The stuff of dreams

Whichever way you look at it the Vendee Globe is the craziest* of races. You would never gather together a bunch of fell runners and point them at Mount Everest with a prize for first back to base camp (at least I hope not).

But the Vendee is the ocean equivalent of mountaineering extremes undertaken as a race. It's an open book of human endeavour with drama on every page. This year's Vendee has delivered everything - from early retirements, technical failures, rescues at sea and high speed challenges that collapsed in mid-charge.

A few reputations have suffered but most have been enhanced and few more so than that of Steve White who sails in to Les Sables d'Olonne today in eighth place. White deserves a big welcome because here is someone who put everything on the line for his dream. Updating the blog, I'm reading that thousands have turned out to cheer him in.

He is not a wealthy man and has spent almost everything he has on this race. A sponsorship deal fell through and within a few days of the start he was unsure of a race sponsor until a private individual came forward with the funds. I don't who this individual is but I applaud their willingness to show faith in White's indomitable spirit.

Before this race, White was barely known in UK yacht racing. He didn't have a background in sailing but came to it in his twenties. There's no pedigree of dinghy competition or Olympic-class sailing in his past. But there is enormous ambition and the the kind of grit you see only too rarely these days.

Today he will sail in to Les Sables, having achieved a feat that defeated 19 of his heavily-sponsored fellow starters. It's the kind of story book finish you normally find in film scripts. I cannot imagine that he entertained hopes of a top 10 finish at the start but here he is, a round-the-world sailor at the end of the world's most gruelling single-handed yacht race.

Whatever else he does in life, that's one hell of an achievement to remember in long winter nights with the grandkids. But somehow I don't think White will rest on his laurels. His boat is called Toe in the Water but it's full immersion from here on in. There may be bigger things ahead for him, but, however long he lives, I cannot think there will be a sweeter moment than coming home today. I hope he enjoys it as much as those who have followed the race have been inspired by his example.

As he sailed in today, someone in the crowd had a placard that said it all: "Thanks Steve, you have made us dream."

* With the possible exception of the Volvo Ocean Race, arguably crazier still.

Cookson boat yard out of work

I was chatting with a yacht broker in London the other day who was telling me about boatyards in Germany and Sweden going in to moth balls due to a worldwide recession in the yacht market.

Now Auckland-based Cookson Boats - one of the world's leading racing boat builders - is doing the same once its current projects are finished. Faced with a blank order book it will have to lay off its 62-strong workforce.

Cookson was responsible for Team New Zealand's America's Cup boats, Steve Fossett's Playstation (renamed Cheyenne) and Larry Ellison's Sayonara, winner of four world maxi championships.

Sales for big yachts have dried up as potential buyers hang back due to the economic downturn in their respective businesses. The project-based nature of yacht-building, however, means that yards will be able to gear themselves up again when economies recover. The danger for existing yards is that some skilled builders will have moved on to other things, possibly starting their own small businesses. But that's the , nature of evolution or what the economist Joseph Schumpeter called "creative destruction."

Winners and losers

As Michel Desjoyeaux begins to savour his Vendee triumph it might be an idea to assess the fortunes of other competitors as a race like this has many winners and losers when you look at its impact on their careers. For some it will not be evident yet since some changes will only occur in time. But here is my assessment of twenty of them. The rest either retired early or simply didn't register enough as racers:

Michel Desjoyeaux: an obvious winner, his reputation is enhanced and his future can only be defined by his remaining ambition.

Sam Davies: Another big winner, came to public attention in the UK, and popular with race followers, should help her get a a state of the art boat if she chooses to do the race next time.

Jonny Malbon: Failed to enhance his reputation and will leave a question mark for sponsors. Will Artemis stay with him in the long term? On the other hand he has built a good relationship with his sponsor who knows that his boat probably needed longer to establish itself.

Brian Thompson: Looked after his boat and enhanced his reputation as a reliable sailor. But does he have the potential to challenge the fastest French skippers in the long run?

Alex Thompson: Can he shake off the reputation of a "crash and burn" sailor? He needs to finish more often. While he came second in the Barcelona round the world race he was sailing with the immensely experienced Andrew Cape.

Mike Golding: Has nothing left to prove as a round the world sailor, but does he believe that? He knows what it is to be beaten by a Frenchman. Has it happened once too often? Sponsorship assured so he can go on as long as he feels.

Roland Jourdain: his already excellent reputation has not suffered, could easily have won and would have liked to have pushed Desjoyeaux harder in the later stages had he not suffered keel damage. Should be back next time.

Jean Le Cam: Will want to return one more time because he knows he can win it.

Yann Elies: Still young, will have learned a lot, will almost certainly want to come back. His retirement was cruel bad luck.

Marc Guillemot: A fine seaman, again with nothing to prove. A top five spot looks to be his. Again he may question whether he wants to come back in four years' time.

