Alan Roura with all his equipment and family celebrating his arrival.

Swiss, 23, Alan Roura is the youngest of the 29 patterns that left the French town of Les Sables d'Olonne on November 6 to turn the world alone. Today, 105 days 20 hours 10 minutes and 32 seconds after the beginning of its first Vendée Globe, at 9: 12 Spanish time, was confirmed as the twelfth classified of this eighth edition of the "Everest de los Seas." In command of one of the oldest ships in the fleet, Roura's arrival reflects its exceptional motivation and tenacity and does not let you see the more than adjusted budget with which this young master has had to carry out his project. The 26th of February will turn 24, being the youngest pattern in history to finish a race that held its first edition in 1989. Finally, it has sailed 28,359 miles at an average speed of 11.16 knots.

Yes, it will have ended 31 days after the winner of this Vendée Globe 2016-17, Armel Le Cléac'h, but it has done so by sailing the old Superbigou - today La Fabrique - who built in a garden his compatriot Bernard Stamm and less than two days behind the eleventh classified Fabrice Amedeo, who participated in a newer and faster ship. Just before he finished, Roura said, "Twelfth! It's funny because I basically found a competitor inside of me. I'm more than proud of this position. With this ship that is now 17, being realistic, I don't think I would have expected to do much better. To finish as first of the old generation ships seems to me crazy, a little unreal. But it feels like a great victory." The Roura IMOCA is only six years younger than its pattern.

The young master who left the studies at the age of 13 to pursue a race as an ocean navigator has made an impressive first Vendée Globe, solving successive technical problems, making intelligent and mature decisions regarding the 'routing' and constantly improving its performance, of a conservative Indian ocean to push strong and good stockings in the Pacific. And finally, a good rise in the Atlantic, failing only in the last steps of the tour due to the light winds of the days before the arrival.

As far as miles are concerned, Roura, a natural of Geneva, already accumulated the equivalent of the miles of a return to the world before starting this Vendée Globe. He's spent most of his life on ships. Being a kid lived on a boat on Lake Leman. He left school to work with his father. He sailed thousands of miles on the family ship. On the day he turned 18 he obtained his Yachtmaster certificate, at the minimum age possible. In 2012 he focused on solo navigation, competing in the 19-year-old Mini Transat, on a 1994 boat built of wood and epoxy. In 2014 he participated in the Route du Rhum in Class 40 but had to leave.

Roura is the only Swiss pattern in this Vendée Globe, following the steps of his compatriot Dominique Wavre, who has finished this race three times, being fifth in 2001 in 105 days. The return to the world alone had always been in his mind but after his Mini Transat, Alan wondered, "Why wait?" He looked more like a young adventurer than a competitor, so he didn't want to go on the traditional way to compete first on the Figaro circuit. "People just look at my age, and it's not the way to do it. You may be 40 and never have sailed or been 23 and spent your whole life sailing. Now, my age is a key in communication but it was initially an obstacle."

CommeUnSeulHomme crosses the Vendée Globe line in ninth position

Eric Bellion on his arrival after going around the world.

Eric Bellion (CommeUnSeulHomme) has crossed the line of arrival of the eighth edition of the Vendée Globe today Monday, February 13, at 17: 58 Spanish time. First debutante of this edition to finish the race, the 40-year-old navigator has completed his return to the world alone in 99 days 4 hours 56 minutes and 20 seconds, aboard an IMOCA 60 of 2008. Since its departure from Les Sables d'Olonne (France) on 6 November, Bellion has sailed a total of 28,048 miles at an average speed of 11.78 knots.

Although he is an experienced navigator with a circumnavigation to the planet already in his pocket, before starting this Vendée Globe Bellion was first sailing in an IMOCA race only 15 months ago. For a pattern that came out to see if he could complete this challenge and finish the race, known as the Everest of the Seas, his ninth square is well above his expectations. Bellion's odyssey is like a classic story that a person with a great growth in self-confidence and abilities for solo navigation discovers us, but it is not the result of a lucky blow or an accident. He is a gifted and inspiring leader who has gathered an excellent support team in cooperation with Mer Agitée - the company of the only navigator who has won twice the Vendée Globe, Michel Desjoyeaux-.

The Vendée Globe of Bellion began relatively slow but was shown faster and faster during its first time sailing in the Great South, dealing with the mental and strategic challenges of a powerful bleach, a light wind rising through the South Atlantic and the big final obstacle: a four-day North Atlantic storm that broke a section of the major's stick and left it sailing the last miles of dyed in the Gulf of Vizcaya with only the J3 and without the major candle.

