On the sixth day of racing in the Route du Rhum, British skipper Alex Thomson is still leading the fleet of IMOCAs. In the trade winds, he is being chased by three skippers, Paul Meilhat, Vincent Riou and Yann Eliès. It looks like being a fascinating battle right up to the finish in Pointe-à-Pitre.
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Taking an option to get through a front in the early hours of this morning seems to have given the Vendée Globe winning duo Michel Desjoyeaux and François Gabart on MACIF the chance to extend their lead in the IMOCA Open 60 fleet on the Transat Jacques Vabre during the third afternoon of racing, since leaving Le Havre on Thursday.
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The 11th edition and 40th anniversary staging of the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe solo transatlantic race got underway in spectacular style today off the Brittany port of Saint Malo, as a record entry of 123 skippers set sail for Guadeloupe.
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From one of the most prolonged and challenging storms encountered by any of the 29 skippers who left Les Sables d’Olonne on Sunday November 6th last year, French solo skipper Eric Bellion emerged triumphant, securing a remarkable ninth placed in the Vendée Globe solo round the world race when he crossed the finish line at 1658hrs UTC.
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In the last edition of the Vendée Globe, through the European winter of 2012-13, the head to head match race around the world was between François Gabart and Armel Le Cléac’h. Four years ago the South Indian Ocean saw the top duo stretch away from their pursuers.
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This is the great debate in this eighth edition of the Vendée Globe. To foil or not to foil, that is the question… On paper, these appendages which we saw in the America’s Cup allow the boat to be lifted up, as if the boat was lighter, meaning that the top speed increases significantly with a bonus of 10-15% with the wind on the beam.
Continue Reading ...Michel Desjoyeaux(FRA) and François Gabart (FRA) contacted Barcelona World Race Course Direction at around 0349hrs UTC (0449hrs CET) to report that the top of the mast of their IMOCA Open 60 had broken at close to 0300hrs UTC (0400hrs CET).
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French skipper Romain Attanasio, sailing Famille Mary-Etamine du Lys, took 15th place in the Vendee Globe non stop solo race around the world this morning (Friday 24th February) when he crossed the finish line at 1006hrs UTC.
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Jean Le Cam added to his reputation as one of the most renowned and popular skippers in the history of the Vendée Globe when the 57 year old veteran of four consecutive editions finished in sixth place today off Les Sables d’Olonne.
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The duel between Vincent Riou and Armel Le Cléac’h at the head of the Vendée Globe fleet has swung in favour of the foiling Banque Populaire VIII skipper Le Cléac’h as the NE Trade Winds strengthened this afternoon 280 miles SW of the Canary Islands, but the leading pair might well be looking in the […]
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