News

The 27/11/2009

W-Hotels times..

Breaking the finish line at 11:41:44hrs GMT Friday 27th November (05:41:44hrs local time, Costa Rica) after sailing for 18d 22hrs 11mins 44seconds at an 10.41knots average for the theoretical course (4730 miles) since leaving Le Havre on Sunday 8th November, Spain’s Pepe Ribes and Alex Pella took fifth place in the IMOCA Open 60 class in the ninth edition of the Transat Jacques Vabre two handed Transatlantic race. Ribes and Pella sailed a distance of 5790 miles at an average of 12.75kts Breaking the finish line at 11:41:44hrs GMT Friday 27th November (05:41:44hrs local time, Costa Rica) after sailing for 18d 22hrs 11mins 44seconds at an 10.41knots average for the theoretical course (4730 miles) since leaving Le Havre on Sunday 8th November, Spain’s Pepe Ribes and Alex Pella on W-Hotels took fifth place in the IMOCA Open 60 class in the ninth edition of the Transat Jacques Vabre two handed Transatlantic race. Ribes and Pella sailed a distance of 5790 miles at an average of 12.75kts. W-Hotels finish 3 days 2 hours 49 minutes 34 seconds behind the winner Safran

The 27/11/2009

It's W-Hotels by less than five minutes

W-Hotels take fifth place across the finish line off Puerto Limon as a huge rain shower breaks out. They finish just four minutes and 16 seconds ahead of Veolia Environnement. Times to follow.

The 27/11/2009

All on for the Furtive Four

So the Furtive four emerge from stealth mode and it is Veolia Environnement have played their joker best and have seized fifth place over the Spanish crew on W-Hotels, Pepe Ribes and Alex Pella.

More

The 27/11/2009

From Sid on Artemis

From Sidney Gavignet, Artemis Four in the morning, the 20th, I think, day since leaving Le Havre. Under pilot we are heading for the moon. Our bodies and our minds are numb with tiredness. Burned, aching, it's been hard! But the mission is largely accomoplished, to do this job well from Le Havre to Puerto Limon, it is almost done. That was the pimary goal. On the sporting level, well it is not to be, but that is the nature of our sport sometimes. It's a complex sport, hese machines are hard, that is this sport. But we have a lot of memories, some strssesm and three months of a beautiful project, a great stage in my sailing career. Thanks Sam for your smiles, your always ready, 'lets go' your 'its not so bad' and from last night, 'if i could I would cry....' Rest well to set off again, always readier for the next time, for lide on the ocean."

The 26/11/2009

Three card poker

Interesting……or is it frustrating? In the battle for fifth to eighth then three have gone stealth mode, Veolia Environnement, Aviva and Akena Verandas.

More

The 26/11/2009

Stealth.....Aviva hand played for the final approach.

A quiet night with the wind easing and t5he spinnaker up. The pressure is on for the right approach to the light airs off the finish line. We crossed gybes with Akena in the dark and have gybed too. We will be playing our stealth hand as I would guess would be the others so keep your fingers crossed we make the right decisions and get there before them.

The 26/11/2009

Braveheart takes a bath

The mighty Artemis has been keeping us rather busy. Last night, just as it was getting dark, there was a crack, and our huge spinnaker, William (after William Wallace - Braveheart,) went tumbling into the Caribbean. The connection between the top of the spinnaker and the halyard had chaffed through and let go, and William was now acting as a handbrake for the ten tons of Artemis that were still trying to go forwards pushed by the 25 knots of wind in the mainsail. Before we could do anything, there was a ripping noise as William started to shred. We acted carefully - the last thing we wanted was William wrapped around the keel and rudders - so we gybed (a bit of a kamakaze manouver in this situation) and William was now to windward and drifting out the side of the boat. Then the hard work of hauling in the 470 square metres of wet and soggy tissue began. The trouble is that as soon as it is out of the water, the wind catches it and it takes off. At one point I had a scary moment as the cloth whipped around my arm and then filled, tightening the hitch on my arm - I had images of a damaged arm and an involuntary flight for a few seconds before I managed to tear my arm free (leaving a nice bruise as a war wound.) After a few minutes of wrestling, the remains of William were safely in the forepeak along with half of the Caribbean. We quickly put up the other (smaller) spinnaker and got going! A tough night at the office. We now have one less spinnaker. Artemis is a heavy boat and we keep learning that this puts more wear and tear on the gear. We could have avoided breaking William if we had put a stronger lashing at the top, and so we are cross with ourselves for this mistake. Sometimes you have to learn by your mistakes. It makes you stronger. Luckily, I think William will live to see another few surfs as he should be repairable (in a sail loft, not on board.) So, that is the news of the day from Artemis. Otherwise all is well and we are enjoying the surfing through the Caribbean. No sign of the Black Pearl yet. My other loss was my toothbrush - lost overboard (boing, boing, clonk, splosh as it bounced off the two guardwires and the deck before making break for freedom and dental hygene for some lucky reef shark.) It was a disappointing moment to think of several days without brushing teeth, but luckily I had tucked away a spare - phew!

The 26/11/2009

North and South, stealth or no?

Some choice cuts from Michel Desjoyeaux and Jeremie Beyou's interview after the finish of their Transat Jacques Vabre.

More

The 25/11/2009

Foncia fourth monohull

Breaking the finish line at 22:14:34hUTC Wednesday 25th November (16:14:34hrs local time, Costa Rica) after sailing for 17d 8hrs 44mins 34 seconds at an 11.34 knots average for the theoretical course (4730 miles) since leaving Le Havre on Sunday 8th November, Michel Desjoyeaux and Jérémie Beyou took fourth place in the IMOCA Open 60 class in the ninth edition of the Transat Jacques Vabre two handed Transatlantic race. Desjoyeaux and Beyou sailed a distance of 5681 miles and finished 1 day 13hours 22 minutes 25 seconds behind the Class winner Safran. 13.63 knots average for the actual course Foncia sailed of 5681 miles 13.87 knots average was the actual average for IMOCA Open 60 class winner Safran which sailed actual course of 5263 miles.

The 25/11/2009

Flat out on Aviva

A little later than usual as we had a full on night and only now have the ability to email. We all gybed for the finish line just before dark last night and had a full on night blasting towards the line cutting down the miles rapidly. It was a wild ride too. A maximum wind speed of around 27 knots and a big swell in the seas made life like a roller coaster ride. Once the moon went down we have several hours in darkness where you could not see the waves and every now and again the bow would drop from the horizon down into a huge surf and at speeds in excess of 23 knots. The motion would make your stomach drop and you knew just a twitch of the wheel at the wrong time could spell disaster. Concentration was paramount for Brian and I driving and we took it in turns at 40 minutes each. We were relieved when the sun rose this morning and you could see what was going on with the waves and the boat. Aviva wants to be a rocket ship and we are trying to let her be, but it is hard work for us. Still we are just about to break the final 500 mile barrier so all is good and we are having second helpings of porridge for morale.