Vendee Globe History
Vendee Globe History |
1992/1993 Edition: The edition with the first real dramas
"A singlehander's life brings its
share of problems, tensions, but also emotions and satisfactions, which cannot
be shared, and yet are so beautiful. The Vendée Globe is certainly
the race which has taught me the most, about life in general and especially
about myself." —Alain Gautier
Alain Gautier - Bagages
Superior
Following the first edition, the Vendée Globe was up and running
again with a lot of media coverage. In Les Sables d'Olonne, which had become
the homeland for top single-handed yachtsmen, those, who were keen to enter
for a second time, became the race favourites: Alain Gautier, Loïck Peyron,
Philippe Poupon and Jean-Luc Van den Heede. Alongside them, some new pretenders
- especially Yves Parlier and Bertrand de Broc - turned up full of passion
and faith to face a fine selection of foreigners, including several veterans
from the Boc Challenge. On land, it became a popular event, and Philippe Jeantot
decided to exchange his waterproofs for the jacket of chief organiser of this
incredible dream event, which marked the frontier between a great adventure
and extreme sport. The planet race could begin. Unfortunately one American
failed to turn up. Mike Plant, back for a second trip, was lost at sea, as
he was making his way to Les Sables d'Olonne. The hull of his capsized Coyote
was found on the day the second race started, when 14 impetuous skippers tackled
the seas. Was it a bad omen ?
Nandor Fa (Hun)
The first
few miles, fought out in an exceptionally angry Bay of Biscay, were to show
no mercy. More and more were forced back to the harbour in Vendée, the
only stopover allowed in the rules. Loïck Peyron was unable to take to
the seas again, his monohull was leaking everywhere. Yves Parlier returned
with his mast down, and had to put up with ten days delay, before he could
start out again on the race course. But the worst was to happen four days after
the starting gun was fired, when the British sailor, Nigel Burgess was found
drowned off Cape Finisterre, probably after being knocked out and thrown overboard.
With this long list of sea disasters, only two competitors got
into the swing of things and managed to break away. Alain Gautier and Bertrand
de Broc fought out a close race in the lead as they raced down the Atlantic.
The former, well looked after by his
" Bagages Superior " - his brand new racer and the first in a long
line of composites signed Finot-Conq - finally took the lead. Later, De Broc,
who had some difficulties in the forties, sewed up his tongue by himself following
the medical advice that was offered from a distance by the race doctor, Jean-Yves
Chauve. Jean Luc Van den Heede His troubles, however, were far from over,
as he had to make for New Zealand and was unable to continue. His boat's designers
warned him that the keel of his " Groupe LG
" (the first Vendée Globe winner) was in serious danger of collapsing:
he had to give up, completely demoralised. Alain Gautier was able to continue
ahead alone. He rounded the Horn 36 hours ahead of Philippe Poupon. The latter
lost his mast a few days from the finish and handed the second place over
to VDH. Only half of these single-handed racers were to complete the round
the world trip successfully, a trip that is an endurance race, but this time
also harsh and unyielding.
Final positions in the 1992-1993 edition
1 - Alain Gautier (Fra, Bagages Superior) : 110d02h22'35''
2 - Jean-Luc Van Den Heede (Fra, Groupe Sofap-Helvim) : 116d15h01'11''
3 - Philippe Poupon (Fra, Fleury-Michon X) : 117d03h34'24''
4 -Yves Parlier (Fra, Cacolac d'Aquitaine) : 125d02h42'24''
5 - Nandor Fa (Hungary, K&H Banque Matav) : 128d16h05'04''
6 - José de Ugarte (Spain, Euskadi Europ 93 BBK) : 134d05h04'00''
7 - Jean-Yves Hasselin (Fra, PRB/Solo Nantes) : 153d05h14'00''
Eliminated
Bernard Gallay ( Switzerland, Vuarnet Watches), two stopovers following a
problem with the pilot and the rigging
Retired
Vittorio Mallingri (Ita, Everlast/Neil Pryde Sails), lost rudder
Bertrand de Broc (Fra, Groupe LG), keel problem (New Zealand)
Alan Wynne-Thomas (G.B, Cardiff Discovery), medical reasons (Hobart)
Loïck Peyron (Fra, Fujicolor III), strips coming off the hull (Les Sables
d'Olonne)
Thierry Arnaud (Fra, Maître Coq/Le Monde de l'Informatique), lack of
preparation (Les Sables d'Olonne)
Lost
Nigel Burgess (G.B, Nigel Burgess Yacht Brokers), found drowned in the Bay
of Bisca