Barcelona World Race/ Open 60's

Barcelona World Race / Open 60's

from race headquarters:

Président has lost its mast and is heading to Cape Verde

The team are safe and sound
Jean Le Cam reported to Race Direction of the Barcelona World Race at 1925hrs (UTC) this Monday evening that the IMOCA Open 60 President has lost its mast.
Jean Le Cam (FRA) and Spanish co-skipper Bruno Garcia are on board and both safe and healthy.


The incident occurred when the boat was positioned at around 18º 03 ' NR /26 º 14 ' W and was sailing at speeds of between 16 and 20 knots.

The boat is reported to have hit a wave and the mast broke.

Michel Olivier, the team’s technical manager and Race Direction are in permanent contact with the boat and have confirmed that neither skipper required assistance.

Both are on board and President is currently under engine to cover the 83 miles which separated them from San Antao, the most northerly island of the Cape Verde group.

The weather conditions currently are a North Easterly blowing at around 19 knots with a short sea

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Alex Thompson who "missed the boat" due to an attack of appendicitis has found that his newborn child has a heart condition and has put off joining Hugo Boss..

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V3 is 68 miles ahead of Foncia......

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http://www.barcelonaworldrace.org/en/index.php

 

Barcelona World Race / Open 60's---Foncia damaged

From Race Headquarters-Foncia Damaged:
Misfortunes, mishaps and Mapfre making miles

The strong trade winds and high speeds south from the Canary islands have taken a toll on the Barcelona World Race leading group as Jean Le Cam and Bruno Dubois head for the Cape Verde islands this afternoon after losing the mast of their IMOCA Open 60 Président 83 miles NW of Santo Antao at around 1930 last night. The duo lost the entire rig and had to cut sails free.


After hitting some type of floating object which has damaged the crash box on the bow of Foncia which they noticed on Sunday, Michel Desjoyeaux and Francois Gabart confirmed this morning that they are preparing to make a technical stop in Brasil, probably in Recife to repair or replace the sacrificial section which served its purpose, preventing damage to the hull.
Speeds have dropped now for the leaders who keep pressing hard down towards the Doldrums, but who will be taking the chance to re-group, to recharge their energies after three seemingly endless days and nights of on-the-edge sailing. For the leading duo the passage across the Doldrums looks to be relatively straightforward, and they will start to feel the effects of the convergence zone this evening. The slow-down for the leaders might be scarcely noticeable and last around 24-36 hours.
Leader Virbac-Paprec 3 might even expect to be sliding into the southern hemisphere, across the Equator by Wednesday evening around 1800-1900hrs.

The top half of the fleet have a time window of around 48 hours to get down to the Doldrums, but then as the Trade Winds in the north start to diminish, the light winds convergence zone spreads north and the later arrivals might lose up to another half a day or so, on the leading pack.

The technical stopover for Desjoyeaux and Gabart, expected to be in Recife this Friday, is expected to be relatively straightforward, and requires a detour which is not too far off the course considering the present position of the St Helena high pressure system which presses the fleet closer to the Brazilian coast. The ‘nose job’ procedure could take as little as four hours to complete with the boat required to be lifted out of the water.

 

Barcelona World Race / Open 60's-V3 damaged

Trouble for V3:



Press release from BWR

Technical repair stop in Brasil for Barcelona World Race leader Virbac-Paprec 3

Barcelona World Race leaders Jean-Pierre Dick and Loïck Peyron are preparing to make a technical stop in Brasil to make a repair to their main sheet track on Virbac-Paprec 3.
A length of around 2.50 metres of the track is reported to have been lifted away from the deck.
Virbac-Paprec 3 is sailing presently off the coast of Brasil in SE’ly winds of 15 knots under full main and Solent headsail.
The duo lead the race by approximately 50 miles from Foncia, Michel Desjoyeaux and Francois Gabart, who are also preparing for a stop in or near Récife, arriving between Friday night and Saturday.
Dick and co-skipper Loïck Peyron have made the decision to head for Récife, Brasil which is 434 miles to their SW, to repair this vital control. The duo are expecting to arrive in the Brasilian port in around 48 hours (Saturday) where their technical team will be waiting for them.
Jean-Pierre Dick (FRA), winner of the first edition of the Barcelona World Race contacted by phone said:
“I was outside when it happened. Loïck was sleeping. The mainsail track came away for 2.5 m. We can’t really trim the mainsail. It happened in the conditions which were bizarrely benign. There was a little choppy, 14-15 knots, nothing exceptional. It was an otherwise nondescript afternoon. There was not even great pressure on the track, we were under full mainsail and Solent. I don’t really know exactly what happened. We will head for Récife to repair it. It is better to have it happen, than in the South!”

