Vendée Globe, verso il New Zealand Gate
OceanoVelaVendée Globe 22 Dicembre 2008 Zerogradinord 0
Vendée Globe – Oceano Pacifico – Si chiama New Zealand Gate ed è il cancello che dovrebbe tenere i solitari della Vendée Globe lontani dal pericolo icebger. Il gruppo di testa sale verso nordest, verso quel passaggio obbligatori che lancerà verso la seconda parte della regata.
A giudicare dai precedenti, la scelta di posizionare un cancello sopra i 48° di latitudine sud non è affatto sbagliata. Nel corso delle ultime edizioni, infatti, tanti solitari hanno riportato avvistamenti iceberg proprio da quelle parti e Sebastien Josse, nel dicembre del 2004, ne speronò uno, rimettendoci il bompresso.
Dopo quattro anni, Josse è ancora in gara ed è ingaggiato con Jean Le Cam per la conquista del quarto posto. A tirare il gruppo è sempre Michel Desjoyeaux, avanti a Roland Jourdain di una sessantina di miglia.
Buone notizie per Yann Eliés. L’HMS Arunta, dopo essersi fermata per assistere Mike Golding, cui l’equipaggi ha lasciato duecento litri di gasolio, ha ripreso il suo viaggio verso Perth, dove è attesa a momenti.
Day 42, 20.00 GMT, ranking
1 – Michel Desjoyeaux (Foncia) DTF 11785.5 nm
2 – Roland Jourdain (Veolia Environnement) +62.2 nm
3 – Sebastien Josse (BT) +159.5 nm
4 – Jean Le Cam (VM Materiaux) +200.0 nm
5 – Armel Le Cléac’h (Brit Air) +494.4 nm
Per seguire la regata sul web clicca qui.
[flashvideo filename=video/oceano/Vendee_211208.flv /]
Video courtesy Vendée Globe.
NO WHITE CHRISTMAS
[Vendée Globe Press Release] The leaders continue to drag race towards the New Zealand gate this evening, newly moved north in order to bring the fleet away from the ice risk below the West Pacific and East Pacific gates — not everyone will be hoping for a white Christmas this winter.
Previous editions have seen this section of the race dotted with icebergs — in 2004, Jean Le Cam took the lead on 20th December. Two days later, he informs Race HQ that he has seen a dozen icebergs, and on the 23rd December 2004, Sébastien Josse hits a growler and breaks his bowsprit. That Christmas Day, Mike Golding added his concerns after seeing some more icebergs.
Four years later, and Seb Josse and Jean Le Cam are still right in contention – Le Cam is currently 200 miles off leader Foncia, fourth of the leading, southerly group. Mich Desj’s relentless pace continues, with Foncia once again the fastest boat in the fleet this evening, currently sailing at 18 knots and covering over 375 miles in the past 24 hours. Behind them, taking a more northerly line, Armel Le Cléac’h (Brit Air) and Vincent Riou (PRB) have tonight cleared the East Australian gate, meanwhile Dee Caffari (Aviva, GBR) and Arnaud Boissieres (Akena Vérandas) have reached the West Australia waypoint.
Of the international skippers, Brian Thompson has a long night ahead of him. Bahrain Team Pindar is still making nearly 10 knots, but is now on a north-easterly heading and has covered just over 100 miles in the past day as Thompson battles to make good his structural repairs. In his latest update Brian reported that some of the carbon laminating he did yesterday has failed to set because of the movement of the boat, so he is going to cut up floorboards to stick to the damaged section, then use epoxy, adhesive sealant, and bolts to hold it all into place.
“I have about 18 hours before the next depression starts rolling through to get it done. I have not looked at all where the other boats are, it is likely they are streaking away and I am getting caught from behind, but that is really not an issue until I can get this broken boat mended to restart the race.”
Others facing a tough evening are those at the back of the fleet, particularly Norbert Sedlacek (Nauticsport Kapsch) and Raphael Dinelli (Fondation Océan Vital), who have been skirting to the north of a low pressure system predicted to bring storm force winds overnight.
Day 42, 20.00 GMT, ranking
1 – Michel Desjoyeaux (Foncia) DTF 11785.5 nm
2 – Roland Jourdain (Veolia Environnement) +62.2 nm
3 – Sebastien Josse (BT) +159.5 nm
4 – Jean Le Cam (VM Materiaux) +200.0 nm
5 – Armel Le Cléac’h (Brit Air) +494.4 nm
To follow the race on web click here.
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