TWO sailors will no longer be racing in the VELUX 5 OCEANS. French skipper Charles Hedrich and British ocean racer Simon Chalk have not fulfilled their obligations to the VELUX 5 OCEANS race management and as a result will not make the start line of the 30,000-mile singlehanded round the world race.
Both sailors did not respect a number of rules laid down by the race management regarding the process of qualifying for the race, known as The Ultimate Solo Challenge. The race management team has therefore been forced to refuse their entries to the race, which starts in La Rochelle, France, on October 17.
Both skippers failed to arrive in La Rochelle by September 26, the cut-off date laid out in the race rules. Ocean rower Chalk, 37, had set out on a qualification passage from Plymouth, UK, earlier this month but returned after several days due to the imminent birth of his second child. He applied to race management for an extension, which was granted, but he has since been unable to resume the passage and subsequently did not arrive in La Rochelle by the cut-off point.
French adventurer Hedrich, 52, announced his participation in the race at a press conference in Paris in July but has not taken the necessary steps to ensure his participation. His yacht Respectons La Terre, famous in the sailing world as La Cigare Rouge, has remained untouched for several months.
Four other VELUX 5 OCEANS racers, Chris Stanmore-Major from Britain, Christophe Bullens from Belgium, Australia’s Garry Golding and Polish sailor Zbigniew ‘Gutek’ Gutkowski, will all arrive in La Rochelle by the end of the week, joining Brad Van Liew (USA) and Derek Hatfield (CAN) who arrived over the weekend. Due to extenuating circumstances the skippers applied to the race team for special dispensation to arrive late, which was granted.
VELUX 5 OCEANS race director David Adams said: “The key priority for the VELUX 5 OCEANS race management is safety. Charles and Simon failed to prove to the race management that they and their yachts are up to the challenge of sailing solo through some of the world’s most hostile environments. Both skippers failed to comply with a number of the rules set out by the race management, leaving us with no choice but to refuse their entries. Our decision does not change in any way our commitment to the rest of the VELUX 5 OCEANS fleet and the race looks set to be a fantastic event for all stakeholders.”
“If it was easy, everyone would do it,” added American ocean racer Brad Van Liew, who has now qualified for his third VELUX 5 OCEANS. “I don’t think anyone expected it to be this difficult to reach the starting line, and the economic times have definitely contributed to the difficulty of getting here, but here we are and there are plenty of competitive entries to make it a great race.”
The decision by race management means the VELUX 5 OCEANS will now go ahead with six international skippers. Throughout the nine months of the race these sailors will be backed by an unparalleled structure of support. More than €1.3 million is being invested in accommodation, logistics and onboard communication ensured by title sponsor VELUX Group and other race partners. The skippers will also compete for a prize fund of €500,000, the largest prize in solo ocean racing.
Each team will be given €3,500 per stopover to assist with accommodation costs. Danish shipping line Maersk Line is providing complimentary marine transportation services to skippers, shipping 18 containers around the world. Furthermore, each yacht will carry a cutting edge communications package including a system of high-tech onboard cameras and powerful SAILOR 250 FleetBroadband satellite broadband connection. Skippers will also be provided with M-Link Voyager video editing and compressing software, as well as a broadband airtime package to facilitate daily multimedia content and the latest weather information.
Through the support of VELUX, the race is investing in excess of €2.6 million to promote the event around the world, communicating across all channels in three languages (English, French and Polish), and engaging some of the leading providers of content for television, photography, press relations and digital applications. With the race village set to open in La Rochelle on October 9, the event will be a fantastic celebration of solo ocean racing.
The VELUX 5 OCEANS, run by Clipper Ventures PLC, is the longest running solo round the world race, and has 28 years of rich heritage as the BOC Challenge and then the Around Alone. This edition features five ocean sprints over nine months. After heading from La Rochelle to Cape Town, the race will then take in Wellington in New Zealand, Salvador in Brazil and Charleston in the US before returning back across the Atlantic to France. The VELUX 5 OCEANS will start at 4pm on October 17 from La Rochelle.
