Isabelle Joschke forced to abandon (Vendée Globe update 11Jan21)

Isabelle Joschke has been forced to abandon her Vendée Globe after a further failure of the keel canting system on board her IMOCA MACSF.

Joschke realised that the hydraulic cylinder which was holding her keel centred had failed. After the main keel canting system failed on January 3rd she had been sailing with the keel centred, held in place by this replacement ram. The hydraulic keel cylinder ram became detached from the keel head so Joschke could no longer cant the keel. She immediately lowered the mainsail and is sailing under her storm jib to keep the boat as stable as possible.

With less than 5,000 miles to sail now to the finish line, the leaders are passing Itajai in southern Brazil.

The chasing group have now eroded Yannick Bestaven’s lead to 226 nautical miles. Five skippers are within 345 nautical miles.

Hear from skippers around the fleet

Pip Hare has been lying on the floor

“Standing has been impossible. In fact doing most things is impossible. Sometimes you are airborne, sometimes thrown forward or back. It took me half an hour to make my porridge without significant injuries. The floor seems the safest place to be.”

This has been the toughest week in her race, she says. It’s difficult sailing, in difficult conditions with horizontal snow in one of the most remote places in the world.

She knows Cape Horn isn’t all “dolphins and rainbows”, she’s getting her head down to keep driving forward.

“Everything is being thrown at me.” (12.58 10Jan21)

Miranda Merron has expressed her sympathy for Isabelle Joschke

′′I’m really disappointed for Joschke who had a great run to there. Like she said, this is the hard law of the Vendée Globe.This is a reminder again that no one is safe from a damage that can’t be fixed at sea.

“Here in the middle of nowhere 390 miles in southwest Point Nemo, there’s a bit of respite between two depressions. The sea created by the last one was impressive but it didn’t last that long.There were times when the boat was on the ridge of a wave that I felt like I was on the top of a hill looking at the liquid landscape around, before sliding down the valley again.” (08.36 10Jan21)

Watch yesterday’s round-up from race organisers

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