More drama in the Vendee

While the first three placegetters in the Vendee Globe solo race around the world were celebrating, the drama continued for those still at sea and in the race.

The first duo of Francois Gabart (Macif) and Armel le Cleac’h (Banque Populaire) smashed the record and completed the circumnavigation in under 80 days, while Brit Alex Thomson (Hugo Boss) battled problems with his boat to achieve a very creditable third place.

But the biggest hero of the race was Jean Pierre Dick (Virbac Paprec) who sailed 2650 miles with no keel. Dick stopped in northern Spain to wait out a gale in the Bay of Biscay after his keel snapped off over a week earlier and then rejoined the race to the finish.

According to the organisers of the race, Dick’s mammoth feat to get to the finish line and pick up fourth place was not only a great piece of seamanship but a world record!

While JP was finishing his race, Javier Sanso’s yacht,  Acciona 100% EcoPowered capsized in the mid-Atlantic, throwing the Spanish sailor in to the sea. Sanso managed to get to the transom of the upturned boat and inflate his liferaft.

After deploying his EPIRB and being located by aircraft, a helicopter was sent to his rescue. He was airlifted to Portugal last night (Feb 4) and was said to be in good health.

Sanso’s team are now trying to salvage the yacht and determine what caused the Imoca 60 to invert.

Dramatic video of the rescue of Javier Sanso can be seen below.

There are currently seven yachts still at sea with Mike Golding (Gamesa) and Jean le Cam (SinerCiel) battling for the next two placings, while backmarker Alessandro di Benedetto (Team Plastique) still has over 3000 miles to the finish at Le Sables D’Olonne.

For more information and to track the competitors go to: www.vendeeglobe.org