30 solo non-stop round the worlders

We report from the Vendee Globe skippers presentation in Paris

In the depths of Paris’ Bois de Boulogne, President of the Vendee Council Philippe de Villiers today hosted the 2008-9 Vendee Globe press conference attended by all the IMOCA Open 60 heavyweights and all but one (Unai Basurko) of the skippers that will take the start line of the solo non-stop round the world race on 9 November.

The line-up for this 20th anniversary event is staggering: up from 20 boats and skippers four years ago to 30 this time; from three new boats to an unprecedented 20 built over the last four year cycle.

The line-up

BASURKO Unai (Esp) / Pakea Bizkaia
BESTAVEN Yannick (Fra) / Energies Autour du Monde
BEYOU Jérémie (Fra) / Delta Dore
BOISSIERES Arnaud (Fra) / Akena Verandas
CAFFARI Dee (UK) / Aviva
DAVIES Samantha (UK) / Roxy
DEJEANTY Jean-Baptiste (Fra) / Maisonneuve
DE PAVANT Kito (Fra) / Groupe Bel
DESJOYEAUX Michel (Fra) / Foncia
DICK Jean-Pierre (Fra) / Paprec-Virbac
DINELLI Raphaël (Fra) / Fondation Ocean Vital
ELIES Yann (Fra) / Generali
GOLDING Mike (UK) / Ecover
GUILLEMOT Marc (Fra) / Safran
HATFIELD Derek (Can) / Spirit of Canada
JOSSE Sébastien (Fra) / BT
JOURDAIN Roland (Fra) / Veolia Environnement
LE CAM Jean (Fra) / VM Matériaux
LE CLEAC'H Armel (Fra) / Brit Air
MALBON Jonny (Fra) / Artemis
PEYRON Loïck (Fra) / Gitana Eighty
RIOU Vincent (Fra) / PRB
SEDLACEK Norbert (Aut) / Nauticsport-Kapsch
STAMM Bernard  (SUI) / Cheminées Poujoulat
THIERCELIN Marc (Fra) / DCNS
THOMPSON Brian (UK) / Pindar
THOMSON Alex (UK) / Hugo Boss
WAVRE Dominique (SUI) / Temenos II
WHITE Steve (UK) / Spirit of Weymouth
WILSON Rich (USA) / Great American III

Each of the skippers was given a chance to say a few words about their campaigns. Yannick Bestaven sailing Yves Parlier’s former Aquitaine Innovation, now called Energies autour du monde, has a campaign were he is attempting to develop and promote new forms of alternative energy. He claims to have lost his major sponsor but hopes he will secure another within the final weeks remaining before the start of the race.

In terms of his campaign message Raphael Dinelli, returning for his fourth Vendee Globe, has a similar alternative energy program with his Fondation Ocean Vital (once upon a time Nandor Fa’s beamy Budapest Open 60), including new generation solar panels and a innovative vertical ‘wind pole’. “This race will be a test for this new technology which we hope can be applied in industry, the construction industry and maybe the automobile industry,” commented Dinelli, who says that in conjunction with their sailing program they also have an eco building they are using for testing this technology. “I am delighted to be able to take part for a fourth time. And if the foundation goes on working, and I am still alive, and my health allows, I hope I can take part again for a fifth time!” he commented.

Many competitors either currently are ending their final refits and are about to relaunch their yachts or have already popped their boats back in the water and are considering when they will deliver them to Port Olona in Les Sables d’Olonne where they will reside until the start of the race.

Britain’s Sam Davies, now a Brittany resident, is sailing Roxy, the former PRB and winner of the last two Vendee Globes. “I am very eager to get started. I am really pleased to sail on Roxy and I’m sure Roxy wants to take to the seas very soon," she said. "She has won twice before and wants to do it again!”

Davies is one of two female competitors taking part, the other being two time ‘uphill’ round the world sailor Dee Caffari, aboard Aviva, sistership to Mike Golding’s Ecover. “I joined the Vendee Globe, where some of my colleagues have 18 years experience - I have only 18 months,” said Dee. “But I’m sure that my boat will go very fast and I know what my limitations are. This time I have to make sure I go around the world the right way!”

Where have all the nippers gone? Youngest competitor in this year’s Vendee Globe will be 30 year old Jean-Baptiste Dejanty, a naval architecture graduate from Southampton University. He is sailing the Brazilian-built Angelo Lavranos design called Groupe Maisonneuve (ex- Galileo ).

With 20 news boats there are plenty of teams hoping to get a podium spot. One of our race favourites, BT skipper Seb Josse, is among several French skippers about to take part in some training off Port la Foret. “What is sure is that there will be all sorts of surprises in the Vendee Globe. I hope to be one of the positive surprises in the Vendee Globe - we have a tremendous select of skippers this time,” commented Josse.