 

Barcelona World Race / Open 60's

From the race website:

First in first out. Brasilian stop: over.

First in to Récife and first out, Foncia returned to the race course this evening after an 18 hours stopover to repair the sacrificial crash box on the bow of the VPLP/Verdier designed IMOCA Open 60.
Michel Desjoyeaux and François Gabart arrived at 2330hrs (UTC) last night and left the dock at 1740hrs (UTC).
According to the technical team repairs went well. The foam was largely intact and so required some new carbon and lamination, effectively with a new nose ready to take on the race course again.
Foncia is reported to have set off again in winds of around 12 knots, ready to take on their next challenge, the Saint Helena anticyclone. Desjoyeaux and Gabart restart in fifth position more than 160 miles behind race leader Estrella Damm.

The Virbac-Paprec team were expecting to be heading back to the race course around 2015hrs (UTC). Their repairs were reported to have gone well although some supplementary work was required to repair damage to the bracing support for the main sheet track caused by the jury mainsheet anchoring set up by Jean-Pierre Dick and Loïck Peyron.
“ Work went well in spite of the additional work caused by the fortune set up by JP and Loïck which sheared the support for the carbon sheet track. Julien and Philippe repaired that but the resin does not dry well in the humid equatorial climate. Jean-Yves, Bruno and I replaced the new track. Jean-Pierre and Loïck left to rest before heading back out to sea around the start of the evening.” Said shore team member Nicolas

Estrella Damm leads into the third Sunday of the race by 118 miles from MAPFRE.
In eighth GAES Centros Auditivos is less than 2 miles ahead of Renault ZE Sailing Team. They have Neutrogena 34.7 miles ahead, but Hugo Boss is now 84 niles behind them.

Go V3!

 

Barcelona World Race / Open 60's

Well, this is an interesting race with the fleet bunching up just before they all have to head east. Not sure the position reports are accurate given the big changes that will happen as everybody heads in the general direction of SA fairly soon.
The V3 guys(curved lifting foils) have exercised their "ghost" option a feature of the race where a Team can drop off the chart becoming invisible for 24 hours(I think). She was in 5th with Foncia back in 9th when she dropped off. This is a great race demonstrating new monohull design technology with some great sailors. Go V3!


http://www.barcelonaworldrace.org/en/index.php

 

Barcelona World Race / Open 60's

Well, two of the three "foilers" are back in the lead: Foncia first and my guys, V3 in second(and faster at the moment). Here is more from race headquarters:

21.01.2011
A wild ride from the west

Three weeks since they set off, the Barcelona World RACE fleet has taken a new shape. Yesterday evening Foncia surged into first place, and this morning Virbac Paprec 3 joined them at the head of the race in second place.



Together the pair, which each stopped in Recife, Brazil have maintained a samba pace since leaving the South American coast. Today they have been enjoying a fast ride on their journey back from the western frontiers of the course, both averaging over 20 knots of boat speed in solid northerlies. In the past 24 hours the French duo covered over 400 miles – on average 150 miles more than the boats on the east of the course.

Michel Desjoyeauxand Francois Gabart (FRA) were first to reclaim their place at the front of the leaderboard, arriving in first place yesterday evening ahead of Estrella Damm, who had led the fleet for the previous six days. Alex Pella and Pepe Ribes (ESP) exited the light winds zone yesterday, but in moderate easterly breezes their speed has leveled out at around 11 knots. This has allowed the other western rebels on Virbac Paprec 3, riding ahead of the same low pressure system as Foncia, through into second place overall this morning.

