Vendée Globe, nord e sud
OceanoVelaVendée Globe 2 Dicembre 2008 Zerogradinord 0
[singlepic=984,250,170,,left]Vendée Globe – Oceano Atlantico – Come in una regata costiera, in testa alla Vendée Globe ci si marca stretti, nonostante i distacchi si siano dilatati nel momento in cui si è messa la prua verso sudest. Si scende con passo sostenuto, spinti da venti tesi da nordovest. Si va verso il Sudafrica bordeggiando alle portanti, studiando l’avanzare degli avversari, divisi tra chi adotta una rotta settentrionale più conservativa, e chi preferisce spingersi a sud, dove il vento è davvero sostenuto.
Da raccontare la grande giornata di Michel Desjoyeaux. Foncia, ripartito da Les Sables d’Olonne con trecentocinquanta miglia da recuperare, divenute quasi settecento quattro giorni dopo, è entrato tra i primi dieci.
In vetta comanda Sebastien Josse (BT), protagonista di un tentativo di fuga che pare portare i frutti sperati. Navigando al centro della flotta, Josse è in posizione di controllo e cammina a quasi quattordici nodi, guadagnando miglia sugli avversari. Peyron, che nelle passate ventiquattro ore gli ha ceduto altre quindici miglia, è più a sud, separato dal leader di oltre sessanta miglia verso ovest.
Terza posizione al migliore dei componenti del gruppetto più a nord. Eliés Yann su Generali tiene dietro Roland Jourdain (Veolia Environnement) e Armel Le Céac’h (Brit Air).
Problemi per Dee Caffari, una delle due donne della flotta. Un infortunio a un ginocchio le sta creando non pochi problemi. Il suo medico, in collegamento via satellite, le ha prescritto degli antibiotici per combattare l’infezione: “Secondo il medico dovrei stare sdraiata con il ginocchio sollevato e il ghiacchio a tenerlo fresco, ma sono realista e dico che qui bisogna darsi da fare, capitalizzando i pochi attimi da dedicare al riposo”.
Day 22, 20.00 GMT, ranking
1 – Sebastien Josse (BT) at 18859.0nm to finish
2 – Loïck Peyron (Gitana Eighty) +44.2 nm
3 – Eliés Yann (Generali) +60.7 nm
4 – Roland Jourdain (Veolia Environnement) +66.8 nm
3 – Armel Le Cléac’h (Brit Air) +73.7 nm
Per seguire la regata sul web clicca qui.
[flashvideo filename=video/oceano/Vendee_011208.flv /]
Video courtesy Vendée Globe.
DESOJEAUX’S SIGHTS TRAINED ON TOP TEN
[singlepic=983,250,170,,left][Vendée Globe Press Release] For all that he claimed, a week or so back, that he was keeping his powder dry for the real battle, Michel Desjoyeaux is doing a fine job getting back in among the fray of the Vendée Globe.
Mich Desj’ is not exactly breathing down the neck of Marc Guillemot, some 100 miles to the north but on a parallel course the 2001 Vendee Globe winner is – once again – rocketing along as the quickest in the fleet making an instantaneous speed of 17.7 knots. Guillemot’s Safran is now just 20 miles or so ahead on the standings. Is there is a certain air of inevitability?
Certainly when Mich Desj left Les Sables d’Olonne for the second time at 04.40 GMT on the Tuesday morning after his enforced pit stop, with over 350 miles to catch up it did not look too desperate, but consider his deficit at its worst was 671.3 miles four days later.
Now Foncia is on the verge of the top ten, and from there everything is possible.
Meantime Josse has gained another mile and has gybed south-east again, now 44.2 miles ahead of Peyron’s Gitana Eighty. There is about 60 miles of west to east lateral separation between the two top boats now.
Between Golding in the NW in eighth and Elies in the SE in third there is 32 miles of lateral distance, and only four miles separates fifth and seventh. Certainly – as Riou and Dick had a reminder this afternoon – keen observation is very much required. Golding has reduced his deficit to Riou – in seventh tonight – to 12.9 miles.
Vincent Riou (PRB) said he could sail more quickly but decided against it, not wishing to push his boat too hard. There were similar words from Armel Le Cléac’h (Brit Air): «If some go more quickly than I’m going, good luck to them. I don’t want to take it too far.»
In spite of that the leaders are all showing average speeds of around 15 knots. Certainly they are not getting much rest in the heavy swell and 25 knots of wind. Rather like in a coastal regatta, they are all watching what their rivals are up to. This evening, Jean Le Cam (VM Matériaux) is the furthest south and on the starboard tack aiming for 41°south. Maybe during the night they will all ease off.
Raphael Dinelli appears to be going south again after his brief interlude in the shelter of the isle of Trindade to repair his halyard problems.
Day 22, 20.00 GMT, ranking
1 – Sebastien Josse (BT) at 18859.0nm to finish
2 – Loïck Peyron (Gitana Eighty) +44.2 nm
3 – Eliés Yann (Generali) +60.7 nm
4 – Roland Jourdain (Veolia Environnement) +66.8 nm
3 – Armel Le Cléac’h (Brit Air) +73.7 nm
To follow the race on web click here.
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