The president of the international jury, Bernard Bonneau makes Stamm statement
Fleet News
Alex Thomson cautiously rounds Cape Horn through fields of ice
Jean Pierre Dick climbed his mast
François Gabart and Armel Le Cléac’h separate laterally
Breaking News
Bernard Stamm (Cheminées Poujoulat) has been disqualified from the Vendée Globe 2012 race and therefore, has a right to appeal the disqualification. He has elected to appeal, and in order to do so, must present additional new information to be considered.
Bernard Bonneau (President of the International Jury) today on Vendée Globe LIVE said, “We received an email yesterday from Bernard asking us to reopen his case. In this email, Bernard wants to have the Professor Khromov Captain’s testimony. We respect this and we will wait for this testimony. There won’t be any decision made today because it’s too complicated to contact every jury member.”
Until the information has been reviewed and a final verdict has been delivered the race office will continue to include Bernard Stamm’s positions and ranking in the four hourly reports.
Bernard Stamm and his team Cheminées Poujoulat, today, released this heartfelt response. “The hours I currently live are particularly difficult, but I wanted to tell you how much your messages have touched my heart. Receiving all this support from the racers means a lot to me.
To the ones still competing, or the others, I want to tell you how proud I am to be a member of this fleet. To those who have asked the organizers to take me back in the race, I want to thank you once again, because it’s the proof that solidarity exists amongst each other. I also want to acknowledge the role of the IMOCA class and especially the chairman, Luc Talbourdet. Our class is beautiful and you direct it along the right path.
I don’t know what the final decision will be, but whatever it is, I will continue to fight with all my strength. I wish you all to continue this wonderful fight we have started since we left Les Sables d'Olonne. The Vendée Globe is part of my life for nearly 15 years and I never had the privilege of finishing it. It may not be this time, but I will do everything to bring my boat back and to be proud of my adventure. Nobody will be able to take from me. Good luck to all and thank you again! Bernard.”
The jury is still out as the final outcome is awaited.
Fleet News
Alex Thomson (Hugo Boss) has started off his new year in a determined fashion, clocking some of the fastest speeds of the Vendee Globe fleet in the first few days of 2013 and then this morning at 02.38am GMT, he achieved a new milestone for himself – rounding Cape Horn for the first time as a solo sailor.
“It is a huge achievement for me and the team behind me,” said Alex. “This is the third time I have rounded Cape Horn, but the first on my own. But there has been no time to relax and enjoy the moment, in fact quite the opposite. There are about 15 icebergs around this area and although I have their location from the race office as well as my radar, passing through in the dark is a daunting feeling. I passed within 0.8miles of one this morning, but saw nothing.”
“I am going to be really glad to leave the Southern Ocean behind me over the next few days, but there is still a long way to go,” said Alex. The conditions don’t look easy ahead and the amount of strain put on the boats through the Southern Ocean could really begin to tell. But I have had one focus throughout this entire race – to finish. I will do everything I can to achieve that goal.”
Alex currently sits in 4th position, 279 miles behind Jean-Pierre Dick in third, 629 miles behind Francois Gabart in first, and 1,298 miles ahead of in 5th position.
“My strategy over the last week has paid off performance wise as I am stretching out from those behind while catching the guys in front. 3rd place is only 20 hours ahead and the leaders a little over two days, neither in insurmountable. The leg up the Atlantic is only 7000 miles, so going fast but also remaining prudent – to ensure I finish it which is my New Year’s resolution!
Jean Pierre Dicks talked Vendée Globe LIVE today, about his ascent up the mast two days ago to disentangle his gennaker, including a very impressive video showing the gasping studio audience just how high up he had to go and with a birdseye view of the deck below. He nonchalantly said with a smile, “I did some mountain climbing. I’m very happy. The fifth attempt was the good one. At the moment the boat is doing great, 18 knots on average. As for the mast climbing, we have some good tools to do it properly.
The two front runners, Armel Le Cléac’h (Banque Populaire) heading more westerly and François Gabart (MACIF) to the east are separating laterally and now face tactical choices over the next few days that could result in significant gains and losses for either of them as they approach a wallowing high in the Atlantic. On Vendée Globe LIVE today, François Gabart (MACIF) was playing his cards close to his chest. “I had some strong wind, like in the Southern Oceans; around 45 knots of wind so it was very intense. These are the strongest conditions I had since the beginning. The sea is a little bit chaotic so it’s complicated to deal with that. My strategy is clear but every time I receive a new file, I make some adjustments. But overall, I know what my route will be to the end. It has been a long time I haven’t been that far from Armel. But I think he has the most direct route to Les Sables d’Olonne. I don’t know what he has in his mind. You should ask him.”
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