[Source: Alinghi] Alinghi, Defender of the 33rd America’s Cup, welcomes one of the world’s most renowned multihull sailors to the team for this campaign: Loïck Peyron. The 50 year old Frenchman has crossed the Atlantic 43 times; 18 single-handed. He has raced around the world twice, holds three Transat titles and two Transat Jacques Vabres: “In every sailor’s mind, the America’s Cup is part of life. I have been following it for many years and now to be working for a team like Alinghi makes me proud,” Peyron said, adding: “There is a tremendous amount of work for sure, but it’s a big challenge. An interesting strength of Alinghi is that it has a lot of knowledge from a lot of areas of the sport: monohulls, offshore sailing, multihulls; especially here in Switzerland. The way the team works is based on team spirit and the method works really well; they have proved it many times. Now like everybody here, I am impatient to go and sail on the lake to see the potential of this amazing machine.”

Brad Butterworth, Alinghi team skipper and four-time America’s Cup winner welcomes Peyron: “We are looking forward to working with Loïck; he brings a lot of multihull experience – from both a design and sailing point of view – to a team that already has quite a bit of depth in this area of our sport. I think he will be an asset to this project and a good addition to the team.”

Sailing career highlights
43 Atlantic crossings; 18 single-handed
2 Round the Worlds
3 Transat ‘Anglaise’ wins, single-handed
2 Transat Jacques Vabre wins
2 Bol d’Or wins

Original post by noreply@blogger.com (Valencia Sailing) and software by Elliott Back

Given the fact 15% of our readers are from French-speaking countries, we publish Loïck Peyron’s comments on Alignhi 5, Alingh’s new catamaran, in French. They, obviously, don’t differ much from the previous one’s in English but in his native language, Peyron is more eloquent and better describes how impressed he was. In his closing remark, Peyron think the first test sails will be “crazy” and “fascinating” for the crew.

Loïck Peyron talks about Alinghi’s new catamaran. Hyères, 5 July 2009. Video copyright iShares Cup

Since Loïck Peyron makes reference to Le Black, Alinghi’s 41ft catamaran, we publish a photo of her during some tests Alinghi’s designers carried out in Valencia last year.

Alinghi Designers test Le Black 41″. Valencia, 13 May 2008. Photo copyright Jose Delgado / Alinghi

Members of the Alinghi design team pose in front of the new giant catamaran. Villeneuve, 3 July 2009. Photo copyright KEYSTONE/Laurent Gillieron

Original post by noreply@blogger.com (Valencia Sailing) and software by Elliott Back

Loïck Peyron’s entry in the 2008 Vendée Globe came to an abrupt end on Wednesday afternoon, when his boat dismasted. He was down below in his Farr designed Gitana Eighty studying meteo information when he heard a very loud bang. When he got in deck his immediate fears were realized when he found his mast in three or four pieces.

In this video Peyron shows the damage the boat has suffered.

Loïck Peyron shows the Gitana 80 damage. 11 December 2008. Video copyright Vendée Globe

Original post by noreply@blogger.com (Valencia Sailing) and software by Elliott Back

[Source: Vendée Globe] At around 13h00 (UTC) this afternoon, Loïck Peyron’s IMOCA Open 60 racing in the Vendée Globe dismasted while sailing 180 miles south of the Crozet Islands and 650 miles from the Kerguelen Islands.

Peyron, the only skipper in the solo round the world race to have competed in the first edition of the race in 1989 , was in third place around fifteen miles from the new leader, Sébastien Josse (BT),

Early this afternoon Loïck Peyron (Gitana Eighty) informed the Race Directors that his boat had been dismasted. He was sailing at the time under Solent with one reef in the main in thirty knot winds. At the time of the incident he was inside his boat. The skipper was not injured and is in good health.

The cause of the damage is not yet known, but the French skipper confirmed he still has his boom and was thinking about where to sail under jury rig. Loïck Peyron had proven to be one of the leading contenders during the first third of the 24,275 mile solo ocean race. For sixteen days Peyron had been in the lead (in the 11h rankings), at the top of the 26 boat fleet on the way down the Atlantic before Sébastien Josse and then Jean-Pierre Dick (Paprec-Virbac 2) took over this role.

It goes without saying that this dismasting is a salutary reminder of what can happen in the Southern Ocean in this grueling solo ocean race and perhaps will influence some of the other competitors, who have been pushing hard over the past few days. Peyron had experienced halyard problems on his gennaker before entering the Indian Ocean and climbed the mast yesterday to deal with this.

At 49°36 south and 52°47 east this afternoon at 15h UTC, the monohull belonging to Baron Benjamin de Rothschild is making slow headway.