Loick Peyron: Knows he can win this race, still young enough, so I'm sure he'll be up for another go. Sponsors know they will get value for money.

Jean-Baptiste Dejeanty: Has youth on his side but needs to improve to keep his sponsors happy (and possibly to keep his sponsors).

Vincent Riou: A past winner, would have chased Desjoyeaux all the way to the line had he not damaged his boat going to the aid of Jean Le Cam. His reputation is secure and he will be back.

Steve White: Steve who? Some may have asked this before the race but not any more. He gambled everything on this race, scrambling together his entry at the last minute. If White set out on a wing and prayer that prayer must surely be answered with some solid sponsorship in future. He deserves it.

Dee Caffari: In spite of her previous circumnavigation she was one the least experienced skippers in the race at this level of competition but has done herself a lot of good, preserving her boat so far (if not her mainsail). Her sponsors should be happy.

Dominique Wavre: He was 53 when he set out. A fine sailor who acquitted himself well before his retirement, but will he want to return in four years time?

Sebastien Josse: Probably pushed too hard but will have learned much and should be back with confident sponsors. Could win this race next time.

Armel Le Cléac´h: This is a great result for Le Cleac'h who may yet secure second place in his first Vendee. In showing he can race fast and preserve his boat, he has to be a hot tip for the future.

Raphael Dinelli: Simply doesn't have the pace to win. Is it enough any more just to take part?

Bernard Stamm: Did enough to confirm his reputation as a solid performer. Will probably want and should get the sponsorship for another crack at the race.

Can there be any more surprises left?

Michel Desjoyeaux has pulled out a 500 miles lead on Roland Jourdain in the Vendee Globe. Even with the compression that will probably occur in the doldrums, that looks like too much to overhaul now as long as Desjoyeaux's boat holds together.

The winds became so heavy just north of Cape Horn last week that Brian Thompson made the prudent decision to head for shelter, making no headway for some time in order to stay south of the worst of the weather.

He and those around him - Dee Caffari and Arnaud Boissières - know they can't catch the leaders. Sam Davies in Roxy is also probably out of reach of Thompson now as she is nearly a thousand miles ahead. While the positions may change among the three behind Roxy its is difficult to see the running order change much nearer the front unless Davies can overcome the redress given to Marc Guillemot on Safran.

Steve White has stuck to his task on Toe in The Water and looks set to be rewarded with a top 10 finish. Getting round the world will be accomplishment enough for the relatively inexperienced and underfunded Englishman.

With less than 3,500 miles to go Desjoyeaux must be beginning to scent victory but those behind can't afford to slacken off. Everyone in the fleet will remember what happened to Mike Golding when in the lead. Equipment failure can happen at any time.

Thirty boats set out on this adventure. Twelve remain.

Looking after Chuck

As the leading Vendee Globe skippers bear down on Cape Horn in preparation for the long haul northwards, Jean-Pierre Dick on Paprec-Virbac II is heading northwards in to calmer waters after damage to his second rudder ended his race.

Just half of the starting boats are left in the race and many of those have problems that are hampering their progress. I understand the mainsails on Jonny Malbon and Dee Caffari's yachts are deteriorating rapidly while Steve White has been struggling to repair his gooseneck - the bit that attaches the boom to the mast.

In spite of electrical problems, Brian Thompson on Bahrain Team Pindar has improved his speed over the past two or three days but Sam Davies has found herself in a pocket of slack winds. Davies has been one of the stars of this race, always upbeat and cheerful, always looking at the glass-half full. I'm sure that this attitude, added to her strong engineering skills, is helping her maintain consistency in a race where the "hares" keep falling by the wayside.

A few weeks ago there were a dozen yachts in front of her. Now there are five, all top class French racers. I don't expect Sam to have the raw speed to overtake them, but if she can keep her boat together, and one or two of the others in front have problems, a podium finish is not beyond her.

In her latest log she writes: "I used to be a "bow chick" (numero 1) on fully crewed boats, so I'm used to the tough jobs up forward whilst speeding along. But the difference now is that there is no back-up behind me, and I am no longer trusting a skilled helmsman not to "wipeout", "chinese gybe" or "stuff it" on each wave. I just have Chuck (the nickname she gives to her autopilot).

She also includes some new year's resolutions:

* Sail around the world.
* Take a photo of Cape Horn.
* Stop eating the Nutella out of the pot with my fingers.
* Do not fall asleep with the motor on charging the batteries.
* Sponge the bilges every day.
* Brush hair more than once a week.
* Eat more BUT eat less chocolate.
* Cancel the above resolution as it is impossible.
* Catch up some miles on the leaders.
* Be nice to Chuck, the autopilot.
* Take no risks.