Le Pengouin (Photo by Dustin Ryan)
Brad Van Liew arrived in La Rochelle, France today, having sailing Le Pingouin more than 4,000 miles to mark his qualifying sail to compete in the upcoming solo race around the world. A small crew accompanied Van Liew on the transatlantic voyage from Charleston, South Carolina to France, a perk allowed by VELUX 5 OCEANS race officials based on Van Liew’s two previous solo circumnavigation races. This offered Van Liew the chance to utilize a team to test equipment, document areas to improve, and put the brand new sails, rigging, lines and electronics to the test under various extreme conditions.
“The boat is a really fast machine and has been prepared immaculately by our small team in Charleston,” Van Liew said. “The Atlantic put us through the paces, with every condition I would want to encounter before starting the race. Thanks to the enthusiasm and hard work of many friends, I will be at the start line on October 17th.”
Life aboard an Open-60 race boat is less than comfortable for one, so with four aboard, things got quite interesting. Reducing weight aboard the boat is a major priority for Van Liew, if not an obsession. This translates into Le Pingouin’s stark interior space measuring the size of small walk-in closet. One pipe berth tucks up against each side of the hull’s interior for the fits of sleep allowed, while accommodations like a sink, toilet, and galley are absent. The nerve center of the interior is the navigation station, where Van Liew downloads various weather analytics with his B&G electronics, monitors radar and other alarms, and communicates via his Inmarsat satellite system.
“Re-entry into the lifestyle of extreme ocean racing has been a trip,” said Van Liew. “I imagine it would be somewhat like when an astronaut goes on another mission into space. You eat, sleep, dream, work, and live in a totally different realm. For me it takes a few days for my body to adjust, but then it is like a machine, focused on two main goals – performance and safety.”
Van Liew has competed in this epic solo race twice before aboard 50-foot race boats, taking third place as an underdog entry in 1999 and winning first place in his class in 2003 with a convincing cumulative lead of 21 days. This will be Van Liew’s first entry in the race aboard a 60-foot boat. With the start looming a mere month away, Van Liew feels prepared and enthusiastic for the challenge ahead.
Following today’s arrival, Van Liew and his shore based crew will attend to repairs, make adjustments to systems they have tested offshore, conduct final sail testing, and continue the search for supporting sponsors. Although Van Liew has attained support from industry leaders such as Samson, B&G, Simrad, Gill, and West Marine, finding a Title Sponsor to name the race boat and enjoy the lion’s share of branding space has eluded the team. Ondeck joined the effort recently as the first Associate Sponsor, and the team is actively pursuing additional companies that would like to benefit from the vast media exposure and hospitality opportunities that exist for the 9-months of racing.
The Velux 5 Oceans starts from La Rochelle in France on October 17, 2010 and features five ocean sprints. After heading from La Rochelle, France to Cape Town, South Africa, the race heads across the vast Southern Indian Ocean to Wellington, New Zealand. From there, the racing yachts will head to Salvador, Brazil, then up the Atlantic to Charleston, USA before returning across the ocean to France to the finish.
Le Pingouin Ready To Launch (Photo Courtesy of Team Lazarus)
Sole US Entry in Velux 5 Oceans Race Takes Huge Step Forward In Round The World Campaign
Solo American sailboat racer Brad Van Liew and his devoted support team can score one victory already in their campaign to win the grueling VELUX 5 OCEANS 2010-2011 race, as today they officially re-launched the completely refitted Eco 60 racing yacht Le Pingouin. The team splashed the boat at Detyens Shipyard and motored down the Cooper River to its new home at Seabreeze Marina on the Charleston Peninsula. “I can’t explain how grateful I am for the amazing support of the marine industry, the Charleston community and my incredible shore team,” said Van Liew, shortly after the mast was lowered into place on the deck of his sleek racing vessel.
Van Liew and his “Lazarus Project” team have spent some six months in a no-expense-spared refit of Le Pingouin, ensuring that the boat is impeccably prepared for the intense singlehanded round-the-world VELUX race. “We’ve redesigned the deck and cabin to suit my sailing style, repainted her with some awesome and eye-catching graphics, and brought every facet – no matter how minute – up to the highest standards possible for an oceangoing racer,” said Van Liew. While the level of attention to detail may seem tedious, Van Liew explains that cutting corners isn’t an option. “This will not only be my home for nine months, but she’s my survival pod, my life raft, and will need to keep me safe for 30,000 miles of wild ocean sailing.” The stripped-out, carbon fiber racing sled is adorned with a determined-looking penguin that will watch over Van Liew, along with the team slogan, “Full Noise or No Noise” to remind Brad to push as hard as he can in his battle for victory over an international fleet.