Before the exit, Bellion said: "I face the challenge with pleasure. The candle is my passion and in the middle of the ocean I feel at home. Lone navigation is new to me so it's a great challenge. This Vendée Globe is a gift for my 40th birthday! I position myself among non-professional patterns, I'm here as an amateur and an adventurer. I want to make a clean race and be proud of myself when I'm done."

Bellion's relationship with his ship, a Finot design formerly called DCNS, became stronger with every mile. In fact his ship had never finished a great IMOCA race or had never crossed Ecuador until Bellion and British young Sam Goodchild competed in the Transat Jacques Vabre 2015, the first great race of Bellion. They finished sepmos and the French pattern learned a lot.

During his last week at sea, his engine refused to work and had to save as much energy as possible and repair his potabilizer. It was found with infernal conditions 48 hours after arrival, with winds of 70 knots (130 km / h). The car of the major stick of the CommeUnSeulHomme was broken, forcing it to finish the world with a reduced war surface. However, nothing has prevented him from fulfilling his dream.

Colman breaks the stick less than 800 miles from the end of the Vendée Globe

Conrad Colman days sailing in the North Atlantic during this week

At 23: 00 Spanish time (22: 00 UTC) on Friday, February 10, the pattern that competes at the Vendée Globe Conrad Colman contacted his team to report that his IMOCA Foresight Natural Energy had broken the stick. The 33-year-old pattern has not been injured and was shown to be quiet during the call. He has managed to release the gardening (mast and major candle) and has been able to save the bottle.

Colman sailed with a north-east wind between 30 and 35 knots with the J3 and three curls in the major when his ship had collapsed. It is less than 300 miles from the coast of Portugal.

The entire New Zealand / American team is working to help you find a way to land without assistance.

This is a great disappointment for Conrad Colman (10th classified), who had already completed 97% of what is his first solo return to the world without any stop or assistance, being only 793 miles from the line of arrival in Les Sables d'Olonne (France).

The Hungarian Nandor Fa finishes the Vendée Globe in eighth position

Nandor Fa goes to the hundreds of fans who came to meet him in Port Olona.

Nandor Fa has crossed the line of arrival of the Vendée Globe today Wednesday, February 8, at 11: 54 hours achieving an excellent eighth place in the solo return of the world without scales or assistance. Fa, 63, completes this epic edition 2016-17 24 years after having been the first non-French pattern to finish the Vendée Globe.

The Hungarian, an entire celebrity in his country, has completed the world in 93 days 22 hours 52 minutes and 9 seconds sailing a total of 27,850 miles at an average speed of 12.35 knots.

The history of Fa is one of the most fascinating of this Vendée Globe. His incredible passion for sport has led him to be a professional of several disciplines: first in struggle, followed by pyragüism and the Olympic Finn class before he decided to turn the world around for the first time in 1985- 1987 on a 31-foot boat, as a silent protest to the exclusion of his country, Hungary, from the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games due to the boycott of Russia.

"'Finito'. I have. With success according to my rules and hopes. The whole audience, friends, family who have come all this way to welcome me... is overwhelming. I can't find the words to describe it. It's been 92 days of a fight. Sometimes it seemed endless. It was really long, really hard. The eighth place is above what I thought. On the way out I didn't think of positions, this fleet is very strong. These ships are so ready and so good! I thought my job, with my boat and my age, would be between the 15th and 20th. I just wanted to do it in less than 100 days. And so it has. To finish eighth goes beyond what I imagined," said Fa on his arrival in the pants, where he was received, among others, by the Hungarian ambassador to France.

With regard to the difference with the edition 1992-93, when he finished fifth becoming the first non-French pattern to finish the Vendée Globe, Fa said: "It was so, so different than the first time, when he fought with boat and technique. This time I was sailing. I can tell you that I love this ship, I'm very proud of it, of the mast, of the mast... I was 62 when I designed this ship, and when I say 'I designed' I also mean all the people who helped me, but I was thinking of a 62-year-old man. I built a boat for that. I love my boat and it's fantastic. He's easily able to do it in less than 90 days. I was sailing like I was 40 but I couldn't do the speed I wanted, it's frustrating not being able to do the speeds I wanted, although my personal record has been 434 miles in a day. If I did it again I would build a flying machine."

Fa therefore ends up very satisfied with the fantastic race he has made, the glove of the cake of an extraordinary race as a navigator that has led him to be a celebrity in his country where, despite having no sea, he has earned a massive recognition and respect for his passion, humanity, humility and fair play. Nandor Fa has always been very reluctant to highlight her age. "First of all, I'm a competitor. I want to win everyone. I like to go fast. I don't want to give away jobs feeling like I didn't fight. But if someone's better than me and he beats me, it's fine of course. If someone does it just for luck, I wouldn't be happy."

