Foncia leads around Cape Horn

Michel Desjoyeux aboard Foncia (pictured above) is expected to round Cape Horn between Sunday and Monday, leading the Vendee Globe solo race. He continues to set a blistering pace, with his closest challenger, Roland Jourdain more than 80 nautical miles behind him.

We received news this weekend of another retirement. Jonny Malbon on Artemis has been forced to abandon the race because of a series of problems with his mainsail. He has also been wrestling with a malfunctioning rudder, damaged earlier in a collision with a whale. We're sorry to hear about Jonny's misfortune. We wish him well. His on-shore support team cheered on Derek Hatfield earlier in the race and I'm sure the Canadian was very grateful, as we were, watching from the safety of terra firma.  Jonny now is making way towards the South Island of New Zealand for repairs.

Hatfield, meanwhile, arrived in Hobart, Tasmania, after a slow journey from the windy southern latitudes.  His team will assess the damage on Spirit of Canada and decide how to proceed for the return home.  Derek has a lot of fans in Canada and everyone is glad to see him safely into port after his earlier capsizing.

(Photo courtesy of the race organizers at www.vendeeglobe.org/en)
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