For another podium contender, Gitana Eighty skipper Loick Peyron, winner of this year’s Artemis Transat, it will be his third Vendee Globe including the first race in 1989-90 when he finished second, despite an impressive episode off South Africa when he assisted Philippe Poupon in righting his Fleury Michon Open 60 ketch that had fallen on its side and seemed comfortable staying that way.

“I remember I took part in the first Vendee - that was an adventure,” recounted Peyron. “I know it is still a great adventure and I get a sense that this time round it is like the first race all over again with the quality of the boats that is impressive and the number of competitors. All these things give me a good reason to take part in the race. I share my passion this time with Baron Benjamin de Rothschild and it is thanks to him that we have been able to get afloat on a very fast boat.”

Other serial Vendee Globe competitors are back. This includes Marc Thiercelin, second in the 1996-7 race and fourth in 2000-1 who returns with another new Groupe Finot design, DCNS, the last of the 20 new Open 60s to hit the water .

“I’m coming back because I am always trying to win the race,” admits Thiercelin. “I never won it yet so I’ll see how it goes in the next few months. My boat DCNS was launched three months ago. The reason I have come back is because my sponsor DCNS builds nuclear submarines and aircraft carriers and we are focusing on a project to transmit skills and knowledge so that a couple of young skippers can take over the boat in a few years time.” In 2010 Thiercelin says he will pass on his Hugo Boss sistership to whoever the lucky candidate is.

Another old hand is Temenos skipper Dominique Wavre, competing in his third Vendee Globe. “I feel more tense this time compared to four or eight years ago, because my boat is better than before. So I hope to see you on the finish line,” said the veteran Swiss offshore racer.

For Mike Golding it will also be his third Vendee Globe too, having finished third in the last race, despite losing his keel just miles from the finish line. “For me it is a pleasure to be back in the Vendee, again supported by Ecover who have been fantastic over the last four years," he said. "We have now reached the point where the hardware is well prepared and reliable. Personally I feel very ready and I am eager to get on with the race. Now all is needed is a little sprinkling of good fortune and good weather.”

Sadly Golding’s steed from the last Vendee is not doing the race (according Javier Sanso who skippered her in the Barcelona World Race, her owner Pedro Campos doesn’t want to get involved with two round the world races simultaneously – they are focussing on the two boat Telefonica campaign in the Volvo Ocean race).

Both Pindar skipper Brian Thompson and Artemis Ocean Racing’s Jonny Malbon have recently completed their qualifiers, aboard their radical steeds. The Juan K-designed Pindar is the beamiest, most powerful and heaviest Open 60 in the fleet while the Simon Rogers-penned Artemis has an elliptical wingmast and is also a powerful heavy boat.

“For me this Vendee Globe will be the biggest event I have ever done with the biggest competitors,” said Thompson. “The skippers here are the best in the world and it is the best race organisation in the world. Pindar is a big sponsor of sailing and we have got a very good boat here and I am very much looking forward to the start of the race.”

“It has been very difficult year for us, but the boat is now qualified,” says Malbon. “We have some sailing to do and some final preparation work, but now we can see the path forwards. If you look at the sailors who are here today, for me and my team it is very exciting to be qualified. We know we have a good boat and we need to take some time to do some final training.”

The final Brit competitor Steve White who will be campaigning Josh Hall’s 2000 generation former Gartmore says that he hopes “this fantastic dream is going to become a fantastic reality. We have no title sponsor but I hope that someone will step up and take advantage of a great opportunity. Every decision I’ve made over the last 10.5 years, has been heading towards the Vendee Globe.” read more about Steve White's campaign on his website here

Speed-freak Alex Thomson says that he won’t be trying to better the Open 60 24 hour record he set on Hugo Boss with Andrew Cape during the Barcelona World Race. “That was a great race to understand the limitations of the boat. To be able to sail that fast is only possible with two people on board. For sure when we did more than 500 miles in one day the conditions were perfect. For me in the Vendee Globe we will not be sailing at 500 miles in one day.” Yeah, right.

For Barcelona World Race winner and Paprec-Virbac 2 skipper Jean-Pierre Dick, it will be his second Vendee Globe after finishing 6th in 2004-5. “Taking part in the Vendee Globe in 2004 was a childhood dream for me. But the result I got confirmed that I was late to the high seas and this time I want to race around.”

Roland Jourdain’s Veolia Environnement and Jean le Cam’s VM Materiaux, both Lombard designed sisterships, although the former now heavily breathed upon by Juan Kouyoumdjian, will be at each others throats once again. Both boats were built for the last race where Jourdain was forced to retire thanks to further issues with his yacht’s carbon fibre keel foil while the talented le Cam, a three time Solitaire du Figaro winner, came home second.

“The first achievement is to be on the start line,” commented Jourdain. “A greater achievement will be to make sure we are on the finish line! Plus there’s my advertising campaign: we have a book with a DVD out on all the bookshelves very soon indeed!”