In fourth place Kito de Pavant and Sebastien Audigane (FRA) on Groupe Bel have stuck close to Estrella Damm. However, the next potential threat to the status quo could come from MAPFRE, who also struck out on an independent course and are currently the most westerly boat on the track in fifth. Some 200 miles further north than Virbac Paprec 3, the 49er pairing of Iker Martinez and Xabi Fernandez (ESP) don’t have quite the same white-knuckle conditions as the new leaders, but at the edge of the low pressure system they are still making 16 knots average speed and may well be able to maintain this momentum into third place.

Although the low pressure system seems to be moving more rapidly south-east than previously predicted, if the westerly boats are able to stay ahead of the front their advantage will continue to extend to Gough Island, with the first boat likely to reach this remote Atlantic waypoint on Sunday. Meanwhile, with two high pressure zones set to merge across the southern Atlantic over the next two days, the boats on the easterly side of the track will need to find a route south if they are to remain in contention.

As Michel Desjoyeaux (FRA) explained: “We are sailing with two digits of boatspeed and the first digit is a ‘two’ so it’s good news, but on board it is a little shaky. Fortunately we’re under the coach roof so we can be protected. With the weather that is set to arrive it’s better to be in front because you have more options.”
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Michel Desjoyeaux's "fond" description of the guys on the light blue V3 relentlessly catching him: “We have our “Smurfette” on our tail making life difficult for us but it’s a good thing as it’s motivating.” From Race Headquarters: The blue ‘Smurfettes’, as he refers to Jean-Pierre Dick and Loick Peyron (FRA) on Virbac Paprec 3 have been piling on the pressure, and have reduced the gap to the leaders to under 45 miles in this evening’s 2000hrs update. Currently the fastest boat on the course, Virbac Paprec 3 has averaged over a knot faster than their French rivals this afternoon and have also topped 450 miles in the past 24 hours.

 

Barcelona World Race / Open 60's

My chosen Team- V3- was 45 miles behind Foncia yesterday and are 27.9(Update 12:15 EST-now only 19 back) miles back today-Go V3!
From a sailboat design perspective one of the most interesting facts about this race is that three of the boats are using lifting foils-daggeboards that also create a little vertical lift. V3 is using curved foils like the big trimarans and Mapre and Foncia are using relatively straight angled foils. Well, for the first time in this race the "foilers" are lined up 1-2-3 with the first two doing 20 knots which will allow the foils to make a significant contribution. This really is an important development in monohull keelboat design and incredibly interesting.

http://www.barcelonaworldrace.org/en/index.php


Lighting the blue touchpaper

Consistently covering over 500 miles in 24-hours, Jean-Pierre Dick and Loick Peyron (FRA) are setting the pace in the Barcelona World Race.
The Virbac Paprec 3 duo’s total mileage peaked earlier today at 516.37 nautical miles, achieved between 0900hrs (UTC) yesterday morning and 0900 today. Sailng at an average of 21.51 knots this potentially sets a new 24-hour record for 60ft monohulls, depending on ratification by the World Sailing Speed Record Council (WSSRC).

This would replace the previous record set by Hugo Boss in the first edition of the Barcelona World Race in 2007, which stands at 501.3 miles with an average speed of 20.88 knots over 24 hours by Alex Thomson (GBR) and Andrew Cape (AUS).

The ‘Schtroumpfettes’, as Michel Desjoyeaux (FRA) has nicknamed the duo, are surely the fastest Smurfs in the west. Currently in second place, Virbac Paprec 3 continues to maintain 20-plus knot average speeds since this morning’s position update, whilst race leader Desjoyeaux and Francois Gabart (FRA) on Foncia have dropped a knot slower. The blue Verdier-VPLP boat is also gaining on the front-runner, and now less than 20 miles behind.

