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Published Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday

 6 November 2000 Issue # 283

By Ike Stephenson

First Saturday, and now again today the start of the Vendee Globe has been delayed.  The race was to start Sunday, then Tuesday.  It has now been pushed back to Thursday.

The first decision to delay came on Friday.  Winds of over 50 knots were expected Sunday nite.  19 of the 24 skippers voted to delay the start.   Of the conditions and decision Ellen Macarthur said: ". To dismast along the coast with 60 knots on a lee shore, it would be like hitting a brick wall."

The second delay came today.  According to race organizer Phillipe Jeanot, the 35-40 knot westerly winds: "... will prevent the boats from being able to safely leave the port itself and get out of the channel."

French skipper Yves Parlier voiced an opinion unique amongst the skippers.  Parlier said: "" I am programmed to go on the 5th November and the line is open for ten days. If the start was tomorrow, I would have taken it."

Parlier refers to rule 15.6 which states, "He or she will not be allowed to restart the race any later than ten days after the start of the race."  In effect Pariler seems to be saying that skippers should be allowed their traditional total discretion in whether to sail or not.  If the start would have been held on the 5th, skippers would have had until the 15th to actually start.  

Parlier's was a lone opinion.  Roland Jourdain stated, "... we are sailors, not kamikazes!"  

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