Next arrivals and Didac Costa

Except for contingencies, the next pattern to cross the line of arrival of the Vendée Globe in Les Sables d'Olonne will be the French Eric Bellion (9th), between Sunday day 12 and Monday day 13.

The last update of the expected arrival date for the only Spanish in liza, Didac Costa, points out that it could end the return to the world alone between February 23 and 24. If so, the 36-year-old Barcelona pattern would become the second Spanish in history to complete the Everest of the seas, the Vendée Globe.

Didac Costa crosses Ecuador and already sails in the North Atlantic

Didac Costa takes a juice in the passage through Ecuador.

The Spanish Didac Costa has crossed today at 4: 07 Spanish time Ecuador, returning back to the Northern Hemisphere.

Costa and Attanasio are separated by 12 miles in the 15th and 16th positions respectively, after having crossed Ecuador with an hour and two minutes difference. The pattern of the Famille Mary - Etamine du Lys did it at 5: 09 Spanish time.

In a connection to the Vendée Globe Attanasio's operations center, he said: "Ecuador is not an easy area, on the contrary. I can assure you! I'm going to the helm now with zero knots of wind because the automatic pilot doesn't work with that little wind. Didac is in front of me. I can see it in the distance. I've looked at several satellite photographs from here. Looks like I still have 150 miles before I get out of here. I don't know how I'm going to sail them under these conditions."

A week ago Didac and Romain were in a hand-to-hand where the Barcelona was finally victorious. But maybe it wasn't time to squeeze. The Doldrums were still ahead, the Alsios and then found the right route to go to Les Sables. Attanasio recognized today that his intention is to sail as fast as he can but without doing any nonsense. We'll see how this "duel" Spain - France turns out.

Eric Bellion (9th) is expected to finish Sunday. The CommeUnSeulHommeis now in the South of a low pressure system dealing with 30 to 35 knots of wind from the West.

Meanwhile, two ships continue in the Southern Hemisphere: the TechnoFirst FaceOcean of French Sébastien Destremau and Pieter Heerema's No Way Back.

80 days around the world and three ships end in a 3-hour margin!

The St.. Michel-Virbac has crossed the arrival of the Vendée in fourth position. Photo: Vincent Curutchet

This Wednesday, January 25, 2017, will pass to the annals of the history of the Vendée Globe. Within only three hours, three emblematic patterns have crossed the line of arrival at Les Sables d'Olonne (France): Jean-Pierre Dick (4th) at 14: 47, Yann Eliès (5th) at 16: 13 and Jean Le Cam (6th) at 17: 43. It is the first time in the history of the race that three sailors end their return to the world alone on the same day. For the 12 patterns that remain in liza, adventure continues.

One of the most well-known and popular patterns of ocean navigation alone and two, the French Jean Le Cam (57) remains in shape and has made it clear when it ends at 17: 43 hours this Wednesday the return to the world alone without scales or assistance. 80 days 4 hours 41 minutes and 54 seconds is the time it has taken to travel a total of 27,114 miles at an average speed of 14.1 knots.

Despite a successful race as a lonely ocean navigator, Jean Le Cam did not have it easy to find the budget necessary to be in this eighth edition. Thanks in part to a crowdfunding campaign, I finally managed to raise enough money to be on the starting line on November 6. With the Finistère Mer Vent, the design of Bruce Farr with which Michel Desjoyeaux won the 2008-09 edition and Le Cam's own Barcelona World Race with Bernard Stamm in 2015, has once again proved to be a solid and cunning competitor with a great experience in this race and its journey. Before the departure of Les Sables d'Olonne Le Cam he said that "on paper should be between the top 10 or 12. I think I'll probably end up with five ships ahead, so I could be between the top six or seven classified." And so it has.

Alex Thomson crosses the line of arrival second and Didac Costa doubles the Cape Horn

Didac Costa has been portrayed on board the One Planet One Ocean with Cape Horn as a background.

The British Alex Thomson has been the second pattern to finish the Vendée Globe 2016-17, the return to the world by sailing alone without scales or assistance, after 74 days 19 hours 35 minutes and 15 seconds circumnavigating the planet.

Thomson (42) has crossed the line of arrival at Les Sables d'Olonne (France) at 8: 37 Spanish time today on board IMOCA 60 Hugo Boss.

The subchampion of the Vendée Globe has finished 15 hours 59 minutes and 29 seconds after the winner Armel Le Clèac'h, who crossed the line of arrival yesterday at 16: 37 Spanish time with a time of 74 days, 3 hours and 35 minutes, setting a new record in the history of the race.