ECO 60 Le Pingouin Launching (Photo Courtesy of Team Lazarus)
Many Challenges Conquered, Many More To Go
Van Liew said he’s always had faith that his team could get the boat ready, but that “it has been more challenging than I anticipated.” He’s referring not only to the stifling heat and humidity of the summer – one of the hottest on record according to NOAA – during their painstaking rebuild of Le Pingouin, but also to the immense challenge of securing title sponsorship support that has eluded the project thus far. “We’ve relied on friends, family, a devoted group of companies, and a group of individuals, both sailors and nonsailors, that see the importance of ensuring a US entry in the world’s oldest and toughest race of its kind,” said Van Liew. “We remain hopeful that we can enlist more commercial support, but one way or another, we’re going to see this race completed, and it’s all due to the hundreds of people that have thrown themselves into this project.”
Brad Van Liew Onboard Le Pingouin After Launch (Photo Courtesy of Team Lazarus)
Exactly two months away from the start of the VELUX 5 OCEANS 2010-11 race start day, Van Liew feels Le Pingouin will be one of the best prepared race boats on the start line. “Our equipment is the best, our shore team is the best, and we’re ready,” Van Liew said. His team installed a full suite of state-of-the-art B&G autopilots and instrumentation on the 60-foot racer, an integral component of the boat. Samson Ropes throughout the boat are color-coded, and in some cases, custom-designed for specific loads, tensions, and duties. Simrad systems will assist Van Liew with navigation, radar, and traffic avoidance, and complimenting the ultra-high performance systems of the interior is a flawless head-turning Awlgrip paint job on the hull and proactive coatings on the bottom and keel. Gill technical clothing will protect Van Liew from the elements, and his diet will primarily consist of Alpine Aire dehydrated food produced for extreme environments that require light-weight provisions.
Several Charleston based companies have proved invaluable resources to Van Liew and team in getting the race boat ready. Some of these supporters include CMMC Machine, Charleston Rigging and Hardware, charlestonyachting.com, Seabreeze Marina, West Marine, High & Dry Boatworks, and Pierside Boatworks.
When Van Liew finishes the Velux 5 Oceans 2010-11 race, he will become the first American in history to officially finish three solo round-the-world races. He plans to depart on September 5th for the long passage to France for the October start.
The Velux 5 Oceans starts from La Rochelle in France on October 17, 2010 and features five ocean sprints. After heading from La Rochelle, France to Cape Town, South Africa, the race heads across the vast Southern Indian Ocean to Wellington, New Zealand. From there, the racing yachts will head to Salvador, Brazil, then up the Atlantic to Charleston, USA before returning across the ocean to France to the finish.
Brad Van Liew’s entrepreneurial spirit has seen him through successful business endeavors in aviation and sailing. As a professional sailor, Van Liew completed two solo circumnavigations, taking 3rd place as an underdog entrant in the 1998-99 Around Alone race, and claiming victory in the 2002-03 edition of that event aboard Tommy Hilfiger Freedom America. He broke a world record by covering 345 miles in one day aboard his 50-foot monohull. Van Liew has been awarded an array of honors including a US Navy Seamanship Award, Raymarine Communications Award, and Sportsman of the Year from California Yacht Club. He has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Southern California
Le Pingouin In Slings (Photo Courtesy of Team Lazarus)
Sir Robin Knox-Johnston At Velux 5 Oceans Finish In 2007 (Photo by OnEdition)
VELUX 5 OCEANS’ The Ultimate Solo Challenge
The VELUX 5 OCEANS is the oldest single-handed round the world yacht race. Run every 4 years since 1982, the race is the longest and toughest event for any individual in any sport. The VELUX 5 OCEANS is a series of five high-pressure ocean sprints within a marathon circumnavigation. In the course of the 30,000 mile race, the skippers cross five oceans alone.
