Vendee Globe 2008-9

[King of Kailua]

Hells yah I love this race! :biggrin:

The Gitana Eighty is the first boat past the equator as of 21Nov08. (http://tracking.vendeeglobe.org/en/)

This race is no biggie. Just a bunch of folks single handling 45' sailing sleds non-stop around the world for 25,000 miles (http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x67hlu_vendee-globe-2008-2009-teaser_sport)

Now on to the southern hemisphere (http://www.vendeeglobe.org/en/news/6026/applying-the-power.html)

[redbike]

The middle link in your post is awesome.

You must know about Isabelle Autissier. I'll never forget about her lead in the first leg - across the Atlantic - of the 95-96 Around Alone race, where she took an unconventional course and beat her nearest competitor by 1,100 miles. Unfortunately she didn't finish because her boat suffered irreparable damage in a later leg.

[King of Kailua]

Yeah I remember her race. It was too bad about her vessel. I have a hard time conceptualizing doing this race / course alone with these speed sleds. The southern ocean must truly whip these guys. These boats are spooky because of the cantilevering keels and lack of any kind of a stern to speak of. If your boat capsizes, it ain't coming back over and you better be able to get out!

If I see any live coverage on tv, I may get all giddy, throw on my Henri Loyd's and bounce around the house like a mad man.
http://img.skitch.com/20081122-mpm61w5rmypmnrtd7q2xtp5hc9.preview.jpg (http://skitch.com/mharing/hcbn/912-image9-gore-tex-offshore-rac-cd175-3-l)

[King of Kailua]

Sounds like is was a stormy start to the race. The moon is a thin wax of a crescent now so visibility at night sucks. Dee reports she's been eating flying fish that jump on her boat.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3C5Kv5zs4M