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At around 1300hrs GMT, Vendee Globe skipper Jean-Pierre Dick suffered a collision with a solid object which is reported to have removed the port rudder and most of its assembly from the stern of Paprec-Virbac 2.

Dick has explained how he was alseep when he was awoken by a loud bang and the brutal crunch of breaking carbon. He was pulling on his foul weather trousers quickly and got into cockpit just in time to see the damaged, twisted assembly fall into the water off the transom.

VENDEE GLOBE - FINAL PACIFIC HURDLE
31 December 2008 (198 reads)

Roland Jourdain is 94.7 miles behind in second place as leader Michel Desjoyeaux takes the last hurdle before Cape Horn, the SE Pacific security gate.

Their lead over Jean Le Cam in third has stabilised, with VM Materiaux gaining about 20 miles during the morning period, averaging nearly 20 knots.

Armel Le Cleac’h has taken back fourth place from his running mate Vincent Riou and is 27 miles ahead of the fifth placed PRB.

BUDEL RESCUED IN SOUTHERN OCEAN
30 December 2008 (189 reads)

At 11:45 GMT today there was a dramatic recue deep in the South Indian Ocean. The 17,000 tonne bulk carrier CSK Radiance, having been diverted earlier in the week at the request of MRCC Reunion, located the stricken yacht Hayai with skipper Nico Budel on board and effected a flawless mid-ocean recue.

Budel, a 69 year old grandfather of five was racing the second leg of the Portimão Global Ocean Race when the lead bulb of his keel separated from the keel fin. While the bulb was still attached at the time of the rescue, and the boat was upright, the danger of the bulb coming loose and the boat capsizing was imminent.

VENDEE GLOBE - HERE COMES THE BIG LEFT TURN
30 December 2008 (219 reads)

The big left turn is the next big one for the leader, the most welcome of them all. Michel Desjoyeaux leads by 50 miles.

For the leaders and those in pursuit Cape Horn starts to occupy the thoughts. The final major milestone, both feared and revered, it marks the big left turn for home.

VENDEE GLOBE - FRONTRUNNERS PUSH LEAD WHILST BRITS DO DIY
30 December 2008 (192 reads)

Michel Desjoyeaux and Roland Jourdain continue their getaway at the head of the Vendée Globe fleet, although Jean Le Cam noted this morning that he has expected to lose more to the duo.

Jourdain has been pushing hard and apparently is managing to sail consistently quicker since last night than The Professor who is some 50 miles to his north. Desjoyeaux commented this morning that conditions would be ideal for someone to challenge the speed record.

Desjoyeaux was making 14 knots this morning with Jourdain quicker again.

VENDEE GLOBE - JOSSE'S LONG JOURNEY BACK
29 December 2008 (206 reads)

Damage to Josse's cabin roof Seb Josse was left with no other choice than to retire, but he faces a long journey around the high pressure system to get to New Zealand. Here he explains the level of damage that lead to his decision and his disappointment.

"Today at around 0500 GMT the wind dropped enough for me to lift the rudder system, and check what the problem was. I quickly discovered that the issue was on the port rudder and understood why the two rudders were not in line anymore."

VOLVO OCEAN RACE - LOSING THAT CHRISTMAS WEIGHT?
29 December 2008 (211 reads)

Giant dockside scales are looming large for the Volvo Ocean Race shore crews who are frantically trying to calculate whether their boat repairs over the first 15,000 nautical miles of the race may have taken them over the permitted weight limit.

All eight boats were measured at the start of the race in Alicante to make sure they did not exceed the maximum 14 tonne limit set down in the rules. In Singapore, at Pasir Penjang Wharves to be precise where the boats are being repaired and refitted, they will be weighed again.

VENDEE GLOBE - TOUGH DECISION FOR JOSSE
29 December 2008 (198 reads)

French skipper Sébastien Josse has just confirmed that he has taken the tough decision to head for New Zealand, probably Auckland, and so ending his dream of winning this Vendée Globe.

Josse, who was capsized by a huge wave on 26^th December, said that while he has spent the last three days sailing north towards better weather it is only within the last five or six hours that is became truly obvious that he would not be able to repair his British built Farr designed BT.

VENDEE GLOBE - GENERALI LOST AT SEA
29 December 2008 (271 reads)

While Yann Eliès' health has now improved sufficiently to allow him to be flown home this Wednesday 31st December, the Generali IMOCA Open 60 is considered lost at sea some 700 miles south of Australia.

As the medical teams were busy taking care of Yann following his accident, Generali launched an operation to recover the boat. Two members of Team Generali arrived in Fremantle, Australia and identified a suitable boat to take them to where the Open 60 was abandoned.

SEA SHEPHERD IN HOT WATER OVER ANTI-WHALING HARRASSMENT
28 December 2008 (523 reads)

The anti-whaling group Sea Shepherd is being accused of attacking the Japanese vessel Kaiko Maru in Antarctica.

The Kaiko Maru claims protesters used their vessel the Steve Irwin to ram and throw bottles of butyric acid onto the Japanese ship.

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