Only nine months remain until the start of the VELUX 5 OCEANS and the various pieces of the jigsaw continue to come together. All the ingredients are being put in place for the eighth edition of the classic singlehanded round the world race, which should create one of the most successful events in the prestigious twenty eight year history of The Ultimate Solo Challenge. To date, Clipper Ventures, in close partnership with title sponsor VELUX, have announced a number of positive and innovative key elements of the race:
•5 ocean sprints within a 30,000 marathon around the planet, departing La Rochelle (France) on October 17th 2010 and bringing solo offshore racing directly to audiences in Cape Town (South Africa), Wellington (New Zealand), Salvador (Brazil) and Charleston (USA), before returning to La Rochelle in May 2011
•The start dates for each ocean sprint will be announced in the coming weeks, with world class services provided to skippers in each port
•The race prizegiving in La Rochelle will take place on June 6th 2011
•Nine confirmed international entries from seven different countries in the promising Eco 60 Class, with four already announced from Canada, USA, Belgium and Poland, and with more entries to come soon
•The Eco 60 Class is an exciting new class in the Open 60 range for boats built before 2003 to open the race to adventurers without big budgets and embracing sustainability
•Strong interest in the Open 60 Class, which remains open to all skippers with Open 60s built after January 2003
•€500,000 prizemoney for skippers, to be split across the fleets and 5 ocean sprints, including awards for media work, seamanship and sustainability actions
•€21,000 investment per team in accommodation for the stopovers around the world
•€15,000 minimum per team to be invested in onboard communications and logistics, with details to be announced in the coming months
•€2.6 million to be invested in media activities for skippers, including audio-visual production and distribution, photography, cutting edge digital activation and press relations in key territories around the world, with a target to deliver in excess of €80 million of media value for teams and partners
•The launch of TAKING ON THE ELEMENTS, the race sustainability agenda which will see stakeholders (organisers, partners, ports and skippers) making a commitment to promote sustainable living through the race platform (communication, race village, Eco 60 Class)
Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, Chairman of Clipper Ventures and the VELUX 5 OCEANS, concluded, “Our vision for the VELUX 5 OCEANS is to offer the most challenging single handed ocean racing format. The VELUX 5 OCEANS in 2010 aims to support new talent, encourage global participation and bring ocean racing to large audiences around the world, embracing and promoting the shared value of sustainability. We are offering outstanding support to skippers and teams, as well as sponsors, covering five continents and spanning nine months, with significant investments across team budgets and communications.”
“The VELUX 5 OCEANS has a unique heritage and a special place in the solo ocean racing calendar. Only 90 people have so far completed the challenge and it has always attracted an internationally diverse group of skippers, many of whom have become star names in sailing, including Philippe Jeantot, Bernard Stamm, Giovanni Soldini and Kojiro Shiraishi. The promising Eco 60 Class has brought a new dimension to the race and the interest in the Open 60 Class for the latest generation of racing yachts remains strong. Clipper Ventures and VELUX look forward to welcoming everyone to La Rochelle in October to celebrate the spirit of singlehanded offshore racing”
Team Finland Taking line honours in Race 2 from La Rochelle to Rio de Janeiro of the Clipper 09-10 Round the World At Rio Leg Finish (Photo by Zoe Williamson)
Team Finland has taken line honours in Race 2 from La Rochelle to Rio de Janeiro of the Clipper 09-10 Round the World Yacht Race. Crossing the line at 16:00:36 local time (18:00:36 GMT) their latest victory makes it two out of two for the Scandinavian entry.
In a race which has been marked by light winds, Team Finland took an early lead out of La Rochelle but soon lost it by sailing into a wind hole as the fleet rounded Cape Finisterre. The fleet then headed on a westerly course towards the scoring gate south of the Canary Islands in an attempt to take the first points of Race 2. As weather forecasts indicated light winds across the 90 nautical mile long gate, Team Finland made the decision to bail out and focus on a ten point win into Rio. It proved to be the defining moment of Team Finland¹s race, as they regained the lead and held it all the way to the line.
The Clipper 09-10 route will take them from the Humber to La Rochelle, Rio de Janeiro, South Africa, Western Australia, Singapore, Qingdao, California, Panama, Jamacia, New York, Cape Breton Island, Cork and back to the Humber, where they are due to arrive on 17 July 2010.
Spirit of Australia Sailing Past Sugar Loaf Mountain (Photo by Zoe Williamson)
