Vendee Globe 2016?

surlepont

surlepont

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Lyon, France
Chasm said:
Or maybe I missed something in the article about Enda? Hard to tell with google translate. Maybe I should not have got rid of French as an elective so fast. ;)

Too complicated. =)
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Ah... and I'm currently too swamped with work to try a proper translation (I read the article, but it is written in this typical French poetic style that is almost untranslatable anyway...)

 
Buckie Lugger

Buckie Lugger

Super Anarchist
1,769
7
Melbourne
I wonder if the registration process has been left a bit vague in order to give the organisers some wiggle room to get the big names in. If it was done by qualification date, then someone like Conrad might make it in ahead of (say) Alex Thomson.

Were I to run a low budget Vendée campaign for 2020, I'd be aiming to get the boat into the 2019 Transat Jacques Vabre, which would mean being ready about a year earlier than some people are. Of course, talk is cheap, and finding €100K or more for a campaign that's struggling to get funding would be rather more difficult in practice...

I do hope that Conrad makes it to the starting line. I like the sound of his campaign, he's an Anarchist, and his boat is pretty cool. This is her back in 2005.

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nkb

nkb

Member
262
0
Brittany, France
Icedtea said:
Enda is going apparently, here's an article about it from an Irish site- http://afloat.ie/sail/events/vendee-globe/item/32157-o-coineen-launches-ireland-s-first-vendee-globe-challenge

There's nothing concrete as of yet anywhere- but the guy has the boat, is qualified.... and money is not an issue.

Great that Ireland will be represented.
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The article in French, and the NOR state that there are 27 places for skippers who have signed up (accepted in order of application and completion of all the qualification requirements) and Enda does not have one of those spots. However he is on the waiting list, even if he's qualified and has the money, it does get him the place. Its possible that one (or more) of the 27 that are on the skippers list will not be able to make it to the start, most likely for lack of money and their place will go to whoever is on the waiting list; i.e Enda, Conrad or Kojiro Shirashi. But that won't be confirmed until September 30th.

 
C

Chasm

Super Anarchist
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Per VG website slot no.14 has not been filled yet.

For me it's hard to tell who else may drop out. The Transat looks good but breakage in the NY-Vendee might be the end for some. Jean le Cam is currently running a crowd fund campaign, looks like quite a bit of media campaign too. Selling his engine on eBay. Conrad, you missed that one! (Conrads crowd funding is also still running.)

One thing seems quite certain, Conrad won't have the last place on the waiting list.

The french article also says that he has no reason to stay behind.


Does it look like the race organizers left some did some stuff open to ensure that the right names get in?

Sure. It's pretty much their job. It has been a while since a full harbor, so maybe they thought it would not be an issue. My biggest problem is the feeling that the changes and the way they were done make life for the smaller teams harder for no good reason. I think a sponsor now has much less reason to enter late. Even if your skipper delivers and does not break the boat and budget another might be a second faster with the paperwork and you are out. Or the rules get retconned and you are out.

Currently the first 27 basically have all the time they want. Unless they decide to drop out like Nicolas the replacement(s) on the waiting list get the call in October. Basically when the skippers and boats have to be in Les Sables d’Olonne.

That is really late. If there is actually a hard limit for boats I'd prefer a more gradual approach. Priority for the first 27, but no longer than say end of June. (Basically the finish of the last official IMOCA race before the Vendee.) After that fill up with the waiting list, then add more as needed.

Heck, maybe even use the Oceanmaster ranking to dole out some of the places. That way the minor races finally get some participation. ;)

Watching the first round and first corner of a car race is exciting. (38 days, 1 hour 15 minute from now!) But one of the organizers goals should be to make sure that teams are prepared. Which is hard to believe if they have to sail their requirements last minute. Qualify early, qualify often, get selected for a spot.

Or maybe the post VG IMOCA rule revision should solve the problem of too many competitors and kill off a few older gen boats. :D Or alternatively give the race organizers some strict guidelines what limits for flagship races are acceptable or not.

As mentioned before one of the more specific changes to the VG NOR is in 4.6, qualification race:

"On board an IMOCA 60’ having received an IMOCA certificate for this race."

Why add that at this time and why "for this race" instead of valid or current?


Another interesting change is that the substitute skipper now can do the solo 1500nm to qualify on the boat together with the main skipper. The Skipper can not take part in sailing but may instruct about boat details.

I wonder whats the reason behind this. I can see such an option for the final days before the VG, in case the substitute has to be substituted. (How ever that happens.) But 180 days out? ~160 days before the boats are supposed to stay in the harbor?

Sounds once more like a rule written for a specific reason we don't know about.

 
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C

Chasm

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Advocatus Diaboli: Unless he is the reason for the "On board an IMOCA 60’ having received an IMOCA certificate for this race." rule change.

That said it looks like n°24 Alan ROURA is the culprit. He did race and place in the Calero Marinas Solo Transat and is now waiting for his IMOCA cert.

However, the same cannot be said of the third and final skipper participating in this Calero Solo. Indeed, the young Swiss sailor Alan Roura, aboard his IMOCA “Un Vendée pour la Suisse”, is waiting for IMOCA to issue his boat with a class measurement certificate so his entry can be validated.
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source

One mystery solved. :)

 
forss

forss

Anarchist
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nkb said:
DIdn't see that slot #14 is open. That's great news for Enda and hopefully confirmation that he's in.
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IMOCA Ocean Masters
13 mins ·


First Ever Irish Entry into the Vendée Globe Announced

Following much speculation in Irish sailing circles Enda O’Coineen has confirmed he will be skippering Team Ireland Vendée Globe Challenge, starting on 6 November.

