Jonny Malbon

Day 50 - South of Tasmania

Let’s hope that Jonny and ARTEMIS can get some respite from the atrocious conditions that have dogged them, and the others in the group, passing below Australia.  Rich Wilson and Jonny will soon pass in to the next phase of the Race through the Southern Ocean south of the Pacific where sea and wind may be kinder.  They are both hungry to snap up some miles on their rivals, now that only 16 boats (probably) are still in contention.

Dereck Hatfield is sailing carefully towards Hobart with his wounded boat, and Rich Wilson wrote a moving blog to his North American colleague today on the Vendee site:

An inspiration to so many

“Despondent about Derek. After returning for repairs after the start, he had sailed brilliantly through the Atlantic, catching up many miles. He was relentless and had gained on our group of 2 (with Artemis) to make a group of 3. Brothers in arms through the last week of severe gales of 45-55knots each. Our group talked on the phone through these gales, and through Christmas. We were all in the same sea state that rolled Derek, so it could have happened to any of our 3, frightening. We will miss him from our little group. Derek’s project is one of the great ones in the Vendee Globe. Starting with no sponsor, no boat, he raised money via a group of 10,000 supporters that he gained one by one by relentless pr work, he built the boat by himself, an extraordinary feat, he made hundreds of corporate presentations to no sponsorship avail until the very end, almost too late to help, no big shore crew, and on and on. He is a great ambassador for the Vendee Globe to Canada and North America. He has so much to be proud of with his project, even if he won’t finish this race. Surely hundreds of thousands of people are inspired by his total effort, people whom he will never meet will change their lives because of him, and his retirement from the race does not dilute this impact one bit. Derek, I’m sure you’ll be disappointed and discouraged by not finishing this course, but be proud of your total effort, be proud of the inspirational impact you will have on countless numbers of people. You’re an inspiration to me for certain.”
Rich Wilson (Great American III) in his daily message

GENERALI has now been officially declared lost at sea - the rescue mission by members of the Generali team were beaten back by fierce sea conditions and the SAR rescue tracker on the boat has failed.  It remains to be seen if she will roam the South Atlantic until the next Vendee in 2012.  Yann Ellies is well enough to be flown home, so at least this episode had a happy ending.

Everyone at home, family, team and all those following him in the Race, wish Jonny a calm and speedy New Year and a safe trip home to Sables d’Olonne.