Veolia Environnement Unable to Compete In The Transat

Veolia Environnement

03/11/2008

2 months from the Transat start, Roland Jourdain has taken the regretful decision not to take part in the English transatlantic race, which starts on May 11th 2008.Since dismasting in the Barcelona World Race and despite huge efforts from his technical team, the delays in shipping the boat back and the build of the new mast have forced the team to fall behind schedule.

Since last December 17th, the date of Veolia Environnement's dismasting in The Barcelona World Race when they were 1600 miles from the Australian coast, extensive planning has been taking place in Concarneau as the team wait for the return cargo carrying the red monohull.Extensive research and planning of every single milimeter onboard...everything had been set in place so as not to waste a minute before the boat arrived, so they could be on time into Plymouth...

The New Mast Build

At the beginning of January, the order was given for the new mast in the CDK Technologies' yard who had overseen the build of the « tube » at JMV in Cherbourg.The HDS design team, who has been designing Bilou's masts since his first ever boat, are also working with all the teams to try to understand the original failing of the rig. (read the interview).

Even though no specific reason is showing up in the analytical readings carried out by Ifremer on the fragment of the mast that Roland brought back in his bag, it was nevertheless decided to modify the lower bit of the new tube that had broken, so as to strengthen it. But the consequences of the successive dismastings this winter, meant that the new mast was also the last to take its turn in the mould and can only be delivered...at the end of April.

Veolia Environnement Arrives Back Into Zeebrugge Tomorrow

According to the cargo ship Tamesis which is bringing back Veolia Environnement, they aim to arrive into Zeebrugge, Belgium tomorrow morning. Just two'little' days later than predicted which has thrown out all the future logistical plans of the boat.

On site, Nicolas de Castro who oversaw the loading of the boat in Fremantle (Australia), will also be accompanied by Luis Guervos and Thomas Lebee to control the'exceptional load' road convoy to bring the 60-foot monohull back home. But even if it all goes to plan, Veolia Environnement would not make it back to the Kaïros hangar until next week.The long and short of it is that the yard would only have 1 week available instead of the 4 weeks originally initially expected, which shifts everything back affecting the month of May.

Too Late For The Transat

The timing is therefore far too reduced and tight, not to mention the days needed for sailing to settle the new rig and to check all the systems before the race start.After this winter's damage and with theVendée Globe taking priority, Roland has therefore decided not to risk entering the Transat.

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Reminder Of The Dates

  • 17th December 2007:Veolia Environnement dismasts in The Barcelona World Race
  • 31st December 2007: Veolia Environnement arrives in Fremantle, Australia
  • 17th January 2008: Cargo leaves Fremantle with Veolia Environnement onboard
  • 12th March 2008 : Cargo arrives in Zeebrugge, Belgium

Extracts from Roland Jourdain's Interview

Roland, you've decided to give up doing The Transat, why ?

Roland Jourdain : « We're not able to do the single-handed English Transat because we don't want to risk leaving when the boat isn't properly ready.The delay of the cargo arrival but mainly the delay of the new mast, the timings show that it is impossible to be able to do everything and to be able to leave feeling confident in the boat. Understanding the importance of the rig, as we saw this winter (...), we've decided its too dangerous to leave in this state, without thoroughly checking the new mast.»

You were worried about doing The Transat ?

Roland Jourdain : « I really wanted to do it ! I've wanted to do it ever since I got back in January as I didn't want to finish on the note of an'incomplete race' (...) The timing was too tight... We spent a lot of time recalculating the mast to get it ready for the build...And the sad fact is that as I lost mine late in 2007, I was the last on the list for the build (...) You can't make a mast in any old shop and there aren't many companies that can build them.The delays accumulated by my colleauges or even my competitors in the building of their masts had a knock-on effect on mine and now its too late to do things sensibly.»

It is 8 months to the Vendée Globe start, how do you compare with your competition ?

Roland Jourdain : « Good thank you ! I'm delighted with the performance of the boat as we've tested it really well by going half way round the world this winter and apart from the mast breaking, the overall changes we'd made were really good.I know therefore that the boat isn't the fastest but its definitely up there ! (...) I'm also really pleased to have been back in the Southern Ocean : The Indian Ocean, the Forties and the Fifties...When you only go there once every 4 years, you forget what its really like and I've been reminded that it is a different race down there...the experience and'sting in the tail' we had this winter really counts as invaluable experience in terms of getting the boat ready for it and turning it into a first-rate boat. So, yes there are pressures as always, same as everyone, but some have even more than me I think. I'm quite content with our position when we've got a few months in hand before the start.»

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