On 11 May in the prestigious Irish Embassy in Paris, Team Ireland was joined by French and Irish business interests, kindly hosted by Ambassador Geraldine Byrne Nason for this historic announcement. Never before has an Irish person entered or qualified for what is considered to be the toughest sailing race in the world. Enda completed the qualification last December by taking a podium position in the Ocean Masters transatlantic race from the Caribbean to France.


Team Ireland Vendée Globe Challenge has been created to enable future aspirational sailors to utilize the expertise, infrastructure, and value created by the campaign. It also draws on the legacy of the Green Dragon, the Volvo Ocean Race, and the Whitbread Race. A Partner network of sponsors is being invited to support the Team, which will also promote Ireland’s Atlantic youth Trust charity.

Former Derry Clipper Skipper Sean McCarter who has his sights set on the Vendée Globe 2020 is lined up as the Reserve Skipper for the current Challenge, as is Irish solo sailor Dave Kenefick from Cork, an accomplished Figaro sailor. Ireland’s Marcus Hutchinson is the Project Director bringing a wealth of Volvo and Americas Cup experience to the Team.

Team Ireland will be racing on board the Owen Clarke designed Kilcullen Voyager, formerly skippered by Mike Golding. She is currently undergoing a refit in France ahead of a busy programme leading up to the race start.

Enda O’Coineen is a successful businessman, adventurer, author, and sailor. From early adventures crossing the Atlantic alone in an experimental inflatable liferaft to more recently finishing on the podium in a transatlantic race on board Team Ireland’s IMOCA 60, Enda is a highly experienced sailor.

Learn more at www.teamireland.ie

Editors Notes:

Promotional Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ND8JEPKYG-w

Media Enquiries:

Neil O’Hagan

+353 864095225

[email protected]

www.teamireland.ie

Team Ireland:

1. Enda O’Coineen – Founder & Skipper

2. Marcus Hutchinson – Project Director

3. Sean McCarter – Reserve Skipper

4. Dave Kenefick – Reserve Skipper

Official Charity Partner: www.atlanticyouthtrust.org

Official Race Website: http://www.vendeeglobe.org/

 
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C

Chasm

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The Transat [thread] is over for the IMOCAs and as reputation of the race demanded not everyone made it to the finish.

With the head injury and the boat drifting 900nm of the Azores Richard is pretty much out of the VG.

In other news:

Didac did his 1500nm on Kingfisher in April.

MACSF dropped the rig. Bertrand is already qualified.

Conrad is on his solo trip from the Azores to NY. When he arrives he should have all boxes ticked to make it on the official waiting list. (All sailing requirements and a valid IMOCA certificate for this VG. Plus all the other VG requirements.)

At that time we should find out who completed all the requirements first. Conrad or Didac. Ah, the suspense, I could do without it and I guess they could too.

Enda is officially reported to be in, but not listed yet. (Thank you forss.)

The websites are really quite slow as far as updates go. I sincerely hope that the internal information flow is faster.

Next up is the NY-Vendee [thread] starting on May 29th where skippers might take a media crew member. Aka substitute skipper, coach, mentor, ... This race should be more fun than usual for for most skippers as they are already qualified.

 
Buckie Lugger

Buckie Lugger

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Melbourne
According to the Vendée Globe skippers page:

This is the case for Nicolas Boidevézi who, having taken the decision to withdraw, has freed up the place of 14th entry.

So number 14 wasn't Enda, though he might have inherited that space.

Assuming Richard Tolkien is out, and it's not looking good for him right now, then there are twentyfive skippers with places, two free slots, and four entries that could make the start line.

  • Conrad Colman
  • Didac Costa
  • Enda O'Coineen
  • Jean-François Pellet
I don't know what state Pellet's campaign is in. According to Sail World he's signed up for the NY-Vendée.

 
Haji

Haji

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Woolwich, Maine
Although I've been twice RTW (02/03 Around alone, 04/05 Vendee) I don't often get the chance or have the time to get on the newer boats. Although...we at OceanPlanet Energy have been able to supply both Rich Wilson and Alex Thomson with lithium batteries and other gadgets. Early last year was able to do a short trip with Rich on GA4, which was great. But of course being here in Maine we don't often get the latest IMOCA 60's here.

So when when I heard from from Alex Thomson, and Tom Robinson (of Osprey Technical, a great UK outfit and dealer for our new OPE-Li3 batteries) that they would be working on Hugo Boss and test sailing out of Newport last week....I had to make the 4hr drive to Newport Shipyard, starting at 4am from Woolwich, ME. It was worth it, both for the opportunity to review some systems/charging details, and of course to see the amazing new semi-foiling IMOCA 60 in action.

Wow. I was in a daze much of the time, awed by the boat and equally impressed by Alex and his great ATR team. Here are some photos, which do little justice to the sensation of a 60ft boat semi-flying with 8+ feet of bow flying clear above the water, in only about 12kts of wind. Of course one worries about hitting something hard with the foils (works of art), however the speed advantage and sensation is irresistible if one wants to win the Vendee Globe. Which I think Alex has a very good chance of doing.

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PRE_2016-05-19-131026m.jpg

 
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