“I’m a little out of breath because I’ve just added a reef (to the mainsail) and since my winch column is broken, it’s exhausting,” Stamm dropped in to the conversation on Vendée Globe TV live. “As far as repairs are concerned, I’m focused on the hydrogenerator, it’s definitely my priority.
“Right now, the situation is 90% pleasant and 10% frustrating. But it depends on what has just happened. I repaired my hydrogenerator and it broke again 10 minutes later, and believe me, then it was 100% frustrating. Being ahead of the Englishman (Thomson) feels great, though.”
The 49-year-old Swiss skipper spoke a little too late because at the 1100hrs (UTC) ranking Thomson had re-taken fourth place, albeit only by a 1.4 miles.
If it is essential for the leaders to pretend that everything is fine on their boats so as not to encourage an attack from the others, perhaps Stamm is trying the reverse psychology. If he is not and is hiding things as well, then it is incredible that he is ‘only’ 884 miles behind the leaders. Each bulletin of damage or despair may make him seem like less of a contender, but the truth is he and Alex Thomson (Hugo Boss), for all their problems, are still in the race and would be on top the leaders quickly if they slip.
At 51 degrees south and on course to plunge deeper into the Pacific, Thomson’s hydrogenerator problems seem so severe that he cannot turn on his diesel heater or even call his wife.
“I need to be on power saving mode at the moment in order to give myself enough power to finish the race in case anything else goes wrong,” Thomson wrote. “With most of my communications shut off, I am missing speaking to my wife and team every day but I am dealing with it ok. I am still receiving emails and messages of support from Facebook and Twitter, which really keep me going.
“Although Christmas is just another day in the race it still is hard to be out here with limited contact. My wife Kate and son Oscar are in Sweden with her family this Christmas. I have gifts from them onboard and I was also prepared this year and bought all my presents in November but I am going to miss spending my son’s second Christmas with him.”
Thomson may have some company soon with Stamm only 16 miles south of him as they come together on the longitude of the Auckland Islands. Whilst the leaders are inseparable, in the other Pacific battle, 880 miles behind, Thomson and Stamm are like two lovers who keep separating over the same argument, making gybes and getting back together.
And all problems are relative at the end of the 41st day in the last edition in 2008-09 Yann Eliès had just been rescued by the Australian Navy after breaking his left femur.
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