Vendee Globe 2000 - Yves Parlier Dismasted
by Philippe Jeantot 18 Dec 2000 16:55 GMT
YVES PARLIER (AQUITAINE INNOVATIONS) DISMASTED
After numerous attempts to contact Yves Parlier on board Aquitaine Innovations, the Race HQ for the Vendée Globe 2000 is now able to announce that in fact his Open 60 'Aquitaine Innovations' has dismasted. This was communicated to us via the Aquitaine Innovations shore team.
Since yesterday, we have been following with some anxiety the progression of Yves Parlier. The abnormal heading and boat speeds recorded given the favourable weather conditions in which he was navigating. All efforts to communicate with him were in vain until just a while ago, when the Race HQ received the following sober fax: "Technical problems. No need for assistance and skipper in fine health. YP"
Despite his reassurances that he was safe and unharmed, the Race HQ have asked Ellen MacArthur (Kingfisher) & Dominique Wavre (UBP) to head towards his position in order to try and get visual contact with the boat and ascertain the situation at sea.
At this hour, Aquitaine Innovations advances at 6.9 knots heading 101 degrees in 20 knot South West winds. The low pressure system is spreading and the wind should ease off more and become lighter tonight, shifting to the North West at 15 knots tomorrow morning.
The website at www.vendeeglobe.com will be updated with all the latest news as it comes in.
Latest Ranking* polled at 0800hrs (UT):
Boat Skipper Lat Long Hd Av.Sp DTF
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1 PRB Michel Desjoyeaux 48°09'S 97°26'E 96 17.2 13758
2 Sill Matines Roland Jourdain 48°49'S 94°27'E 93 16.3 +81
3 Aquitaine Innovations Yves Parlier 48°43'S 87°47'E 102 5.5 +302
4 Sodebo Savourons Thomas Coville 50°13'S 84°50'E 88 13 +410
5 Kingfisher Ellen MacArthur 48°40'S 84°58'E 105 13.6 +422
6 Active Wear Marc Thiercelin 49°46'S 83°43'E 101 11.9 +438
7 Solidaires Thierry Dubois 50°12'S 80°00'E 58 8.7 +582
8 Union Bancaire Privée Dominique Wavre 48°10'S 78°28'E 70 10.7 +665
9 Whirlpool Catherine Chabaud 50°16'S 77°17'E 78 12.7 +696
10 EBP-Défi PME-Gartmore Josh Hall 47°29'S 75°00'E 87 9.3 +811
11 Voilà.fr Bernard Gallay 46°38'S 64°59'E 102 14.4 +1213
12 VM Matériaux Patrice Carpentier 47°10'S 64°36'E 90 13.2 +1219
13 Nord Pas de Calais Joe Seeten 46°58'S 58°20'E 115 13.3 +1475
14 Aquarelle.com Simone Bianchetti 44°52'S 50°23'E 94 11.3 +1825
15 Team Group 4 Mike Golding 48°04'S 38°15'E 134 14 +2278
16 Old Spice Javier Sanso 42°26'S 36°23'E 112 6.3 +2440
17 Wind Pascuale de Gregorio 44°53'S 34°08'E 60 9.5 +2461
18 DDP - 60ème Sud Didier Munduteguy 43°12'S 18°29'E 90 10.1 +3124
19 Modern University Fedor Konyukhov 38°49'S 14°12'W 158 9.2 +4550
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ELLEN DIRECT THIS MORNING
Well I still ache a lot when I awoke this morning, but life is considerably
better than 24 hours ago. The first thing I did was to repair the genoa. It
was a big job, I had to slow the boat down for the 3 hours it took as I had
the genoa sheet in hard going downwind, so that I could work on it. We will
have lost a few miles, but at least its done now. Its not the tidiest job
I've ever done, but it has blood stains from my fingers on it to prove how
hard it was! Stuck the needle through my fingers a few too many times as the
sail flapped back and forth. My hands are not pretty right now...
This morning it was a beautiful blue sky and the birds are back as well, but
most importantly getting the genoa fixed, at least for now, has done great
things for my morale. I can't bear going slow! It drives me crazy, and I
can't even sleep.
We now have light winds, we're reaching at 12 to 15 knots and positioning
ourselves for the huge depression which is coming in behind. Its going to be
a big one, and last for quite some time. The guys further back must be in it
now.
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GOLDING - REPAIRS WILL HAVE TO WAIT
Mike Golding has so far been unable to effect the repairs that are needed
on board Team Group 4 - he reports that there was too much wind to carry
out the work in the lee of Marion Island as he had hoped. He is now
heading for Crozet Island - or the Kerguellan Islands, if weather
conditions don't allow a stop at Crozet - to find more secure shelter
before he attempts to go up the mast again. Golding is confident that he
can repair the damaged shackle without too much trouble. Although he is
not being compromised by the rigging problem at the moment he is anxious to
get it fixed. He estimates that he is 3 to 4 days away from the Kerguellan
Islands - half that distance to Crozet.
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