The Hugo Boss pattern has finally completed a total of 27,636 miles at an average speed of 15.39 knots of a race that began on November 6.

It is estimated that the third classified, Jeremiah Beyou, will cross the arrival line next Monday, 23, in the morning.

Second step through Catalan furnaces

The only Spanish navigator in liza, Didac Costa, has today covered another important phase of his race by passing Cape Horn, the third of the mythical southern ends next to Buena Esperanza (South Africa) and Leeuwin (Australia). It means, psychologically speaking, the "back home." A long and arduous road where you can't lower your guard because along the Atlantic you hide traps and dangers (in addition to keeping in mind the fatigue accumulated after thousands of miles of sailing).

At 14: 43 Spanish time the One Planet One Ocean doubled Furnaces after 75 days 1 hour and 41 minutes from the official departure of the race (let us remember that a failure forced Costa to return to port and to restart the Vendée Globe four days later). Pump of profession, Costa thus adds its second step to the southernmost point of South America. The first time was also on board the One Planet One Ocean during the past Barcelona World Race next to Catalan Aleix Gelabert.

The Barcelona regatist continues to defend the 15th place in the classification, just in half of the 29 participants who embarked on the Vendée Globe 2016-17 and in front of the French Romain Anastasio, who sails 65 miles for his stern.

Armel Le Cléac'h wins the Vendée Globe 2016 with the Banque Populaire

Spectacular arrival of the Banque Populaire escorted by dozens of ships. Photo: © Jean-Marie Liot / DPPI / Vendée Globe

The French patron Armel Le Cléac'h has won today Thursday, January 19, the Vendée Globe, setting a new record in the return to the world by sailing alone without any scales or assistance.

Le Cléac'h has crossed the line of arrival at Les Sables d'Olonne (France), at 16: 37: 46 Spanish time after 74 days 3 hours 35 minutes and 46 seconds circumnavigating the planet on board IMOCA 60 with Fils Banque Populaire VIII.

His time sets a new record in the history of the race, exceeding the previous 78 days, 2 hours and 16 minutes mark achieved by French François Gabart in the last edition 2012-2013. Armel has passed it in 3 days, 22 hours and 41 minutes.

The pattern of the Banque Populaire VIII has completed a total of 27,455 miles at an average speed of 15.43 knots since its departure from Les Sables on November 6.

The second classified, the British Alex Thomson, is expected to cross the arrival line about 12 hours after Le Cléac'h, around 5: 00 a.m. Spanish time tomorrow Friday, January 19.

Didac Costa: Cold and wind with Cape Horn on the horizon

Didac Costa faces the last 1,500 miles before arriving in Cape Horn.

The last few hours have been a little moved for the only Spanish pattern at the Vendée Globe. With South winds of between 25 and 30 knots the water rotions do not stop and test the pendant of its IMOCA 60, one of the oldest ships in the fleet. Besides, the cold is bad. "The wind rolled a few hours ago and now blows from the South, it's a very cold wind. I carry all the possible layers on," Didac Costa wrote at night. "If everything goes well it could reach Hornos next weekend. There are still more than 1,500 miles, but the Cape, by all that means, already occupies part of my thoughts..." added the Barcelona pattern.

One of the key people in Didac Costa's project is Jordi Griso, a team manager of One Planet One Ocean, who has invested a lot of effort, time and even means, so that Costa could be on the exit line and turn the world alone.

From Barcelona, Griso has praised the work that Didac Costa is doing in which it is his first Vendée Globe and his second round of the world after in 2015 he completed with the Catalan also Aleix Gelabert the Barcelona World Race, return to the world also without scales or assistance but two. "Didac is doing very well. He's happy to be in the race, but he's tired too. The last month has been hard because the conditions were more difficult than expected and has had to make many repairs. He wants to start pointing north and have better conditions."

The first fly to the line of arrival

After several days of slow north forward due to light winds, Armel Le Cléac'h and Alex Thomson fly towards the finish line of the solo world with winds that will rise above 30 knots. Both patterns, separated only for 88.5 miles, devour the 1,300 miles that separate them from Les Sables d'Olonne (France) while trying to squeeze the minimum tenth of their IMOCA 60 speed with foils.

The 'Kilcullen Voyager-Team Ireland' of Enda O'Coineen part the stick

In one of the many unfortunate moments of the Vendée Globe, it came to an end, prematurely, for the first Irish pattern in the history of this race: Enda O'Coineen. Suddenly, an unexpected 35-kt streak of wind 'overwhelmed' its automatic pilot. For its part, the Spanish Didac Costa has already surpassed half of the tour of this eighth edition of the return to the world in solo without scales or assistance.

