- Title: Sailing fans await finish of Vendee Globe
- Date: 18th January 2017
- Summary: LES SABLES D'OLONNE, FRANCE (JANUARY 18, 2017) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PORT WHERE VENDEE GLOBE LEADERS WILL ARRIVE VARIOUS OF SAILING BOATS IN PORT POLICE OFFICERS WALKING ON PONTOON IN PORT HARBOUR WALL NEXT TO SEA VENDEE GLOBE SUPPORTERS GATHERED IN FRONT OF LARGE SCREEN SUPPORTERS LOOKING AT SCREEN WOMAN TAKING PHOTO NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS WITH VENDEE GLOBE PRESIDENT, YVES AUVINET, AND VENDEE GLOBE RACE DIRECTOR, JACQUES CARAES CARAES DURING NEWS CONFERENCE NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS VARIOUS OF PEOPLE LISTENING TO NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (French) VENDEE GLOBE RACE DIRECTOR, JACQUES CARAES, SAYING: "We're in, as you say, a "head-to-head". We have two boats which are very close. Banque Populaire, (French sailor) Armel Le Cleac'h has the advantage for the moment. But we know that it's still very, very close. There isn't a lot of tactical choice so for (Hugo Boss British sailor) Alex (Thomson) it's difficult to catch him (Le Cleac'h) up today, unless there are technical issues. It's not really possible for him to have a different strategy and to be able to try and win through "another route", quote unquote. So it's true that if there aren't any technical problems on Banque Populaire, Alex is going to find it very difficult to reduce his distance now." LE CLEAC'H AND OTHER VENDEE GLOBE SAILORS ON POSTER (SOUNDBITE) (French) VENDEE GLOBE RACE DIRECTOR, JACQUES CARAES, SAYING: "They're arriving in a very, very short timeframe compared to the scale of this world tour. It's a little bit like in a 100 metre (race) and you're in the final metre and the leader wins by the length of a shoe." CLOCK SHOWING 73 DAYS HAVE PASSED SINCE DEPARTURE ON NOVEMBER 6, 2016 BOATS IN PORT (SOUNDBITE) (English) MANAGING DIRECTOR AT ALEX THOMSON RACING, STEWART HOSFORD, SAYING: "I think we don't really have much pressure on us. We broke a foil, if Alex hadn't broken a foil I think he would already be here in Les Sables d'Olonne. We would have won this race. He broke a foil, he fell behind. He got to Cape Horn and he has managed to catch up through luck with the weather but also through sailing the boat really well. And the pressure is on Armel. Armel is the French favourite, he's started this race as the favourite, he's a great sailor and a great team. The pressure is all on Armel. Armel is the guy who has to win this race. Alex just has to sail fast, keep the boat in one piece and finish this race and then we'll see where we end up." TWIN SISTER OF BRITISH SAILOR ALEX THOMSON, SARAH THOMSON, WALKING ALONG PORT (SOUNDBITE) (English) TWIN SISTER OF BRITISH SAILOR ALEX THOMSON, SARAH THOMSON, SAYING: "I am so stressed, so excited but so stressed also. Not having much sleep, my heart is beating and racing - just incredibly proud, just so, so proud and every time I think of him crossing that line, coming down the canal, I get very, very emotional. I can't wait to see him." VARIOUS OF SUPPORTERS IN VENDEE GLOBE VILLAGE (SOUNDBITE) (French) VENDEE GLOBE SUPPORTER FROM ANGERS, JACQUES RUSSEL, SAYING: "The idea of adventure, around the world, on a boat on absolutely giant seas - I am so in awe, I don't even know what to say." (SOUNDBITE) (French) VENDEE GLOBE SUPPORTER FROM LES SABLES D'OLONNE, COLETTE COUVIDAT, SAYING: "I'm supporting the Hugo Boss boat." (LAUGHING) REPORTING ASKING: "The Briton?" "Yes" (LAUGHING) REPORTING ASKING: "Why?" "Because I love the boat; it's magnificent. For me, it's a sea monster." SUPPORTERS GATHERED IN FRONT OF SCREEN SHOWING THE VENDEE GLOBE RACE SEAGULLS ON BEACH HARBOUR WALL NEXT TO SEA
- Embargoed: 1st February 2017 17:41
- Keywords: Alex Thomson Armel Cleac'h Vendee Globe
- Location: LES SABLES D'OLONNE, FRANCE
- City: LES SABLES D'OLONNE, FRANCE
- Country: France
- Topics: Sport,Yachting / Sailing
- Reuters ID: LVA0015ZLWPXB
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Briton Alex Thomson made a late surge to catch race leader Armel Le Cleac'h of France on Wednesday (January 18) as both sailors edged close to the finish of the solo round-the-world Vendee Globe race.
