Golden Globe Race added 3 new photos.

4 hours ago

UPDATE! We have just had a lengthy call with Francis Tolan onboard ALIZES II who is making a big effort to make his way SE to Loïc Lepage position. We updated him on all plans. He is expected to arrive in the early hours of the morning and stand bye till first light. The ship SHIOSAI is due on scene at about the same time. An Australian Maritime Safety Authority - AMSA tasked RAAF P-8A aircraft ( which overflew Loic today) will arrive one hour after first light Tuesday and only then will recovery efforts begin. Subject to conditions at the time ( expected to be good 15-20kt wind 1.5mtr sea and 3mtr swell) -a final decision will then be made to take Loic off by Ship or ALIZES. The ship may launch their recovery Tender to pick Loic up and then hoist him back onboard. If this proves impossible ALIZES will attempt to pick him up. He may have to hang off his boat in a life raft to be recovered. We discussed all options with Loic today and he is ready to go. GGR wish all involved the best of luck for the operation and our sincere thanks. #GGR2018 ... See MoreSee Less

Golden Globe Race added 2 new photos.

8 hours ago

🇲🇫️ FRENCH language UPDATE 22/10/2018 : #GGR2018

Assurément, la Golden Globe Race 2018 provoque des sentiments et des situations extrêmes...la longueur de l'épreuve, l'isolement, la fatigue, la présence permanente d'une mer montrant tous ses visages, sublimes (et/ou) terrifiants, sans considération pour ceux qui l'arpente...le relevé régulier de la cartographie peine à rendre compte de l'immensité de ce que vivent les participants. Et il faut les revoir au détour d'un Drop Point pour prendre (un peu seulement) la mesure d'un tel engagement. Si le calme et la bonhomie d'un JEAN-LUC VAN DEN HEEDE passé à Hobart il y a plus de 15 jours peut éventuellement laisser croire (mais ce serait se tromper. Vraiment) qu'une telle odyssée reste accessible au premier prétendant, la passage de MARK SLATS hier était véritablement vibrant.

Bien-sûr l'arrivée sous le soleil de son Rustler 36, remontant élégamment Sandy Bay sous le soleil n'aidait pas à se faire une idée de ce par quoi le géant hollandais est passé pour en arriver là...Et pourtant ! Le récit de son passage du terrible coup de vent qui a fait chuter ABHILASH TOMY et GREGOR MCGUCKIN a rapidement suffit à faire prendre la mesure de ce que sont en train de réaliser ces skippers. Les sentiments éprouvés pendant cette première moitié de tour du monde sont extrêmes ne cessait-il de répéter en substance lors de son court arrêt hier, dans la paisible baie de Kingston Beach. Et s'il était un peu réticent à l'idée de s'arrêter quelques jours avant, il avouait hier prendre finalement beaucoup de plaisir à casser sa routine sauvage, au moins quelques instants.

Il est déjà reparti pourtant, et file à belle allure (près de 8 nœuds) dans la mer de Tasmane. Son dernier message est édifiant ! : « GREAT DAY YESTERDAY SPIRITS ARE HIGH READY TO RACE THE PACIFIC » (TRÈS BELLE JOURNÉE HIER ET PENSÉES TRÈS POSITIVES, PRÊT POUR LE PACIFIQUE). Et il ne doit pas vraiment chômer car plus de 2000 milles le séparent de JEAN-LUC VAN DEN HEEDE, qui, pourtant si dur au mal, semble apprécier grandement que la mer se calme (un peu), après plusieurs jours de montagne russe dans une houle que lui-même avouait impressionnante. C'est dire.

Il en est d'autres qui apprécieraient sans doute tout autant que les éléments s'appaisent, au moins momentanément. SUSIE GOODALL d'abord : « ENOUGH OF THIS SEA STATE !! 9 M MESS FROM EVERY DIRECTION ! :(» (Assez de cette mer ! 9 mètres de houle qui vient de tous les côtés) enrage-t'elle poliment dans son message de ce matin. Elle n'a pas vraiment eu l'occasion de souffler depuis son demi-tour pour échapper au plus gros d'une vicieuse tempête qui a laissé derrière elle un champ de mines, dans lequel l'Anglaise progresse depuis difficilement. Heureusement pour elle, c'est bientôt la fin de cet énième coup de vent qui s'approche maintenant d'UKU RANDMAA et qui a frappé précédemment ISTVAN KOPAR et TAPIO LEHTINEN.

Qu'importe, le Finlandais en a profité pour utiliser pour la première fois ce week-end le système qu'il a mis en place pour régler son régulateur d'allure depuis l'intérieur de son étroite cabine. Un montage salutaire qui lui permet, sur le bateau au plus bas franc-bord de la flotte, de se protéger de la violence des éléments. Des éléments en revanche peu généreux pour IGOR ZARESTSKIY et MARK SINCLAIR qui viennent de se faire doubler par le fantôme de SUHAILI, dont le sillage virtuel apparaît en blanc sur le tracker de la course. Heureusement une solide veine de vents portants se profile dans leur tableau arrière dans les jours à venir !