In seconds, the Killen Voyager- Team Ireland stick broke, falling on the side of the ship. At the 15th fleet position, 24 hours before O'Coineen had completed a series of necessary repairs, while protecting the island of Stewart barlovent, at the southernmost point of New Zealand. Ironically, two hours before it unearthed, it had recorded a video about the new year, committing itself to recalibrating its natural affinity to risk.

Having repaired what he needed - mainly the automatic pilot and the orders - and having learned much from his experience and his solid speeds in the Indian Ocean, O'Coineen spoke today that this was a great disappointment because he considered that he was in a good position to complete the second part of his circumnavigation to the planet.

"I'm broken. Things were going pretty well," said O'Coineen. "I was in good shape. Having come this far I felt I could deal with everything. It was just a bad function of the automatic pilot, who put the whole train in motion. I have to take responsibility. What happens, happens."

In terms of his Vendée Globe, with 5,000 miles to Cape Horn ahead, the 60-year-old pattern was lucky to be less than 200 miles from the Southeast of Dunedin (New Zealand) when his mast fell apart. He released the mating but reported that he could not save the botavara, nor any part of the mast, so he has very limited options to make a mating of fortune. This afternoon he was heading slowly and motor to New Zealand, with aft winds.

"He took me by surprise. It had between 20 and 25 knots of wind and a violent 35-kt blow came all of a sudden and the automatic pilot failed at the worst. I unintentionally moved once and then I moved back. The ship was out of control. I have to laugh because otherwise I'll cry. The mast fell clean on deck and was in fact intact. But the whole thing fell on the side. I had to make the difficult decision to try to save the gear or save the boat's hull."

O'Coineen's mood, his philosophy of life and passionate character will be missed in the remaining weeks of Vendée Globe.

"Ironically he just made a short video for the new year. I celebrated it with a little bottle of champagne. My alter ego asked me my new year's purpose and this was to take less risks in my life. In business, in my personal life, I have risked many times. The risk precisely allowed me to earn enough money to buy this ship, pursue my dream and fight for my adventure. And here I am."

18 of the 29 ships that left Les Sables d'Olonne (France) on 6 November continue in a race. In the struggle for leadership between French Le Cléac'h and British Thomson, Armel has won about 43 miles in the last 24 hours. His persecute, Alex Thomson's Hugo Boss, will seek to minimize his time to port because he has no fire on that side. Both of them are in search of the East Alsios, which, although light of 10-12 knots, are about 300 miles in the north. Thomson could cut a few miles to his rival as the anti-cyclone to his east moves south and will therefore bring with him the most favorable winds of the east as he advances.

Didac Costa, complete half of the tour
The pattern of Barcelona Didac Costa is getting closer and closer to the South Pacific, already exceeding the point that marks half of the journey of this round the world.

"It is a symbolic moment to reach half the path, equal to or perhaps even more than to bend a cape or change the ocean. Overcoming half of the world's return shows you the real dimension of the distance you still have to go. Mentally it's an important moment. From now on, every mile that Didac advances, he approaches Les Sables, he never goes away again," said his team manager, also Catalan Jordi Griso.

Banque Populaire is a record leader and Edmond de Rotschild and Famille Mary-Étamine de Lys with problems

The Banque Populaire is the leader of the Vendée and sets a new record.

The entrance to the Indian Ocean is an authentic scabechine for the Vendée Globe fleet. This return to the world is also a sports competition, an exercise of survival. There are already five officially retired and two more may have their days numbered.

To the already fallen MACFS, PRB, Safran, Initiatives Coeur and Spirit of Yukoh, there is a ship heading for Cape Town, the Famille Mary-Étamine de Lys de Romain Attanasio that hit an object when it was south of South Africa and will try to repair near land. The other one is one of the favorites, the Edmond de Rotschild of Sébastien Josse that has seen damaged one of his foils - the babor- and has it very complicated, as it is located in the south-west of Australia sailing at the limit of the ice security perimeter. It is also the ship that is further south of the entire fleet, which does not have it easy, and is also in the middle of a storm. The One Planet One Ocean has also had a small problem, but Didac Costa has reported that everything is still in order as it continues to recover miles from the TechnoFirst-face Ocean of Sébastien Destremau to which it has a stone shot less than 50 miles.

Armel Le Cléac'h head with Banque Populaire and Alex Thomson with Hugo Boss continue to spray records. The evolution of the IMOCA 60 with foils is assuming that they are very powerful and fast ships. Four of the first five are located. The fact is that the first two have improved in more than 5 days the record in the passage through Cape Leeuwin held by the winner of the last edition, François Gabart.