In a short report, Loïck Peyron spoke about the circumstances of his dismasting: “There were thirty knots of wind and Gitana Eighty had one reef in the main and was under Solent. There were no particular reasons for the damage and everything was fine on board, when the mast suddenly came down without fwarning. I was inside when I heard a loud noise. When I went outside on the deck, I could see the mast had gone. I still have the boom and we’re currently considering our plans.”

Original post by noreply@blogger.com (Valencia Sailing) and software by Elliott Back

[Source: Vendée Globe] Peyron reclaims the lead overnight, but there’s nothing to split the leading three – all within two miles. Just 20 miles divide the first seven skippers after 18 days of racing — is the Vendée Globe set to restart in the Southern Atlantic?

Neptune decided to throw in some wild cards last night, as the leaders entered a zone of virtually random conditions with squalls, calms, grey skies, lower temperatures and variable south-easterly winds averaging just 10 knots. The high pressure area is now being felt, with sudden wind shifts of more than 40 degrees in the small hours of this morning.

Loïck Peyron (Gitana 80) and Armel l’Cleac’h (Brit Air) were able to carry on a straight course for the south-south-east, moving Peyron back up to the lead in this morning’s rankings — these two can no doubt see each other, as they are just seven miles apart. Similarly Vincent Riou (PRB), Roland Jourdain (Veolia Environnement) and Yann Eliès (Generali), are practically next to each other at this extraordinary point in the race.

Yesterday evening Sebastien Josse (BT) had wrestled the lead from Peyron. He is now showing in second place, just 1.2 miles behind Peyron, but by being on the east of the front runners Josse has managed to stay on port tack as the wind shifted more southerly. He is currently heading south-south-west with relative speed in these light conditions — a radical move which may yet pay off as BT is also the most southernmost boat.

The biggest effects of the southerly shift were felt to the west of the course, where Jean-Pierre Dick (Paprec-Virbac 2, 7th) and Mike Golding (Ecover, GBR, 9th) were forced to tack during the night, losing ground as they headed on an easterly course on starboard. They will now be experiencing similar conditions to the leading bunch, as the fleet converges yet further.

Jean le Cam (VM Matériaux), out on the east of this group, has moved up to fourth place this morning as the leading pack sail towards his line.

As the leaders slow, the chasing bunch of Marc Guillemot (Safran), Brian Thompson (Bahrain Team Pindar, GBR) and Dominque Wavre (Temenos, SUI) have kept the pace on, with Temenos currently the fastest boat on the course. Thompson for instance is 55 miles closer to the leader than he was yesterday morning. Meanwhile in 22nd place Bernard Stamm (Cheminées-Poujoulat) is doing his best to eat up the miles, covering the greatest distance in the past 24 hours.

Last night Derek Hatfield (Algimouss Spirit of Canada) became the 24th skipper to cross the Equator, with just Jean-Baptiste Dejeanty remaining in the northern hemisphere.

Original post by noreply@blogger.com (Valencia Sailing) and software by Elliott Back

[Source: Vendée Globe] After 16 days of sailing, just 50 miles cover first to fifth as the leading group squeeze ever-closer, with several skippers throughout the fleet engaged in some great battles with their nearest rivals as backing winds allow them to crack off the sheets and sail for speed.

Second-placed Sebastien Josse (BT) has got leader Loick Peyron in his sights, and by the 1900hrs (GMT) update has brought the deficit down to just 10.1 miles. It’s been a good day at the office for ‘Jo Jo’, who gained more than 18 miles on Gitana Eighty since this morning.

Marc Guillemot on Safran is also having a great duel with Briton Brian Thompson on Bahrain Team Pindar. The VPLP-designed Safran seems to be getting the better of the powerful Pindar at the moment, clocking up over 309 miles over the past 24 hours, the most of any boat.

Highlights from the 16th day of the Vendée Globe. 25 November 2008. Video copyright Vendée Globe

Speaking at this morning’s live radio broadcasts, Brian Thompson compared Safran and Bahrain Team Pindar, which are at different ends of the IMOCA 60 design spectrum. “We’re very different. We’ve been quite similar [pace] over the past couple of days, Safran has probably been a touch faster. She’s been a little bit more in the east, which may have helped her but there’s not much to choose between them. I remember at the start Safran was very fast and she’s a particularly good boat upwind, which is surprising when you look at those curved foils etc but maybe that long chine helps her go upwind as well. But it’s going very fast a lot of the time.”

Michel Desjoyeaux has also picked up the pace — he is currently one place behind Sam Davies (13th), whose Roxy is the very same boat on which he won the 2000-2001 Vendée Globe.

At the other end of the fleet Derek Hatfield now has to fend off Jean-Baptiste Desjanty on Groupe Maisonneuve, as they approach the Doldrums. “I’m also feeling the heat from Jean Baptiste who is right behind pushing hard to catch up. He is providing me with some motivation to pick up the pace now. All good stuff, as they say.”

