Our Mate Alex Thomson’s Races
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I've updated the thread title to be more generic. Alex is currently doing the 2 handed non stop Barcelona World race with Pepe Ribes. I love the tag line for the race:
Two Crew Non Stop Extreme Sailing Around The Planet
Alex and Pepe are currently leading and have already broken a few records.
For those who followed Alex's last Vende, the current Hugo Boss is the boat that JP Dick lost his keel on towards the end of the race when Alex shadowed him until JP learned how to sail with no keel. Needless to say, Alex has had a new keel fitted…..
Up until the last Vende, Alex was viewed with much suspicion by the predominantly French round the world racing community because Alex and Hugo Boss actually approach the endeavours they undertake with supreme professionalism and actually do some marketing too. Alex's selfless act of sacrifice helping JP out last time around, converted him from zero to hero in the French sailors eyes over night. He's also a lovely man and a fucking good sailor.
Good luck Alex and Pepe...
http://www.barcelonaworldrace.org/en/race-live/leaderboard-barcelona-world-race
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The episode of Alex helping JP quoted below. I just re-read his entire 2013 run. Amazing!
What a man….
Today, we recieved this message from Alex Thomson,
"“I am back into real North Atlantic conditions again and the wind is colder and the sea state has started to get pretty rough again. Over the last few days I have been worried about JP Dick and him sailing without his keel and even though my optimum route takes me more North and West of my current course and back to Les Sables fast and direct, this morning when I experienced the conditions I decided to change course to stay with JP until I know that he is happy with the boat and he has made his decision about what he will do regarding stopping or continuing.
Tonight and tomorrow morning a front will pass over myself and JP with some strong breeze and I will stick around him to make sure there is someone close by if something was to happen to him. JP is a great sailor and I am confident in his ability to sail safely to wherever he chooses but I know that if I was in his position I would like to have someone watching my back through the strong winds that are coming.
He has not asked me to assist in any way, but I really feel that I cannot sail off and leave him until I know that he is confident and has confirmed what his intentions are. It is simple for me really, if he has a problem I will try and help him and once he has got through the worst of the weather safely and happy with the boat tonight, and if he then decides to continue with the race safely, then I will adjust my course and continue with mine. What I don’t want is to be too far away from him if he has an issue with the coming strong winds and before he knows if he is fully capable of continuing.”
This is a noble gesture from a man who has faced the icy peril of the ocean and survived. A man who has been rescued himself. It has not been requested by the race office and so he will not be compensated for any ground lost. The gap between Hugo Boss and the 5th place boat Jean Le Cam is significant enough for him to sacrifice the miles but make no mistake it is a sacrifice. This noble gesture could also sacrifice the potential to be the first British person to sail solo around the world in under 80 days but in this instance Thomson clearly has put Jean Pierre Dick's safety first.
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He does have a history with keels, so he knows what it's like not to have one…..
http://edition.cnn.com/2014/12/02/sport/alex-thomson-solo-sailing/
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FUUUUCCCCCKKKKK
http://www.barcelonaworldrace.org/en/news/news -
That is shitty luck. Hopefully, they'll have minimal trouble getting in to port.
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That's a real shame.
Glad to hear that Alex is safe, and the boat is OK. I don't know if there's scope for him to get the mast restepped in Cape Town and head out again.
Alternatively, he could pull a Parlier…
http://edition.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/sailing/03/13/parlier.ppl/index.html
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A video of the Gitana MOD 70 trimaran flying. Not sure if this is the right place to post it, but it will no doubt perplex @Snowy further…
Also this piece at the Daily Sail reports on a new foiling keel boat.
It's changing very fast…
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The new Boss is getting a lot of attention for her paintwork. There's a piece at Dezeen about the design. It includes this deckplan that gives you an idea of the shape and beam - she's 60' / 18.3 metres long, and about 19' / 5.9 metres wide.
Alex always has the best looking boats, and this is no exception. The design is pretty radical, particularly around the bow section, and he's kept very quiet about the foils so far.
Apparently she's been out sailing, but no footage so far.