Two time Around Alone/Velux 5 Oceans skipper Bernard Stamm is back, after two abortive attempts on the Vendee Globe. This time Stamm is in a new Cheminees Poujoulat, having given up his self-built Pierre Rolland design for Jean-Pierre Dick’s Farr-designed former Virbac-Paprec 1. “This time around we have managed to get ready to compete. I think this is a great first! Can I also thank my sponsor Cheminee Poujlouant for sticking with me despite my boat breaking last time.!

There is a proliferation of sailors in this race who have made the transition from the Figaro. Yann Elies and Solitaire winner Armel le Cleac’h are both fielding new Groupe Finot designs, Generali and BritAir. “I really understand that this might be a turning point in my life personally and for my sponsor, Generali,” said Elies. “But I am ready to enter the fray. Most of us have been getting ready for this for the last two to four years. We are in the starting blocks and ready to go.” Another former Solitaire winner, Jeremie Beyou, who is skippering the Farr designed Delta Dore, says he put his Farr-designed boat back in the water last week.

An equally unknown quantity will be yet another Solitaire du Figaro winner Kito de Pavant skipper of the Van Peteghem-Lauriot Prevost/Guillaume Verdier designed Groupe Bel. Meanwhile former ORMA 60 skipper Marc Guillemot, skipper of Groupe Bel’s hi-tech sistership, Safran says she has just been relaunched. “I will have a three or four day test sailing starting tomorrow. A few weeks before we get down to the serious business I am slightly tense, but generally relaxed.”

Those who had travelled furthest to make the Vendee Globe press conference were sole Canadian entry, Derek Hatfield, and sole US entrant Rich Wilson. Hatfield is sailing a new Owen-Clarke design, Spirit of Canada, that is similar to Mike Golding’s previous Ecover, while Wilson is aboard the robust Joubert-Nivelt design that started life as Thierry Dubois’ Solidaire.

“It is a great honour and a privilege to be here representing Canada in the Vendee Globe,” commented Hatfield. “All the skippers will agree the most difficult part is to get to the start line of the Vendee Globe. My goal is to finish the Vendee Globe and represent all the sailors in Canada and not embarrass them. I want to thank them – I really appreciate your support.”

Wilson echoed this (one of three Anglo-Saxons including Dee Caffari and Sam Davies to address the press conference in French): “It is an honour and pleasure for me to be here - for any sailor it is the most difficult and stimulating race in the world. All the sailors taking part are the best in the world. It is also very important for me to broadcast what is happening to people in the US so that in schools young people understand what is happening. For me this race is not very well known in the US, but if I manage to finish the race and do well, maybe more people will get to know the race better in the US.”

Alongside Raphael Dinelli, another last minute entry is Austrian sailor former ‘public transport official’ and martial arts expert, Norbert Sedlacek. This will be Sedlacek’s second Vendee Globe on board his Joubert-Nivelt designed Nauticsport Kapsch (originally called Zen).

As Race Director Denis Horeau told us in our interview with him, Philippe de Villiers confirmed that for safety reasons the ice gate waypoints in the Southern Ocean are being moved further north this time by around 2-4deg and there will be two extra gates compared to last time. The race organisers are also working with the European Space Agency who will be providing satellite pictures of icebergs to assist race organisation and competitors alike.

“This will enable everyone to understand where the icebergs are, where they are drifting and how big they are," said de Villiers. "We will be able to pinpoint them by satellite and forewarn competitors as to where they are.”

In addition former Vendee Globe race winner Alain Gautier and David Adams will be in Australia as safety consultants ready to act if any competitors get into distress in this politically sensitive SAR area.

When pressed de Villiers also broke down the budget for the Vendee Globe: 7.3 million Euros in total with 2.65 million coming from Sodebo, 2.8 million from the Conseil General Vendee, 1 million from Les Sables d’Olonne, 250,000 from the local Chamber of Commerce and the final 600,000 covered by suppliers and derived products.

For boring political reasons within the Open 60 class association IMOCA, there has been a palace revolution recently with the newly appointed Chairman resigning followed sadly by IMOCA's highly capable Executive Director Gregoire Metz. Standing in for them is competitor Dominique Wavre. Wearing his IMOCA hat Wavre commented on the buoyant nature of the class, but the burning issue that is factionalising the class at the moment is whether or not the class rules should be further limited to restrict costs in light of the latest generation of boats becoming ever larger and more powerful. A recent vote within IMOCA was inconclusive.

“At the AGM we tried to simplify the boat, to limit costs and constrain the power,” commented Wavre. “At the moment we have ideas but nothing concrete has come out of it yet. In 2009 we will debrief at the end of the Vendee Globe to improve safety so that next time round we can have some very consistent rules across the class.”

Wavre, who is only standing in temporarily, is in favour of further limiting the Open-ness of the IMOCA Open 60. In simplifying the Open 60, Wavre argues, they will be able to spend less time in the dock and more time racing.

Back to the Vendee Globe and in terms of dates, the boats must arrive in Les Sables d’Olonne before 12 October while the impressive race village opens along the quayside on 18 October prior to the start on 9 November. Boats will leave the dock on that day at Porto Olona from 0900.