Dee and Aviva have now spent over 80 days racing in the Vendée Globe and hope to cross the Equator within the next couple of days, signalling her return to the Northern Hemisphere.
At the same time, Michel Desjoyeaux aboard Foncia will be pushing hard to the finish line, which he is expected to cross sometime over the weekend. If, as expected, the talented skipper known as ‘Le Professor’ claims first place it will be his second Vendée Globe title.
Reflecting on both her race and her fellow competitor’s performance, Dee commented:
Reflecting on both her race and her fellow competitor’s performance, Dee commented:
“Mich has sailed an awesome race especially since this is one of the toughest Vendee’s ever. It has been fascinating to watch and is a fantastic achievement but then he is very experienced and very good at what he does. We have all learned a lot from him but I am really chuffed that having been racing Open 60s for just 18 months, I am still in the race and managing to get my new boat around the world. Ideally, I would like to keep my boat for four years and have time on the water to do other races so in the next race I will be much more confident in both me and my boat without all the worries we have had in this race.”
Whilst Mich will no doubt enjoy a rapturous welcome from his French fans in Les Sables D’Olonne, for Dee and the remaining fleet, the race is still very much on. The race for fourth position is a hot contest between the top three British skippers (Sam Davies, Brian Thompson and Dee) and Frenchman Marc Guillemot, with only 330 miles separating the four skippers.
Despite having to make yet more repairs to Aviva’s delaminating mainsail Dee is still making good progress up the Brazilian coastline recording average speeds of over 11 knots. Dee commented yesterday:
“Last night was probably some of the best sailing of the whole race. The sky was covered with a blanket of stars that touched the surface of the water… The wind steadied out and Aviva was sailing easily in the right direction and happy to be heading ever closer to our date with Neptune.”
As Dee crosses the Equator, she will no doubt make the traditional toast to Neptune with champagne and offer a few gifts as a thank you for her safe passage. After such a long time in freezing Southern Ocean conditions, Dee is enjoying the bikini weather and may even have exposed herself to a touch too much sun this week.
“It is hot and humid at the moment but I am having to be careful because my shoulders and back got quite badly burned when I was repairing the mainsail so I am staying covered up for a couple of days but I aim to work hard on my tan before we get home.”
As Dee crosses the Equator, she will no doubt make the traditional toast to Neptune with champagne and offer a few gifts as a thank you for her safe passage. After such a long time in freezing Southern Ocean conditions, Dee is enjoying the bikini weather and may even have exposed herself to a touch too much sun this week.
“It is hot and humid at the moment but I am having to be careful because my shoulders and back got quite badly burned when I was repairing the mainsail so I am staying covered up for a couple of days but I aim to work hard on my tan before we get home.”
To read Dee’s latest diary entry, log onto http://www.avivaoceanracing.com/index.asp?pageid=16&blogid=696
Next week, the Aviva Ocean Racing team will be launching a competition, inviting children to design a homecoming poster to celebrate Dee’s return and her double world record. The competition will run until 11 February 2009 and the winning poster will be presented to Dee at her official homecoming to the UK. The winning ‘artist’ will receive an Aviva Ocean Racing team rucksack stuffed to the brim with goodies!