Loïc Peyron sent back a video of the state of Gitana Eighty before he tidied up. It looks as if the mast just broke at the foot and fell down in one piece.
As is normal in this race, those still in the race get quite upset about one of the pack dropping out. Dee Caffari lamented the loss of the ‘Jedi Master’ in her latest report, and even the ever-cheerful Sam Davies expressed shock. Jean-Pierre Dick lamented the cruelty of it all: “Can someone explain how in one second the work of so many people can be wiped out? Can anyone explain how you get this far in the Indian Ocean, having achieved so much. I can’t accept this rule of sailing, where you can go from a proud racer to a floating wreck in a few seconds. It’s the terrible law of mechanical sports, but it’s certainly very cruel!” Mike Golding didn’t mention the dismasting directly, but said he believed that most of the pack realised this was not the time and place to push for the lead, bur rather “keep the boat together, get yourself to Cape Horn and then enjoy one helluva race up the Atlantic.”
It would take about the same time for Gitana Eighty to sail up and back to Capetown under jury rig as it would to head straight on for Australia (which is 2,700 miles downwind), but the Gitana team is contemplating chartering a tow. One possible towing vessel is Marion Dufresne, a French oceanographic research vessel which is close enough to be able to meet Gitana Eighty in the vicinity of Kerguelen Island.
Peyron will sail NNE for a day while they make up their minds.