Mais cette situation reste enviable si on la compare ce matin à celle de LOIC LEPAGE. Le malheureux Breton a démâté ce week-end à 600 milles dans le sud-ouest de Perth et s'apprête à devoir probablement abandonner son compagnon de route pour la troisième fois, ne parvenant pas à obstruer la voie d'eau que le bris de son épars a provoqué. Il était en passe pourtant de boucler sa traversée de l'océan Indien de belle manière, particulièrement ces derniers jours, sur le plus petit bateau de la flotte...brisant à nouveau son rêve d'adolescent. Mais il est encore jeune ! 62 ans à peine ! De quoi laisser à ce marin têtu de belles opportunités d'entreprendre...

Christophe ... See MoreSee Less

Golden Globe Race added 2 new photos.

8 hours ago

This is the RAAF P-8A POSEIDON aircraft being used by Australian Maritime Safety Authority - AMSA to cover Loïc Lepage in the Southern Ocean. Australia operates 15 total of different variations for Maritime Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance and Response purposes. They undertake regular patrols in Australia's interest. In this instance they are an extremely valuable and effective tool supporting The Australian Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre (JRCC) in Canberra. We are very lucky to have them and thank them for their support . You can read all about this amazing aircraft here. www.airforce.gov.au/technology/aircraft/intelligence-surveillance-and-reconnaissance/p-8a-poseidon

The little boat is a 25ft Timber open whale boat that I sailed with three others 4000 miles across the Pacific in 2010 on the TALISKER Bounty Boat Expedition recreating the epic voyage of survival of WILLIAM BLIGH following the MUTINY on the BOUNTY! if you want to read a very old style blog of that adventure you can here bountyboat.blogspot.com/2010/05/ We never needed to be rescued during that adventure, but while sailing across the top of Australia various Coast Watch and Govt. surveillance aircraft were tasked to go find us as an exercise. We were all timber and a poor radar target. The crews loved the challenge and would often call us to let us know " We got YA!" ...We are glad they GOT Loic! #GGR2018 ... See MoreSee Less

Golden Globe Race added 20 new photos.

13 hours ago

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Thanks to all who were able to make the portrait exhibition in Hobart on Saturday evening - special thanks to the support of Blackman Bay Oysters & The Oyster Butler Experience, Stone & Wood Brewing & McHenry Distillery! B&W Portraits by Nick Jaffe / event photos by Christophe Favreau ... See MoreSee Less

Golden Globe Race added 2 new photos.

13 hours ago

UPDATE! Right now a JRCC surveillance aircraft is Overhead Loïc Lepage checking status and looking for any other shipping that may be able to assist. During the night Loic rang GGR to say all was stable. He is pumping every 20 minutes NOT using the electric pump to save power. 1100UTC 22nd about 1 hour ago BULK CARRIER SHIOSAI was Approx 145 miles NNE of Loic with an ETA of early morning tomorrow local. Francis Tolan onboard ALIZES 11 was about 140 miles NNW of Loic due to arrive about the same time. His sailing weather is moderate and he is sailing VERY well to make such fast time.

The extraction is due first light on TUE 23rd. Having BOTH vessels onsite with an aircraft overhead during that time is VERY important. The CREW of SHIOSAI may NOT be able to launch their recovery boat. The ship is HUGE 279mts long 45m beam 177,000 tonnes and hard to close maneuver. If this is impossible Loic will have to launch his life raft and transfer to ALISES. The Beneteau Oceanis 43 boarding platform may make this the easiest. Anything can happen at that time. Weather conditions forecast for that time are good. 25kts west wind with 3-4mtr sea.

#GGR2018 is VERY grateful for the efforts of all involved lead by Australian Maritime Safety Authority - AMSA JRCC. THANKS!! ... See MoreSee Less

Golden Globe Race added 2 new photos.

23 hours ago

UPDATE! Bulk Carrier MV SHIOSAI has agreed to divert from it's westerly course to assist with the Rescue of Loïc Lepage It is due on scene Tue. AM local time after SV ALIZES II. JRCC Australia are managing all assets in the Rescue. Loic was able to start his motor just before dark. GGR have good communications with him. water ingress remains the same. Weather conditions are now moderating. Latest SITREP follows.

9. AT 210028UTC OCT 18 DEFENCE ADVISED THAT A RAAF P8 AIRCRAFT AND DEFENCE MARITIME SERVICES VESSEL STOKER/VJN4918 WOULD BE ABLE TO ASSIST. THE P8 AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSEQUENTLY TASKED AND STOKER/VJN4918 WAS LATER PLACED ON STAND-BY.

