Jonny Malbon

Dramatic first day

The conditions are extreme and the weather has taken its toll on the fleet with almost a third of them retiring - many to effect repairs before setting out again. Eight of the 30 skippers in the race have had to return to Les Sables. And weather is actually set get even worse with the wind is forecast to exceed 45 knots in the squalls, before easing off and suddenly veering to the North West.

Those with serious problems are:

British favourite Alex Thomson’s Hugo Boss has structural damage to the hull.

Kito de Pavant’s Groupe Bel has been dismasted.

Yannick Bestaven on Aquarelle.com has been dismasted.

Derek Hatfield on Algimouss Spirit of Canada is returning with an electrical problem. Canadian skipper Hatfield had to come back to try and fix an electrical problem 231 miles from the start.

Dominique Wavre’s Temenos II returned yesterday with an electrical problem.

Jean-Baptiste Dejeanty the skipper of Groupe Maisonneuve hopes to reach the harbour again at around noon tomorrow (11th November) with a damaged deck panel he estimates will take two or three days.

Bernard Stamm’s Cheminées Poujoulat collided with an 80-metre long Maltese cargo vessel which is believed to be a freight carrier and has a damaged bowsprit.

Overall race favourite Michel Desjoyeaux’s Foncia sprung a leak and is also returning to port.

Race rules stipulate that if skippers suffer damage during the first 10 days they can return - only to Les Sables d’Olonne - to carry out repairs before heading off again. They must cross the start line by 13h02 on 19th November.

Other news: Brian Thompson (Bahrain Team Pindar) still had some of his team on board during the final Vendée Globe start countdown (four minutes before the gun was fired) and has been given handed a penalty of four hours.

What a crazy race!