At the last check on Monday at 8 PM, Jean-Pierre Dick was leading with a 30 to 50 mile advantage. Twenty-four hours later, he is 150 miles behind and in fifth place in the standings. After an extraordinary week for the skipper from Nice, which saw him lead the race with more than 100 miles (approximately 180 kilometers, Editor’s note) over the rest of the competitors at certain points, misfortune caught up with him. This Monday, he hit an unidentified object that severely damaged his starboard rudder (right, Editor’s note). In difficult weather conditions, he will have to repair it if he does not want to be too penalized. He has therefore considerably reduced his speed and now has only a 30 mile lead over his first pursuer.
He should, therefore, bring the equipment onto the deck to repair it once the conditions improve.
However, not everything has been bleak for Jean-Pierre Dick over the past few days. His tactic of passing through the South proved to be worthwhile, as he could escape. Especially since when some competitors, such as Loick Peyron, experience breakdowns, causing others to slow down, he continues to race at full speed. Despite his competitive spirit, he doesn’t forget to acknowledge his friend’s performance:
“Explain to me, how in one second can the work of so many people be annihilated? Explain to me how we end up leaving here, in the Indian Ocean, so much added value drifting now with this valiant Loick. I still can’t accept this rule of sailing where one can go from a state of ‘proud’ racer to a floating wreck in a matter of seconds. It is the terrible law of equipment sports, but it is cruel! Congratulations to the entire Gitana team. You have been magnificent and have brought a lot to the Imoca. Congratulations to Loick who once again questioned himself and demonstrated his immense talent. Yes, you are undoubtedly our own Zizou, and without the headbutts! We love you. Plenty of courage to bring the baby home.”
Such words offer insight into the world of skippers engaged in offshore racing. Alone on a boat but always surrounded by people who admire and respect them. This is what Jean-Pierre Dick pointed out before his mishap: “Sure, I have no physical contact, but I don’t feel too lonely since I have daily contacts with the shore, either with my shore team or with the race headquarters for the briefings. I don’t have time to feel lonely because there is a lot to do on board. The moments when one feels alone are when a repair is needed, and another person could get the job done in a few minutes instead of several hours! For Loick right now, it must seem long, and indeed, he must feel a bit lonely at the other end of the world. This happened to me in 2004 during the return trip of the Jacques VABRE 2003, which I had just won: I dismasted in the middle of the Atlantic and took 40 days to return under makeshift rigging instead of 20 days. Additionally, I had to spend Christmas and New Year’s at sea, which wasn’t planned; it was really something!”
Still in the race for the final victory in this 2009 Vendée Globe despite his rudder problem, Jean-Pierre is determined to do everything possible to win, no matter the cost, he revealed during a special briefing yesterday afternoon: “The repair won’t be simple, but I’m not going to give up like that; it’s important to stay in the race and to finish no matter what happens. I already have in my mind the operating method: it’s going to involve gluing with carbon, a backing plate, bolts, screws. It’s not going to be easy. But in the previous edition of the Vendée Globe, I had repaired things that seemed irreparable to me, so there’s no question of giving up!”
Especially since his good ranking allows him to forget the physical loneliness: “Yes, the ranking clearly makes a difference. When one is in the lead, there is no time to think about loneliness as I am then very focused on the progress of the boat.”
The next stage for the Nice skipper and the others is entering the Pacific. Before that, two gates need to be cleared. They will need to be strong to remain among the leaders.