The first one and last one are probably the most important reminders for anyone seeking to complete a round-the-world race. It's not bad advice for the potential winners, either.


During this mid section of the race I have been impressed with the way that Roland Jourdain has hung on to Michel Desjoyeaux. Every time that Desjoyeaux has looked like breaking away Jourdain has raised his game so that he remains just a few hours behind.

Stop press: sailors racing

The British newspaper coverage of the Vendee Globe race has been scant. Apart from a few news stories of the "British heroine goes to the aid of stricken sailor" type when Sam Davies - who happens to be young, pretty and female - diverted her course to help Yann Elies, there have been very few reports.

I was surprised, therefore, to find a report on page 11 of today's Daily Telegraph, focusing on Jonny Malbon in 13th place just 4,000 miles behind the leader. Then I noticed it said "special report" with "in association with Artemis, The Profit Hunter" at the end of the report. I don't like this kind of advertorial as it is dressed up to look like a piece of journalism when in fact the journalist is simply pandering to the wishes of an advertiser.

Then again, I would question the news values of British sports editors who have studiously ignored one of the most dramatic of sporting events. Why does this happen? I would list several reasons:

Xenophobia: there is a parochialism about sports coverage that, in this case, is magnified since the best round-the-world sailors are almost all French.

Obsession with football: this really does not need any other explanation.

Perceived elitism: it's not easy to be a round-the-world sailor and most of them rely on corporate sponsors. That most have not enjoyed privileged backgrounds but have worked for years to get the chance to enter this event does not seem to influence such judgements.

Technical terms: sailing is a highly technical sport and sailing writers must try to balance a desire for specialist information and terminology with non-specialist interest among a wider audience.

A world apart: This kind of sailing is so different, so extreme, that it's difficult to make comparisons. Even accomplished dinghy sailors cannot imagine the conditions in which this race is undertaken unless they have experienced them at first hand.

Sport versus adventure: Some editors and, indeed, some sailors, still equate round-the-world sailing with the "big adventure," that getting around the world is an achievement in itself - as it is. But the Vendee is a full on race. Mike Golding has sailed round the world many times. But his ambition is to win the Vendee and for that he must sail at speeds that will test any weakness in a boat. Some top "round-the-cans" sailors sometimes disparage endurance sailors, possibly out of envy. It is a different sport with different demands and they should understand this.

It's not just editors who must reflect on their prejudices. Sponsors must examine their expectations too. I am sure that none of them issue orders to the sailors to simply get around the course, although I am sure that many are dispirited when a boat fails early in a race.

Having said that, I have no doubt that Aviva, the sponsors of Dee Caffari, and Caffari herself, are looking for a finish in the Vendee. Caffari is a fine, gutsy and likeable endurance sailor, but she is not among the fastest female sailors in the world. Her status relies on having done something first. She was the first woman to sail around the world single-handedly against the winds and currents. If she finishes this race she will be the first to have done so in both directions.

Other sailors shouldn't begrudge her sponsorship but learn from the way she has positioned herself. Caffari delivers value to her sponsors, not by winning, but by sticking to her game. She is still learning and two round-the-world events must command the respect of her fellow sailors.

Sam Davies demands even more respect. Caffari has the advantage of one of the new generation of faster boats but Davies is 800 miles ahead of her in an older boat. In turn, Caffari is 1,600 miles ahead of Jonny Malbon, also skippering a well-sponsored modern boat.

None of this is to disparage the achievements of Malbon and Caffari, but simply to put their performance in context with that of superior sailing at the head of the fleet. It seems unfair to write this from the comfort of an armchair when all these sailors are giving their all in the world's most inhospitable seas. But those who sail understand these differences and so should a wider audience.

It is more difficult to pass judgement on Brian Thompson who has been struggling with a high performing new boat, spending more time below deck than above in the past two weeks, making repairs. But unless he can improve on the speeds he set earlier in the race, he too will know that he must work harder to get in to the French-dominated big league.

Thompson does not strike me as a "crash and burn" competitor but as a dogged performer intent on going the whole way. He is one of the fleet's nice guys and I want him to do well. But I'd like to see him going a bit faster. How can I say this of a family man when sailing is so dangerous? The danger is a given. Thompson and the rest of them are there because they choose to be there. They put themselves on the line and know that their times and performances will be scrutinised in the data logs. They look at the same data and they know, in their hearts, that Michel Desjoyeaux is a sailor apart. Even Golding said that and Golding can match the Frenchman for speed.

The British might look at the elite French squad system that prepares its sailors for these events but you can't say that of Steve White, the British skipper of Toe in the Water, who got to the start line in an underfunded yacht through the generosity of a handful of supporters. Yet today he is 800 miles ahead of Artemis.

For this reason the Telegraph should have refused the Artemis shilling and told the story as it should be told. Its readers deserve better and so does sailing.

