec Virbac 2).
[audio:Peyron_101208.mp3]
Peyron parla del disalberamento. Audio courtesy Vendée Globe.
Day 31, 16.00 GMT, ranking
1 – Jean Pierre Dick (Paprec Virbac 2) at 15994.2 nm to finish
2 – Sebastien Josse (BT) +00.3 nm
3 – Roland Jourdain (Veolia Environnement) +21.4 nm
4 – Mike Golding (Ecover 3) +28.3 nm
5 – Michel Desjoyeaux (Foncia) +38.6 nm
Per seguire la regata sul web clicca qui.
VENDEE GLOBE, GITANA EIGHTY HAS DISMASTED
[singlepic=1057,250,170,,left][Vendée Globe Press Release] At around 13.00 UTC this afternoon, Loïck Peyron’s IMOCA Open 60 racing in the Vendée Globe dismasted while sailing 180 miles south of the Crozet Island and 650 miles from the Kerguelen Islands.
Peyron, the only skipper in the solo round the world race to have competed in the first edition of the race in 1989, was in third place around fifteen miles from the new leader, Sébastien Josse (BT).
Early this afternoon Loïck Peyron (Gitana Eighty) informed the Race Directors that his boat had been dismasted. He was sailing at the time under Solent with one reef in the main in thirty knot winds. At the time of the incident he was inside his boat. The skipper was not injured and is in good health.
The cause of the damage is not yet known, but the French skipper confirmed he still has his boom and was thinking about where to sail under jury rig. Loïck Peyron had proven to be one of the leading contenders during the first third of the 24275 miles solo ocean race. For sixteen days Peyron had been in the lead, at the top of the 26 boat fleet on the way down the Atlantic before Sébastien Josse and then Jean-Pierre Dick (Paprec-Virbac 2) took over this role.
It goes without saying that this dismasting is a salutary reminder of what can happen in the Southern Ocean in this grueling solo ocean race and perhaps will influence some of the other competitors, who have been pushing hard over the past few days. Peyron had experienced halyard problems on his gennaker before entering the Indian Ocean and climbed the mast yesterday to deal with this.
At 49°36 south and 52°47 east this afternoon at 15h UTC, the monohull belonging to Baron Benjamin de Rothschild is making slow headway.
In a short report, Loïck Peyron spoke about the circumstances of his dismasting: “There were thirty knots of wind and Gitana Eighty had one reef in the main and was under Solent. There were no particular reasons for the damage and everything was fine on board, when the mast suddenly came down without fwarning. I was inside when I heard a loud noise. When I went outside on the deck, I could see the mast had gone. I still have the boom and we’re currently considering our plans.”
[audio:Peyron_101208.mp3]
Peyron talks about Gitana Eighty’s dismasting. Audio courtesy Vendée Globe.
Day 31, 16.00 GMT, ranking
1 – Jean Pierre Dick (Paprec Virbac 2) at 15994.2 nm to finish
2 – Sebastien Josse (BT) +00.3 nm
3 – Roland Jourdain (Veolia Environnement) +21.4 nm
4 – Mike Golding (Ecover 3) +28.3 nm
5 – Michel Desjoyeaux (Foncia) +38.6 nm
To follow the race on web click here.
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