About 100,000 fans are expected to greet them on Thursday (January 19) after more than 73 days of racing.
Thomson is 34.75 nautical miles behind Le Cleac'h, who is hoping to win the event for the first time after two second-place finishes in the last two races in 2009 and 2013.
Le Cleac'h, aboard Banque Populaire, is on course to cross the finish line around 1700GMT on Thursday, about three hours ahead of Thomson's Hugo Boss, but a late upset is still possible.
"We're in, as you say, a "head-to-head". We have two boats which are very close. Banque Populaire, (French sailor) Armel Le Cleac'h has the advantage for the moment. But we know that it's still very, very close. There isn't a lot of tactical choice so for (Hugo Boss British sailor) Alex (Thomson) it's difficult to catch him (Le Cleac'h) up today, unless there are technical issues. It's not really possible for him to have a different strategy and to be able to try and win through "another route", quote unquote. So it's true that if there aren't any technical problems on Banque Populaire, Alex is going to find it very difficult to reduce his distance now," Vendee Globe Race Director Jacques Caraes told Reuters.
Thomson has been sailing with a damaged starboard foil for about eight weeks and he suffered another minor setback overnight. Caraes said he had been facing auto-pilot problems over the past 12 hours.
His team are optimistic the Briton can pull through. Managing Director at Alex Thomson Racing, Stewart Hosford, said anything could happen in the next 24 hours.
"I think we don't really have much pressure on us. We broke a foil, if Alex hadn't broken a foil I think he would already be here in Les Sables d'Olonne. We would have won this race. He broke a foil, he fell behind. He got to Cape Horn and he has managed to catch up through luck with the weather but also through sailing the boat really well. And the pressure is on Armel. Armel is the French favourite, he's started this race as the favourite, he's a great sailor and a great team. The pressure is all on Armel. Armel is the guy who has to win this race. Alex just has to sail fast, keep the boat in one piece and finish this race and then we'll see where we end up," he said.
Thomson set a world record on Monday (January 16) for the greatest distance sailed solo in 24 hours, covering 536.8 nautical miles (994.15 km) in the race.
Among those ready to welcome the 42-year-old Welshman on the west coast of France was his twin sister Sarah.
"I am so stressed, so excited but so stressed also. Not having much sleep, my heart is beating and racing - just incredibly proud, just so, so proud and every time I think of him crossing that line, coming down the canal, I get very, very emotional. I can't wait to see him," she said.
Le Cleac'h and Thomson will both beat the previous record set by Francois Gabart (78 days, two hours, 16 minutes and 40 seconds) four years ago as they are using foiling technology that adds stability and power.
Supporters had started to gather on Wednesday ahead of their arrival.
Jacques Russel from Angers had travelled to Les Sables d'Olonne just to watch the race, but said he did not have a favourite.
"The idea of adventure, around the world, on a boat on absolutely giant seas - I am so in awe, I don't even know what to say," he said of the competition.
Local Colette Couvidat said she was supporting Thomson.
"Because I love the boat; it's magnificent. For me, it's a sea monster," she said.
In a short radio exchange with the French Navy earlier on Wednesday, Le Cleac'h said; "Tell Alex to stay behind me, it would be great." - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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