Last minute changes

New skipper joins this weekend's Le Defi Atlantique Open 60 solo race back across the pond

Hot on the heels of the Transat Jacques Vabre, the Open 60 skippers will be lining up once again for a return race, this time singlehanded back from Salvador de Bahia, Brazil to La Rochelle, France. The Defi Atlantique starts this Sunday at 1200 local time (1500GMT) and the competitors are using it as a qualifier for next November's Vendee Globe.

The competitors are:
- Jean-Pierre Dick (Virbac / France)
- Mike Golding (Ecover / GB)
- Sébastien Josse (V.M.I. / France)
- Nick Moloney (Team Cowes - Australia)
- Benoît Parnaudeau (Colibri - Charente-Maritime / France)
- Vincent Riou (PRB / France)
- Joë Seeten (Arcelor - Dunkerque / France)
- Alex Thomson (Sill / GB)
- Benoit Lequin (Wel.network / France)

The start will include a short race along the coast for the benefit of spectators before heading off up the Atlantic. There is only one mark of the course - the Brazilian archipelago of Fernando de Noronha which competitors must leave to the east.

The 4,100 mile long race is being sailing in 'Vendee' mode ie there is no shore-based routing, no outside assistance and of course it is singlehanded. The route will be interesting because it effectively is also a trial run for the final stage of the Vendee Globe. Retracing the steps of the Transat Jacques Vabre competitors will sail initially into easterlies or northeasterlies and will then have to tackle the Doldrums once again. The main issue then is how to get from the Doldrums back to France. The direct route is upwind and the favoured course will depend greatly upon the position of the Azores high. If it is to the east it usually pays to head west and sail around the high in favourable winds before picking up the south side of the north Atlantic depressions and heading towards the finish line at speed.

An 11th hour change in the line up took place this morning when young Figaro sailor Antoine Koch phoned Benoit Lequin with the news that he was too busy looking for a Vendee sponsor to take part in the Le Defi Atlantique - "how would he like to do it instead?" Half a second later Benoit Lequin replied in the affirmative and will be racing Heautontimoroumenos, once upon a time Giovanni Soldini's Around Alone winner, Fila. Backing the boat for the race will be Wel.network, a data processing service company operating in France and Italy.

Lequin, who worked on Bernard Stamm's shore team during Around Alone, was due to arrive in Salvador today but will have little time to prepare. "It is a good boat," he commented. "I have three days to get ready. It will be sufficient. I leave with the objective of finishing in order to qualify for the Vendée, but I think certainly think being on the podium is not out of the question."

Another Benoit taking part in the event is Benoit Parnaudeau, a former Mini sailor who has chartered Didier Munduteguy's 60eme Sud for the event. This is a Phil Morrison design originally built for Richard Tolkien and has been rechristened Colibri - Charente Maritime for the event. Munduteguy has since sailed it in two Vendee Globe, finishing one of them.

Parnadeau has raced in the Mini Transat twice (17th in 1997 and 11th in 2001) and has crossed the Atlantic on several other occasions. He worked as shore crew for Isabelle Autissier in 1996 and for three seasons with Mundeteguy preparing for the Vendee.