Race news taken from: www.vendeeglobe.org
Sunday 9th November 2008 saw a gloomy start to the sixth edition of the Vendée Globe, with variable South-Westerly breezes, choppy seas inshore and a heavier swell out at sea.
The overcast miserable conditions couldn’t dampen the atmosphere at Les Sables d’Olonne, with hundreds of thousands of spectators lining the sea walls and clambering onto precarious vantage points to give the 30 skippers a great send off. After emotional farewells on the pontoons, the sailors were treated to a crescendo of applause, cheering, horn-blaring and flag-waving from the crowds as they made their way out to sea.
At the start it looked like Mike Golding on Ecover 3 was set for the best start, but was OCS and had to turn around and re-start, while Alex Thomson showed great pace off the line in Hugo Boss. It was defending champion Vincent Riou on PRB who got his nose in front first, with Paprec-Virbac (Jean-Pierre Dick) and Sebastien Josse on BT climbing to join him on the charge out to sea. Brian Thompson (Bahrain Team Pindar) was given a four-hour penalty by the international Jury after some of his team were still on board during the start countdown (four minutes before the gun was fired).
It was a tough, physical first night for the 30 strong fleet, facing headwinds of 20-30 knots and 4-6 metre seas, with two boats being forced to returning to port.
With the start line remaining open 10 days after the official start, competitors can cross it until 13:02 (French time) on Wednesday 19th Nov. By the time this went to press, 2 days after the start of the race, 8 entrants had returned or were making their way towards Les Sables d'Olonne for repairs, with the intention to re-start if possible:
* Dominique Wavre, Temenos II: had an electrical problem and returned to Les Sables d'Olonne. He returned to the racecourse late in the evening of Sunday 9th November.
* Bernard Stamm, Cheminees Poujoulat: had a collision with a cargo ship, returned to Les Sables d'Olonne during the night of 9th/10th November. Damage to bowsprit.
* Michel Desjoyeaux, Foncia: electrical and engine problems following a leak from a water ballast tank, expected to arrive in Les Sables d'Olonne during the night 10/11 November.
* Jean- Baptiste Dejeanty, Group Maisoneuve: damage to deck reported during the morning of Monday 10th November. Arrival expected in Les Sables d'Olonne on the morning of 11th November.
* Derek Hatfield, Algimouss Spirit of Canada: electrical problems during the afternoon/evening of Monday 10th November. Expected to return to Les Sables d'Olonne during the morning 11th November.
* Yannick Bestaven, Aquarelle.com: dismasted reported during the evening of Monday 10th November. Arrival expected Les Sables d'Olonne during the night of 11th or 12th November.
* Kito de Pavant, Groupe Bel: dismasted during the evening of Monday 10th November, arrival could be in Les Sables d'Olonne during the night of 11th to 12th November
* Alex Thomson, Hugo Boss: structural problem in the evening of Monday 10th November, arrival predicted in Les Sables d'Olonne during the night of 11th/12th November.