Toughest race takes its toll

Out of the 30 original starters of the Vendee Globe non-stop, solo, round-the-world race only 18 skippers are left.

Loick Peyron, Kito de Pavant, Marc Thiercelin, Mike Golding – are all dismasted; Swiss skippers Dominique Wavre and Bernard Stamm – suffered major keel and rudder problems respectively.  Generali’s skipper Yann Eliès has broken his leg, a rescue operation is underway, the twelth victim of this unforgiving race.

The top four now are:

1 – Michel Desjoyeaux (Foncia)
2 – Roland Jourdain (Veolia Environnement)
3 – Jean Le Cam (VM Matériaux)
4 – Sébastien Josse (BT)

Vendee Globe