Another one bites the dust

Dominique Wavre is heading for the Kerguelen Islands after damaging his keel on Temenos II. He was back in the top 10 and pushing hard at the time.

The good news is that he is just just 150 miles from the Islands. The bad news is that the keel is swinging freely. If it were to fall off he would be struggling to keep the boat upright. It looks like his race is run.

Canting keels are a constant worry in this kind of racing. They have become a feature of modern design but there needs to be a continuing debate about their use, something I discussed here.

Meanwhile Steve White has had to retrace his course, frustratingly, as he missed an ice gate. Mike Golding finds some time for reflection, including a conclusion that Desjoyeaux is the man to beat. Loick Peyron might have been many people's favourite at the start after winning the Artemis Transat earlier in the year, but his challenge is over.

Golding moves in to second place

While Mike Golding has moved in to second place in the Vendee Globe, his highest position so far in the race, he and the rest of the following pack have actually lost ground on the leader Jean-Pierre Dick who managed to pull 50 miles ahead in the past day.

Fifty miles remains a narrow margin and Golding's more southerly course may help him to pick up distance on the northerly boats that have had the best of the wind in the past day or two.

The tactics among the leaders appear to be those of staying with each other and covering any possible breaks. Michel Desjoyeaux, having charged to join the front runners, seems to be pacing himself for now, regaining his strength ahead of another push later on.

Golding has spoken of sticking close to the leaders ahead of a charge up the on the final stretch, a feat he performed outstandingly in the last Vendee, but I am sure he too he will be looking for a possible break.

Meanwhile Bernard Stamm draws ever nearer Brian Thompson. While Golding showed in the last race that distances of 700 miles on the leaders can be made up from this stage, I think that those behind Dominique Wavre in 11th place may be looking at best now for a position in the top 10.

If Samantha Davies can do that in Roxy, she will have excelled herself as the boat is slower than many of her rivals. In the same way, Steve White, is still punching away after losing a sail on his under funded boat. Jonny Malbon, trailing White on the well-funded Artemis, seems to be having a pretty miserable time, having twisted his ankle to add to his woes. He is one of a number of skippers to have passed icebergs. I wouldn't have expected them so far north.

Imagine trying to grab an hour's sleep when your boat is speeding along at 20 knots at night with the possibility of an iceberg out in front. Yes, the boats have radar but some of these bergs are quite low in the water and you can't watch the radar constantly.

By the way, I cannot understand why the mainstream press is ignoring this race. Perhaps it's because the Vendee's own web site covers it so well. But I'm sure if more was done to bring it to the attention of the public there would be a lot more interest. Unfortunately, as in the past, the press only gets interested when there is life-threatening drama and no-one wants to see that happen.

The Vendee has already suffered two deaths in its history and no-one should be under any misapprehension that better boats and better communications have made the race safe. The boats are much faster than they were in the past and speed brings added risk. It's one tough race. You have to really want to be there.

More than a toe in the water

Meanwhile Steve White explains why his Vendee Globe boat is called Toe in the Water. What began as a routine sail change turned in to a nightmare. His mission was rolling up and taking down his code 5 sail in about 35 knots of wind. No problems until it jammed.

"There it was, flogging itself silly at the front of the boat. I went up the front to try and free it up, but the furling drum is right at the end of the bowsprit - I was not going out there I can assure you - there was a big sea and we were surfing at nearly twenty knots sometimes!

"I taped my big kitchen knife to the deck brush handle and went up to deal with the problem. The cover of the furling line had wrinkled up like Nora Batty's stockings inside the drum, got caught on a cunningly placed spike and wedged itself up very very tightly!

"Whilst hacking away I took my eye off the ball missed a big wave which we surfed down, and got hosed down the deck, knife in hand. As we buried the bow in the wave in front at high speed, everything went dark. There was a whooshing noise in my ears as they filled up, and I held my breath as water went down my neck right down to my boots, up my nose, up my arms - everywhere.

"I took some sizable pieces out of my fingers as I tried to grab stanchions and guard wires on the way past. The force of the water was incredible and I still have the bruises to testify! When I came to a stop at the mast I had managed to keep hold of the knife luckily.

After trying for three hours to cut the sail away he decided the sail had to be dropped on deck. But the wind took it over the side. After two more hours, struggling to bring the sail back on board, the problem worsened when the sail wrapped around his keel, bending stanchions and threatening more damage.

"In the end I had to let the thing go before I had to get in the water and get it off the keel. I watched it sink. A £20,000 sail lost because of a £100 pound piece of string with a loose cover. All I had left was the swivel and two thimbles and a ten inch piece of the head. I don't mind admitting that nearly killed me. I was fairly well beaten up and bruised, and soaked to the skin, and rapidly becoming cold. It was 2 pm when I went on deck, and 7.15 pm when I came back down."