A bitter end for one of the favourites: "PRB" skipper Vincent Riou has to retire. The Frenchman, who was the only member of the fleet to win the Vendée in 2004/2005, had already collided with a so-called "UFO" (unknown floating object) on Sunday. The keel of the "PRB" was damaged in the collision and has been moving ever since, jeopardising the boat's structure in the medium term. In order to protect the "PRB" and ensure his own safety, Vincent Riou officially announced his withdrawal from the race this evening.
The collision occurred on Sunday on the way to the Cape of Good Hope. Riou was sailing in the leading group with his non-foiling boat and had so far put up a brilliant fight against the foilers. Riou did not initially report the collision publicly because he was unable to recognise the damage immediately. He had initially sailed on as normal. It was not until three hours after the collision that the keel of the "PRB" began to vibrate. In addition, loud noises could be heard, which were probably caused by high loads in the area of the keel suspension. The intensity of the noises increased on Monday night.
Due to the fresh winds of 25 to 30 knots and the constant high speeds of 19 to 20 knots, Riou was initially unable to check the keel suspension, but informed his Shore team about the incident. The "PRB" team, the designers (Guillaume Verdier) and the structural experts from HDS GSEA Design (Hervé Devaux and Denis Glehen) immediately drew up and calculated various hypotheses based on the noises described. It was only this morning that Riou was able to carry out the necessary tests in milder conditions. He discovered that the keel suspension had been damaged during the collision. The corresponding titanium part is an elementary component of the keel construction. With its help, the keel can be tilted, which in turn increases the righting moment.
The connection broke during the collision. This in turn led to permanent vibration between the keel axis and the suspension. With a view to the course sections in the Indian and Pacific Oceans and the chase back through the Atlantic, Riou fears the imminent loss of the keel.
For the plucky non-foiler, the elimination was a huge disappointment. Four years ago, almost to the day, Riou was also eliminated from the last Vendée Globe after colliding with a "UFO". He had set sail in Les Sables d'Olonne on 6 November in the hope of keeping up with the foilers and making up for his previous elimination. Riou is currently sailing in medium winds of around 14 knots and is not in any danger, according to his own assessment. He is in contact with his shore team, who are considering with him where he might be able to make a repair stop before the trip back to France. The team is currently considering a stopover in Cape Town.
"It's tough! I'm thinking of everyone who has travelled this path with me. I know that many are behind us. I think of them very much," said Riou. "I'm disappointed about what happened. But I'm particularly sorry for them." Vincent Riou received support for his decision to retire for safety reasons from PRB President Jean-Jacques Laurent: "Vincent's retirement is obviously a huge disappointment. Since the start in Les Sables d'Olonne, he has sailed an incredibly good race against the boats of the latest generation. He has made us dream. The whole company was rooting for him. Unfortunately, it was another 'UFO' that blocked his path. We went through that together four years ago. It's hard to have to accept these things over and over again, but we fully support Vincent's decision because he is once again reacting as a good sailor. The most important thing is that he is safe and brings the boat home safely."
Tatjana Pokorny
Sports reporter