Fonciaand Virbac Paprec 3 have been experiencing record-breaking conditions sailing ahead of a clearly developed front which has produced consistent north-westerly winds in the high 20s, with occasional gusts topping 30 knots. Together with moderate waves of around 2-3 metres from the same direction this is allowing for high average boat speeds for the front two boats as they sail high to the waypoint of Gough Island. Foncia and Virbac Paprec 3 may be able to keep pace with the front throughout for another 12 hours or so, but as they approach Gough Island can expect to see substantial wind shifts to lighter southerly breezes. The first boat is anticipated at the Atlantic waypoint of Gough Island tomorrow afternoon.

By contrast, MAPFRE in third place are under the influence of the same low pressure system, but at the northern edge of it have been sailing 2-3 knots slower for the past 24 hours and this afternoon have dropped to less than half the leaders’ pace. While Virbac Paprec 3 gains, Iker Martinez and Xabi Fernandez (ESP) are now 350 miles behind Foncia – a loss of around 70 miles since they gained the third podium place in the small hours of this morning.

 

Barcelona World Race / Open 60's

V3 has made up 30 miles+ overnight and is now back in the lead-10 miles ahead of Foncia! For those who wonder if the lifting foils are used only on a beat here is a video of V3 with her leeboard all the way down on a screaming reach. These boards can generate a lot of vertical lift with the boat at a small degree of heel.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DfoBCIPfJY&feature=player_embedded

 

Barcelona World Race / Open 60's

Foncia caught up to within 5 miles of V3 but then V3 accelerated away in just the last few hours as Foncia emerged from her "ghost" mode where all tracking is turned off for 24 hours. Here is more from race headquarters:

Virbac-Paprec resist the attack of Foncia

Virbac-Paprec 3 and Foncia are riding the leading edge of the low pressure’s front and should manage to stay with it, making around 18-20 knots and we should maybe see them gybe later this afternoon or this evening to line up for the SW’lies as the front passes over them.
For the leading duo especially it is pedal to the metal time, trying to stay aboard this fast moving express for as long as possible. Foncia were first to satisfy the first gate, at around

They will ride the SW’lies south but then the key strategy now is how and when to respect the succession of security gates, dipping south and looping back north to satisfy the gates, passing to the north of the gate at one point on its length, whilst utilising the successive low pressure systems and their associated fronts. What is important is not to end up in the N-NW’ly breeze trying to get north to complete the gate, so timing the transitions is vital but is not at all easy tracking these fast moving systems.

MAPFRE have been towards the back edge of the low and so will drop off the system first and into the lighter breezes behind, but will be best placed for the second system which should come through later Wednesday. But in general the fleet behind them will find it increasingly difficult to escape from the Saint Helena high which will return to haunt them, especially the tail of the fleet. It is proving especially complex for them to find enough breeze to get clear. For example they will initially get NW’ly breeze and so will find it hard to get west towards the strongest and best pressure generated by the next, second low system. So in fact they from around the ninth placed GAES Centros Auditivos will likely have to keep working south and may even miss the ride on the second low. And so during Wednesday and into Thursday the fleet can be on three different weather systems.

Virbac-Paprec 3 lead by 28.3 miles this morning, extending slightly with more speed and wind pressure 25 miles or so to the south of the course taken by Foncia.

 

DIASTER!! Foncia loses mast.....

In a stunning development Foncia has lost her mast and retired fom the race.
Here is their description of what happened:

Foncia describe their mast break and retire from the Barcelona World Race.
The report was sent from Foncia’s Michel Desjoyeaux and François Gabart at 0659hrs this Wedenesday morning.

“ On January 26th 2011 at 0240hrs UTC positioned at 41°12,6 S and 8°59,8 E Foncia was sailing a course of 115 degrees at an average of 18 knots under Solent and one reef with the wind at 140 degree blowing at 25-30 knots, wind swell, and had the same conditions for around eight hours.
The mast broke above the solent hound, in other words around 25 metres above the deck (27.3m long tube). The rigging is still up held in place by the lower shrouds, the runners, the staysail stay and main jib stay. The broken sectiont is hanging down at 20m up and is still held in place by the halyards. The solent, unfurled, because in use when the damage occurred was twisted around the whole mast.
The mainsail is held by its halyard at the third reef. Everything has stayed on board, nothing lost overboard. I can’t hide our disappointment, but we are healthy except I have a little pain in my right thumb which I got when I was trying to get the Solent under control.
We do not ask for any assistance. We are currently trying to head for Cape Town under sail, around 600 miles off. Our current speed is 11 knots course 76 deg. The forecasts for the next few days show no risk (today 25 to 30 knots from the S, weakening and clocking W). In two days the passage of the anticyclone (bringing light winds). If the seas are slight then maybe we will have the chance to climb the mast to recover the pieces and to be able to drop the mainsail. After that we should see 20-25 knots from the SE in to Cape Town.

