New York-Vendee Transat June 06. Sam Goodchild Dismasted, General Report, Pip, Sam and Boris North

The battle for the podium will be close with just 20 miles between second placedThomas Ruyant (VULNERABLE) and Sébastien Simon (Groupe Dubreuil), the ‘usualsuspects’ in the match including Sam Goodchild (VULNERABLE) who has just reported that he has been dismasted. They are all into the building winds on the north west side of asmall active depression.
Eric Bellion is top of the daggerboard boats on his new David Raison designed StandAs One. He still has about 23 miles on Kiwi Conrad Colman (Imagine MS Amlin).And just as the battle for the places of honour is just as tight and exciting, bodingwell for the Vendée Globe. Canadian Scott Shawyer on his first solo IMOCA oceanrace is proving his competitive drive in 16
th
.
Finally shaking off some of the accumulated fatigue caused by a late, difficultdelivery to the USA which saw him only on land in America for 36 hours before heturned back solo, Colman said today,
“I struggled to get my head in the game and see much joy in what I was doing butsubsequently life has got a lot better and I have gotten some sleep and back intothe match, it is all to play for and that is exciting and stimulating.”
He recalled, “
It feel good to have scrambled my way back into the leading group ofdaggerboard boats, I have put some good miles on the likes of Scott Shawyer forexample. A couple of days ago we were neck and neck, side by side and he is now73 miles behind and I have been able to get in front of James on Gentoo, he hasjust passed a couple of miles behind me after having had a couple of hundred mileslead on me and to be in the fight with Violette who is at the front of this group. Soafter having had a late delivery after first being held up by a late delivery from asupplier and then being held up more in unfortunate winds, it is testament to thefact we have turned this boat into a reliable and adaptable machine which is able toperform in all kinds of conditions is satisfying considering how much work we havedone in the last couple of years.”