VENDEE GLOBE - CHASING PACK CATCHES UP

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While the distances to the leaders are still significant, it will certainly feel a whole lot better this evening for that chasing middle group on the Vendée Globe.

Dominique Wavre , SUI, (Temenos II) has made up 126 miles in 24 hours, which will feel much better than the 400 miles he was behind 24 hours ago. For Brian Thompson, GBR (Bahrain Team Pindar) the gain is 124 miles, for Sam Davies, GBR, (Roxy) the afterburners have been on as well as the secret weapon moonboots, and she has made up 110 miles, while Bernard Stamm, SUI, (Cheminées Poujoulat) the return has been closer to 160 miles. They are being pushed by a good 16-22 knots of breeze while the leaders have 11-13knots.

At the front the convergence is the game. Roland Jourdain (Veolia Environnement) has made the most of his most southerly position now and is virtually even with second placed Seb Josse (BT) up in the north of him, now 35 miles north now of Jean-Pierre Dick (Paprec-Virbac).

With the Kerguelen Islands 600 miles to the east, skippers are looking to their longer term options tonight, as well as taking what rest they can get. Moods are mixed. Yann Eliès today reported that he felt like he had a hangover, coming down from the high of leading to the bump of being in tenth place, losing some 148 miles due to his decision to stay north. But he was preparing his come-back today, fortified by a special wild board stew with a red wine sauce. Loïck Peyron has been up his rig to retrieve his gennaker halyard, taking the opportunity when the winds were lighter.

Posted on 09 December 2008 (Archive on 08 January 2009)
Posted by Blue Sheets Contributed by Blue Sheets

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