Our ETA Cape Town then should be 30th or 31st January. We retire from the Barcelona World Race.”
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http://www.barcelonaworldrace.org/en/index.php I'm sure sorry to see this! It was a hell of a match race with V3!

 

Barcelona World Race / Open 60's

V3 is now 587 miles in front of the fleet with the retirement of Foncia.From the race website:

A test of nerves

The combination of a dynamic weather pattern right through into the early part of next week, and the succession of ice gates which effectively restrict how far south the fleet can go and so constrain their tactical options look set to present a set of interesting challenges for race leader Virbac-Paprec 3.

Looking ahead to Sunday 30th and Monday 31st the high pressure ridge which will develop south of South Africa will break off and to block the progress of the leading boat. There will be some incremental gains to the leaders before then as they continue to ride the top edge of the frontal system, but the need to stay north for the gates - rather than the usual strategy of riding the low pressure as long as possible, is compromised as they need to step off the conveyor belt to adhere to the gates.

As Virbac-Paprec 3 slow, the high pressure moving east and south, set to take up station over the Kerguelen Islands, moves with them close to the centre of it. And meantime it looks like MAPFRE especially will be making rapid inroads, in 30 knots of W'ly and possibly making 460-480 mile days, which could bring them gains of 180-200 miles on the leaders who have 579 miles on MAPFRE on this morning's 0900hrs sked. In short it looks like a great opportunity for MAPFRE, Estrella Damm, Groupe Bel and Renault ZE Sailing Team to catch up.

The requirements of the gates means that the passage across the South Indian Ocean, at least, has the propensity to become punctuated by constant fast, slow. That will make it especially hard for the leaders' nerves.

 

Barcelona World Race / Open 60's

V3 is 592 miles ahead of second place Mapfre but Mapfre is the fastest boat in the fleet today. V3, Foncia(retired ,at least temporarily) and Mapfre are all using foils that generate vertical lift and are the only boats in the fleet doing so(as best I can tell).
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UPDATE-2/4/11: Not much has changed-Mapfre has shaved 200m off of V3's lead but V3 is ahead by 400+ miles....

 

Barcelona World Race / Open 60's

V3 is 617 miles ahead of the second place boat!
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UPDATE,2/7/11: V3 now 781 miles in front!

 

Barcelona World Race / Open 60's

From race headquarters:

Under the land down under

Virbac-Paprec 3 are now within 65 miles of the longitude of Cape Leeuwin, Australia this morning. They are in the free area between the two safety barriers though have only strayed six miles south of the line between them. Jean Pierre Dick and Loick Peyron appear to have about 15kts of SW'ly breeze and they have slowed back to a more modest 12-13 knots.

Approaching the first Australian safety barrier is MAPFRE, with some 380 miles to sail. Iker Martinez and Xabi Fernandez have Estrella Damm now just 25 miles behind them, both sailing in around 40kts of WNW'ly and making around 17.5-18kts.

Estrella Damm has been slightly quicker overnight, gaining just over four miles, but you can imagine that if these two Spanish rivals and good friends get closer to each other armed with near identical boats, they will push each other even harder. Groupe Bel is slightly faster them, quickest in the fleet this morning but is still 100 miles behind. Renault Z.E. Sailing Team have 35-40 knots of wind and are sailing NE, 80 miles to the north and west of the 'three musketeers'.

Mirabaud in sixth have some 150 miles to make the Amsterdam Gate and are making good speed, now 25 miles ahead of Neutrogena, both sailing in WSW winds of 30kts.