10. AT 210113UTC OCT 18 CIVILIAN AIRCRAFT VH-IEJ WAS TASKED TO RELOCATE FROM SYDNEY TO PERTH AND FROM THERE TO REMAIN ON STANDBY FOR DEPLOYMENT TO THE SCENE AS REQUIRED. THE AIRCRAFT IS CURRENTLY EN-ROUTE TO PERTH ETA 211044UTC OCT 18.

11. AT 210122UTC OCT 18 THE SKIPPER OF SV ALIZES II, A PARTICIPANT IN THE LONG ROUTE YACHT EVENT, OFFERED HIS ASSISTANCE.

12. AT 210314UTC OCT 18 MERCHANT VESSEL SHIOSAI/3FHW5 AGREED TO ASSIST AND ALTERED COURSE TO THE DISTRESS POSITION.

13. AS AT 210507UTC OCT 18 GOLDEN GLOBE RACE CONTROL ADVISED THAT THEY HAD CALLED LOIC, WHO ADVISED THAT WATER INGRESS REMAINED AT THE SAME RATE, THAT THE ONBOARD PUMPS WERE KEEPING UP, AND THAT HE WAS NOT IN IMMINENT DANGER OF SINKING. THE ENGINE HAD NOT BEEN ABLE TO BE REPAIRED OR STARTED, AND NO JURY RIG SAIL HAD BEEN SET-UP. LAALAND/F4KKR CONTINUED TO DRIFT IN APPROXIMATE POSITION 38-50.33S 104-15.27E, WITH LOIC SEEKING RESCUE AND TRANSFER OFF HIS VESSEL.

MISSION:

14. THE MISSION IS TO RESCUE LOIC LAPAGE, TRANSFER HIM FROM SV LAALAND/F4KKR TO A SUITABLE RESCUE ASSET AND RETURN HIM TO A PLACE OF SAFETY.

EXECUTION:

15. JRCC AUSTRALIA INTENDS TO UTILISE SHIOSAI/3FHW5 AND SV ALIZES II AS SURFACE RESCUE ASSETS. IT IS THE INTENTION TO DETERMINE THE BEST RESCUE ASSET TO CONDUCT THE TRANSFER OF LOIC FROM LAALAND/F4KKR IN DUE COURSE, DEPENDANT UPON WEATHER CONDITIONS ON-SCENE AND RELATIVE ETA'S OF RESCUE ASSETS ON-SCENE. JRCC AUSTRALIA INTENDS TO KEEP STOKER/VJN4918 ON STAND-BY UNTIL AM MON 22 OCT 18 WHEN A DECISION WILL BE MADE BASED ON A RE-ASSESSMENT OF WEATHER CONDITIONS AND THEN PROGRESS OF SHIOSAI/3FHW5 AND SV ALIZES II OVERNIGHT.

16. RAAF P8 CALLSIGN RSCU251 WILL FLY DIRECT FROM LEARMONTH TO THE DISTRESS POSITION WITH AN ETA OF 220030UTC OCT 18.

17. AMSA AIRCRAFT RSCU440, CIVILIAN AIRCRAFT VH-IEJ AND RSCU251 HAVE ALL BEEN TASKED TO PROVIDE AIR OVERWATCH AS REQUIRED FROM NOW UNTIL THE COMPLETION OF THE OPERATION. FURTHER SPECIFIC AIRCRAFT TASKINGS WILL BE PROVIDED WHEN CONFIRMED.

#GGR2018 ... See MoreSee Less

Golden Globe Race added 52 new photos — with Mark Slats in Hobart Town, Tasmania, Australia.

1 day ago

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MARK SLATS arrived this morning at the Boatshed.com Drop Point in second position. He was very enthusiastic and happy to see a bit of civilisation ! After crossing the line and spending his compulsory 90 minutes of media duty, he handed over his Super 8 films and then climbed up the mast for an inspection. Besides the bent windex which he bent back into shape, It appears all seems good up there ! ... See MoreSee Less

Golden Globe Race added 4 new photos.

1 day ago

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UPDATE! JRCC Australia Challenger aircraft flew Overhead Loïc Lepage Today and spoke with him and observed the mast in the water acting as a sea anchor. GGR and JRCC are in touch now with Francis Tolan ( Pictured below) sailing in the Longue Route 2018 officiel on ALIZES II is approximately 210 Miles NNW of Loic and has already diverted his course to attempt to reach Loic as soon as possible without endangering himself or his yacht. The rate of water entering Loic's yacht is 160ltrs an hour and so far it is impossible to stop. JRCC is planning further fights to maintain contact. The GGR Tracer is operational. No other ships are in the area. We are all very grateful for Francis efforts what ever the outcome!! JRCC efforts are ongoing and Very impressive. #GGR2018 ... See MoreSee Less