TROPHEE JULES VERNE
Bruno Peyron is seriously envisaging a fresh start with his maxi-catamaran
mercredi 27 février 2002 –
Two weeks after a breakage of the masthead prematurely interrupted Orange’s adventure in the Jules Verne Trophy, Bruno Peyron, his crew and the technicians from the Multiplast yard have pulled off the improbable gamble of reconstructing and assembling some 4 metres of mast in record time.
"We’ve got all the elements together today" explained Bruno Peyron "for Orange to show up on Saturday morning off Ushant on the Jules Verne Trophy starting line !". As confirmed by Gilles Ollier, designer of Orange and boss of the Multiplast yard in Vannes, the mast is in the finishing stages, the fittings have been mounted and it will be painted tonight. They took advantage of the work to ultrasonically test the whole assembly.
And to cap it all, a particularly favourable weather window is opening up for Peyron’s men on Saturday morning. Gilles Chiorri, the Boat Captain and weather specialist on board, has been observing and analysing various weather models these last few days : "If we leave Vannes Friday evening on the tide" he explained, "we will be on the line on Saturday morning. A corridor of wind should then open up for us just right for taking us down to the trade wind zones that are currently forming off the Canary Islands."
"The fantastic display of solidarity that we’ve been enjoying since our "pit stop" is continuing" emphasised Peyron ; "the mobilisation of our partners, the staff of the Multiplast yard and the entire Orange team has been enormous. The unanimous urge to go all the way through has made this new start possible."
But the new start to the adventure still depends on a final imponderable : the standing rigging (shrouds and cap shrouds) which were sent off for verification to their American manufacturer should be back by Friday. "If the worst comes to the worst" said Bruno in moderation, "we will re-step the mast with the old rigging and change the shrouds and cap shrouds one by one..."
An express repair (12 days instead of 18 forecasted...), a mast repaired and reinforced, part of the rigging renewed, a favourable weather window ! One year to the day after Club Med’s victory in The Race, Bruno Peyron, the man who believes in destiny, is getting set to launch off in the still frothing wake of "Geronimo", in conquest of the Jules Verne Trophy.
Information Mer&Media / Orange