The Japanese Spirit of Yukoh breaks the stick and is the fifth abandonment in the Vendée Globe

Image of the party of the Spirit of Yukoh of Kojiro Shiraishi that has forced him to leave.

At 3: 40 Spanish time today Sunday, December 4, the Spirit of Yukoh pattern, Kojiro Shiraishi, contacted his ground team to tell them that he had broken the mast. The Spirit of Yukoh was sailing with a moderate wind (20 knots). Kojiro, inside the ship, heard the sound of the break around 3: 30.

Since then Kojiro has gone up to the mast and removed the broken part. Kojiro and the team have concluded that it was impossible to repair this damage and there were too many risks in order to continue under these conditions. He decided to leave the race at 9: 30 Spanish time.

Kojiro is heading for Cape Town, South Africa.

Kojiro statements:
"At 2: 30 UTC I heard from inside the boat how the stick broke. I went out quickly to see the damage but the mast had broken in two above the second cruise. I was able to remove the broken piece and I'll need to get back up to clean up. The intensity of the wind was 20 knots at the time it broke. I'm fine. I don't need assistance and I'm heading to Cape Town. I am sorry for all those who have supported me on this trip and I would particularly like to thank my sponsors for their support."

Hugo Boss and Banque Populaire VIII exchange the head of the Vendée

The Banque Populaire VIII already knows what it is to lead the Vendée Globe.

In the nine o'clock classification of today's Saturday morning, Le Cléac'h was first back in two weeks, to the detriment of Hugo Boss. The change of leader came after almost three weeks back to the world alone as the two head patterns tried to navigate through a complicated area of light winds, which emerged on their way to the strong winds of the Indian Ocean.

With Thomson moving north, Le Cléac'h decided to continue east, and when the new classification came out the French ship Banque Populaire VIII was eight miles ahead. However, three hours later everything changed again. This time Le Cléac'h chose to head north as Thomson headed east. By noon, Thomson was again in command with a 16-mile advantage, a place he has occupied since last day 2 November, with the exception of this three-hour interval.

The Spanish Didac Costa, who a couple of days ago was left without his J1 and has to manage without this candle now, sails in wave-dyed conditions and expects the wind to fall a little. You will have to negotiate an anti-cyclone before finally meeting the conditions of the south, perhaps in a week. Meanwhile, as his team director Jordi Griso said this morning, Didac prepares the "One Planet One Ocean" to face the south, making small repairs to the generator and the ship's electronics, its goal in the next five days.

In the 25th square of the fleet, in the last 24 hours it has travelled 219.3 nautical miles at an average speed of 9.1 knots. The gap between him and his predecessor, Sebastien Destremau, is gradually closing down at 290.3 miles. According to the last part of published positions (18: 00 hours today Saturday), in the last 24 hours the French has a mean speed and miles slightly lower (210.4 miles at an average speed of 8.8 knots).

Bertrand de Broc announces the abandonment at the Vendée Globe

Bertrand de Broc is the first official abandonment of the Vendée Globe 2016 / 17.

After the collision suffered by his boat at the beginning of the race, when he was sailing along the Portuguese coast, and after having taken refuge in Fernando de Noronha (Brazil) and diving the boat twice to inspect what was happening to him, Bertrand de Broc, the MACSF patron, has taken the decision to withdraw from the race after he was studied by Marc Guillemot, his team leader.

Bertrand de Broc decided to go to Fernando de Noronha to check the boat's hull. After consulting with his designer, Bertrand has been forced to withdraw from the fourth Vendée Globe. It has been a very difficult decision for the boss and his team, who have done their best to continue this solo world round. If you do, it would be very risky once in the South Ocean, so it is the wisest even if you are disappointed: "It is very difficult to have to make this decision and live with it. It's normal that it ever happens in a pattern's career, but that doesn't make it easier to take. I'm disappointed. But it would be unreasonable to face the South Ocean in this state," said Broc.

The Spanish Didac Costa meditates its strategy to cross the Doldroms
Didac Costa sounds lively from the One Planet One Ocean. 10 days after taking up the navigation at Les Sables d'Olonne, the Spanish patron finally confesses to being "in phase with the ship and the ocean. It's all going reasonably well on board and I'm fixing everything that's broken. The ship has all its potential for now." In the last part of positions, published at 18: 00 Spanish time today Sunday, it sails with a speed of 11.3 knots.

In the last 24 hours Didac has traveled a total of 283.2 miles and cuts its distance on his predecessor Sebastien Destremau, who, unlike Didac, decided to leave the Cape Verde archipelago to starboard. In the last two days, the One Planet One Ocean pattern has reduced its difference with TechnoFirst- faceOcean by almost 200 miles. The gap between the two is now in a total of 341.6 miles.