Hugo Boss have caught up to within 70 miles of GAES Centros Auditivos. The girls on GAES have had something of a slower night, in the transition between the low pressure systems. But both should be fully into stronger NW winds by late this afternoon.
Forum Maritim Catala have 550 miles to sail to make the Crozet Gate, with We Are Water 200 miles behind and Central Lechera Asturiana another 200 miles behind Jaume Mumbru and Cali Sanmarti
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V3 at speed: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anTb2eN0kug&feature=player_embedded
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curved lifting foil on V3-click on image:

 

Barcelona World Race / Open 60's

From Scuttlebutt Europe:

"MAPFRE" Back On Track After Daggerboard Repairs

The IMOCA Open 60 skippered by Olympic champions Iker Martinez and Xabi Fernandez in the Barcelona World Race, "MAPFRE", is back with one foot firmly on the gas, fighting harder than ever to defend second place in the overall general rankings, the position now hers for the fifteenth consecutive day of racing.

This morning the double Olympic champions revealed details of the exhausting situation experienced on board over a period of four tough days, having broken the port side daggerboard. This is a part weighing some 100 kg and measuring over four metres in length that the Basque sailors managed to repair on board, using the limited resources available and with 20 knots of breeze blowing.

Five days ago Iker and Xabi collided with an object which they were not able to identify, but which damaged one of the daggerboards, a metre to a metre and a half from the tip. "The bow end was more damaged whereas main structure had withstood the impact better, with the deepest part now the rudder stock, totally uncovered," explained the skipper from Hondarribia (Guipuzcoa).

The situation put the "MAPFRE" skippers in a spot of bother: "Without a daggerboard you can survive without dropping back too much as far as Cape Horn, but after that, forget it," commented an honest Iker Martinez.

After four days of hard work, Iker Martinez described the feelings in detail in his email: "We decided to try to put it in place as soon as the wind dropped below 20 knots. We prepared everything, hung the daggerboard from a halyard and in a calmer spot we slowed the boat right down and got down to it," said Martinez, both exhausted and satisfied.

"The operation went quite well and we had the daggerboard in position - what satisfaction! We were both exhausted, dead on our feet, drained and that's when we got the report that "Estrella Damm" was just over 10 miles to our stern. We'd managed to carry out the repairs without them overtaking us, so we were over the moon! It was like going a set up!" he added.

The entire email sent by Iker Martinez with details of the daggerboard repair can be found at www.iker-xabi.com/en/logbook

General Rankings Day 41 - 09:00 GMT.

1. Virbac-Paprec 3 (Jean Pierre Dick - Loick Peyron) FRA, 13,432 miles from finish
2. MAPFRE (Iker Martinez - Xabi Fernandez) ESP, +489.7 miles
3. Estrella Damm Sailing Team (Alex Pella - Pepe Ribes) ESP, +521.5 miles
4. Groupe Bel (Kito de Pavant - Sebastien Audigane) FRA, +723.2 miles
5. Renault Z. E. (Pachi Rivero - Antonio Piris) ESP, +1,132.4 miles
6. Mirabaud (Dominique Wavre - Michele Paret) SUI, +1,603.5 miles
7. Neutrogena Formula Noruega (Boris Herrmann - Ryan Breymaier) NOR, +1,713.2 miles
8. Gaes Centros Auditivos (Dee Caffari - Anna Corbella) GBR/ESP, +2,198.2 miles
9. Hugo Boss (Wouter Verbraak - Andy Meiklejohn) GBR, +2,205.9 miles
10. Forum Maritim Catala (Gerard Marin - Ludovic Aglaor) ESP, +3,319 miles
11. We Are Water (Jaume Mumbru - Cali Sanmarti) ESP, +3,488.4 miles
12. Central Lechera Asturiana (Juan Merediz - Fran Palacio) ESP, +3,512.8 miles
** President (Jean le Cam - Bruno Garcia) FRA/ESP, Race Abandoned 12th January.
** Foncia (Michel Desjoyeaux - Francois Gabart) FRA, Race Abandoned 26th January.

www.iker-xabi.com
barcelonaworldrace.com