But while picking off a rival will no doubt give any skipper some satisfaction, the real gains and losses are still to come — when to turn left, that is the question…?

Original post by noreply@blogger.com (Valencia Sailing) and software by Elliott Back

[Source: Vendée Globe] Jean Le Cam (VM Matériaux) is feeling the pain going west. He has gybed twice in 20 miles and has dropped to fifth, theoretically losing 77 miles as he goes.

In contrast, as he sails east of south for the moment, Loïck Peyron on Gitana Eighty is winning miles, but – as we have said before – this stage is about lining up to go through the Doldrums and at the moment that is still about getting west on the best strands of breeze. Hence as Gitana Eighty continues on this ‘making’ gybe which has already stretched for 85 miles, he will continue to gain on any of his pursuants who are making west for position.

Seb Josse (BT), ‘Mr Consistent’ over recent days, holds second 54.8 miles on Gitana Eighty, with Jean-Pierre Dick (Paprec-Virbac 2) in third, gaining a measure of leverage some 22 miles directly to his west.

Review of the 9th day of the Vendée Globe. 18 November 2008. Video copyright Vendée Globe

The losses suffered by those going west should be temporary. Mike Golding has ‘lost’ more than 50 miles since lunch time, but such is the anomaly produced by a theoretical rhumb line which does not account for meteorological roadblocks such as the Doldrums where the easiest border crossing reckoned to be around 26 deg west.

Behind in 10th place, Roland Jourdain (Veolia Environnement) is making a big play to get west, losing 40 miles in the last four hours, but is 70 miles or so further west than the leading group, and it will be interesting to see if he gains here.

On the evening’s rankings Armel Le Cléac’h has gained to fifth on Brit Air, while Vincent Riou (PRB) is seventh, Yann Elies (Generali) gaining to sixth in a little reshuffle of the pack.

Arnaud Boissieres (Akena Vérandas) holds 11th place, making a gain of two places yesterday after re-positioning himself steadily from his extreme easterly position, although he is the next ‘victim’ for Dominique Wavre, SUI, (Temenos II) who as well as passing Sam Davies, GBR, (ROXY) today, has now accounted for Brian Thompson, GBR, (Bahrain Team Pindar) who drops to 13th, as he also tastes the bitter pill of moving west.

Original post by noreply@blogger.com (Valencia Sailing) and software by Elliott Back

[Source: Vendée Globe] With memories of last year’s Transat Jacques Vabre perhaps well to the fore in his mind, Loick Peyron made his move last night to gybe back to the west and cover any further gains from the trio of Jean-Pierre Dick (Paprec-Virbac 2), Armel Le Cléac’h (Brit Air) and Vincent Riou (PRB).

Le Cam gybed back west too, but Peyron took no chances after seeing his rivals gain consistently. One year ago, racing two handed with Jean-Baptiste Levailant in the TJV, Gitana Eighty erred too far east, hemorrhaged miles and finished a disappointing ninth.

Another long night of strategic decisions, examining the meteo models, trying to second guess or responding to their rivals’ moves but Loïck Peyron on Gitana Eighty emerges with a lead of 6.7 miles ahead of Jean Le Cam (VM Matériaux) as the leading group line up for the Doldrums.

A happy Loïck Peyron sails, holding the top spot of the Vendée Globe leadeeboard. South of the Cape Verde Islands, 18 November 2008. Video copyright Vendée Globe

Le Cam gybed and is now making a more westerly course, some 75 miles to the east of Peyron, while the trio who have for a long time held the western routing are now working close to due south. Speeds have dropped right down now with ENE’ly winds struggling to top 10 knots.

Fourth placed Jean-Pierre Dick (Paprec Virbac) has lead the western pack’s advance, sailing west of the Cape Verdes yesterday, gaining more than 20 miles overnight making no gybes while Peyron made two during the night to consolidate his position.

Mike Golding, GBR, (Ecover 3) has seen his distance to the leader drop pleasingly since yesterday, now very much back in touch with Peyron, Le Cam and third placed Seb Josse (BT). From being 106 miles behind, Ecover 3 is now 54 miles behind Gitan Eighty this morning and still advancing.

Brian Thompson has also succeeded in shrinking his margin to the lead to 158.6 miles, from over 260 miles two days ago. While Golding lies seventh, Thompson is 11th with 61.5 miles to catch 10th placed Jérémie Beyou on Delta Dore.

Of those who had to restart again Dominique Wavre, SUI, (Temenos II) is now up to within 1 mile – in terms of distance to finish – of Sam Davies, GBR, (ROXY).

Michel Desjoyeaux (Foncia) continues to reel back miles on the fleet leaders,, making the best speed average in the fleet. From a maximum distance from the fleet leaders of 671.3 miles Desjoyeaux has gained to 527.7 miles this morning in 19th place.

Original post by noreply@blogger.com (Valencia Sailing) and software by Elliott Back