The next step? "Think of the strategy to face the Doldroms and decide how long to cross them." At least, for the moment, Costa is grateful for the temperatures of the 11th North latitude that allow it even "to take a nap on deck and even though today it has clouded and rained at times, in recent days have accompanied me a radiant sun during the day and a starry sky during the night," said the Barcelona.

Even the end of the fresh food on board doesn't seem to put up with the Didac party... "Today I ate the last piece of fruit. From now on, food will be lyophilized. Even if it is not to eat a dish on a table, the landscape around me makes up for it!"

Hugo Boss is still a leader, but he doesn't get the 24-hour record.

The leader of the Vendée Globe Alex Thomson has been about to set the new record of the greatest distance alone in 24 hours, but the collision suffered yesterday in the South Atlantic has given him a bill. The data revealed today at the Vendée Globe's operations center show that Thomson, the only British in the solo world, had sailed 535.34 nautical miles when the Hugo Boss starboard fire was damaged by a collision with an unidentified object. In fact, the distance of Thomson is greater than that of the winner of the past Vendée Globe, the French François Gabart, who has the current record: 534.48 nautical miles in 24 hours. However, the official record rules state that the record must be exceeded at least one mile away to be recognized. Thomson is only 259 metres away from it.

Initiatives Coeur says goodbye prematurely to the Vendée Globe

de Lamotte next to the broken stick that has forced him to turn to Les Sables d'Olonne.

The Vendée Globe has claimed the first victim in the form of a break. This is the French boat Initiatives Coeur, which was patrolled by Tanguy de Lamotte, which has not been able to solve the break of the mast cap that occurred last Sunday when it sailed 100 miles from the Cape Verde archipelago with about 20 knots of wind.

De Lamotte chose to sail with a mating of fortune to Cape Verde, founding in front of Mindelo, and after going up to the top of the mast - it took almost 45 minutes to get it - he saw that the break was too important to be able to repair or continue in competition and more considering that it had almost more than three quarters left back to the world ahead.

The Initiatives Coeur in addition to a sports project, is also a social project with help to children with heart problems. This is why De La Motte has decided to continue his campaign in order to continue raising funds to help the Mécénat Cirugie Chardiaque and to continue with the Vendée spirit, and even if he will not complete the circumnavigation, return to Les Sables d'Olonne alone and without receiving assistance. It will do so with the broken stick and the alisian winds, which it will blow this time of year in this area of the North Atlantic, against.

For its part the Catalan Didac Costa with the One Planet One Ocean has already passed the Canary Islands and sailed with confidence to 1843 miles from the leader, the Hugo Boss of Alex Thomson who already sails in the South Atlantic. The One Planet One Ocean is about 600 miles from the last boat that closes the platoon, the TechnoFirst-Face Ocean of Sébastien Destremau.

Didac Costa retakes the exit and the Vendée Globe already has all

The One Planet, One Ocean already sails through Atlantic waters. Photo: DPII

The Spanish Didac Costa is again in regatta. After four days of work, the One Planet One Ocean was ready and ready to return to the world alone, although pending the appropriate weather window for the exit.

Finally the meteorology has given a truce and the Catalan pattern has been able to release ties at Les Sables d'Olonne at 12: 00 today Thursday, day 10. At 12: 40 Spanish time he officially resumed the race, after crossing the starting line between the buoy "Nouch Sud" and point 46 ° 28,25N / 001 47,31W.

Accompanied by his ground team and with the recognition of a large audience led by the fire fighters of Les Sables d'Olonne, who have accompanied him in his passage through the channel of Les Sables d'Olonne, he has left the pants of Port Olona.

Before leaving, Costa stated: "I am happy to go out again, with great desire and hoping that everything will go well. On Sunday, when I was coming back from the boat with water inside, I had no idea if I could even get back out because I didn't know what damage there was. Being after four days ready again, after so much work, makes me happy. I'm happy on the one hand and on the other. Hoping there's no trouble and I can navigate well."

As for his objective in this reboot, Didac said: "The first few hours I will not think much about the race but about sailing and that everything is in place; more than in the race I will think about the ship. Then little by little, take the beat. There is a lot of wind until tomorrow morning, then it will loosen."

Didac Costa could resume the exit of the Vendée Globe in the next hours

Didac Costa (right) inside the ship with Aleix Gelabert and a technician just retouched the engine.

After the flood of the motor compartment and batteries due to the break of one of the exhaust tubes of the ballast tanks, and in view of the time limits for having certain parts, the equipment chose to modify the load system. "We have replaced the generator with a second alternator," Costa says, "this will mean more often loading and carrying some more fuel than initially planned."

