Harrowing account of moment Kevin Escoffier’s PRB lost in Vendée Globe (update 1Dec20)

This is how Kevin Escoffier describes the harrowing incident which forced him to abandon his IMOCA 60 PRB following damage yesterday afternoon around 1346hrs UTC.

“In four seconds the boat nose dived, the bow folded at 90 degrees, I put my head down in the cockpit, a wave was coming, I had time to send one text before the wave fried the electronics. It folded the boat in two.” (06.39 1 Dec20)

Escoffier took to his life raft some 840 nautical miles SW off Cape Town.

Jean Le Cam (Yes We Cam!) recounts rescuing Escoffier and speaks of his despair of losing sight of Escoffier after initial contact and returning five or six times to the spot with no signs of the life raft. Yannick Bestaven, Boris Herrmann and Sébastien Simon were also rerouted to search.

Sam Davies expresses her relief that Escoffier is safe

She’s ready to pick up the sheets and start racing again.

Listen to Davies check in with race officials this morning (05.00 1Dec20).

Pip Hare has lost one of her power generators

Hare’s power generator is essential to generating the electricity she needs to run vital navigation equipment and her watermaker.

“Yesterday I lost one of my hydrogenerators; the bottom just fell off it overnight. I’m not sure why and it has been a bit of a blow. I had two units, one on each side of the boat for each tack. So yesterday I had to swap the port one over – a slightly nerve-wracking task leaning over the back of the boat, terrified I would drop it or damage it and then there would be none.

“I am now concerned that this single unit should remain in one piece. The loss of this one unit could be the first link in a sequence of events that could finish my race – no power, no race. It’s sobering and was definitely a blow to my morale.”

Hare spent yesterday using epoxy to make the bottom of the remaining hydrogenator more secure.

Miranda Merron expressed joy that Escoffier is safe

“What a joy to know that Jean found Kevin in his raft in such difficult conditions, and that he is now safe. Phenomenal work from Jean and everyone involved in the search and rescue operations.”

Campagne de France is slipping between its two most direct competitors, Clément Giraud and Alexia Barrier.

Merron’s team says the conditions to come could lead these three protagonists to choose divergent routes to rally the southern latitudes.

Sailing in a compact group is reassuring in that it allows any sailor to intervene quickly in the event of a problem with either of her opponents.

Alex Thomson says he’s ‘pretty broken’

In an emotional video from Hugo Boss, Thomson says he’s “given his life to this sport and it’s a very difficult pill to swallow.

“The messages of support have been incredible.

“I need to concentrate on taking this beautiful boat home. Getting to Cape Town safely. There, I’ll officially retire from the race.

“I can’t make history this time round, but I’ve gave it everything I’ve got.” (11.43 29Nov20)

Watch yesterday’s round-up

As ever, it takes a while to start (17.30 30Nov20)

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