"This load system remains secondary and complementary to the main, that of the hydrogenators," Costa clarifies, and adds "The different elements that were submerged and damaged have already been replaced and validated during the last night."

Costa points out that "It would have been impossible to achieve this in these deadlines without the help and solidarity of other teams of the race and especially of the fire department of Les Sables d'Olonne that has turned to help us"

Costa and your team are now awaiting a suitable meteorology to return to the exit. A front has swept the Gulf of Vizcaya in the last few hours, generating north-west winds from 30 to 35 knots and waves from 3 to 4 meters. "They are not the right conditions to leave port and start a return to the world. It is not easy to wait on the ground with the boat ready, but we have no other option" explains Costa.

The wind should be rolled progressively in the next few hours and the team should also wait for a suitable tide to cross the Port-Olonna channel again and to cross the starting line again.

The One Planet, One Ocean suffers a breakdown and has to return to port

The One Planet, One Ocean returned to port escorted by Salvamento Marítimo de France.

After three weeks on the ground, the 29 sailors who participate in the 8th Vendée Globe have experienced moments of intense excitement this Sunday morning in Les Sables d'Olonne. But as good competitors, they have rementalized and are full in the race. At 13: 02, they left in exceptional conditions. Less than an hour later, Didac Costa detected a water way through a leak in a ballast tank, and turned around to return to Les Sables d'Olonne.

At 13: 54, I decided to turn back. His team went on board and was able to make a precise diagnosis of the incident that is less serious than expected: the duct of a ballast tank was broken and led to a water leak. Escorted by a SNSM ship (French sea rescue service), it moored around 18: 15 in Port Olona where a more precise diagnosis will be made and it will make a decision on its return to the race.

Jordi Griso, team leader, explained that "there is a tube in the ballast tank that serves to empty it with an electric pump and the root of the tube has been released and all the ballast water has gone out through the [tilt] and has been passing through compartments where the engine, the batteries are..."

For his part, Didac explained: "I have entered the ship and I have seen that there was water inside, so what I have done has been to disconnect the electronics so that there was no harm and to assess what had to be done. Being so close to here was best to go back to check the boat and get out when you can."

Decepted at first, he has gradually regained his mood: "Now I am a little better. The moment that happens to you, you don't expect it, but I saw the ones that happened, and what could have been, if it had happened to me to be sea inside would have been much worse. We'll try to fix it and get out when we get there. I don't know how long it will take, we have to look at it now."

The other competitors sail at good speed to Cape Finisterre, the fleet is led by Sébastien Josse (Edmond de Rothschild), Jean-Pierre Dick (Virbac-StMichel) and Vincent Riou (PRB).

Prior - Everything is prepared in Les Sables d'Olonne for the exit of the Vendée Globe

The pants of Les Sables d'Olonne filled with fans in the days before the Vendée Globe's departure.

The Catalan Didac Costa, will be the only Spanish that this Sunday, at 13: 02 hours, will be on the way out in the eighth edition of the Vendée Globe, the solo return to the world without scales or assists, the most extreme test of the world's sailing. A total of 29 sailors of 10 nationalities will take part in this circumnavigation. Although ending is the goal of all, the time to beat for those who seek victory is 78 days, 2 hours and 16 minutes, those marked by François Gabart, winner of the 2013 edition.

Costa will compete on board the One Planet, One Ocean, the IMOCA 60 with which it has already completed the past Barcelona World Race with Aleix Gelabert. "It's been very difficult to get to this moment, but I'm ready and the boat too. From now on, what will worry me will be the tiredness and you can never get away, but I'm relaxed and quiet. The experience of Barcelona World Race can serve me, but this will be much harder," explains the Barcelona navigator.

It will be the fourth Spanish navigator to compete at the Vendeé Globe after José Luis de Ugarte, who finished sixth in the 1992 / 93 edition and only Spanish that has managed to finish it; Unai Basurko (2008 / 09) and 'Bubi' Sansó (2000 / 01 and 2012 / 13).

Didac Costa has invested everything he had in order to fulfill his dream of being in the Vendée Globle. Without a lead sponsor, he has left his heritage behind and had to use the help of small sponsors and friends, and after a series of last-minute setbacks to a crowdfoundation that is still operational through the platform Sponsorto. The team's first goal was to get 19,000 euros and the second one is to reach 36,000 in the remaining 17 days, to, among other things, be able to send photographs and videos via satellite. It has entered through this route 27,050 euros. The total budget of One Planet, One Ocean, is around 300,000 euros, which in the end has had to be covered by its own resources.