While it seems likely that Manuel Cousin (Coup de Pouce, 31st) should cross the finish line tomorrow (Friday) and then Fabrice Amedeo (Nexans Wewise, 32nd) should finish after the weekend a dark cloud of uncertainty is hanging over the Belgian skipper Denis Van Weynbergh (D’Ieteren Group, 33rd).

He has had a mainsail halyard problem since the beginning of the week and, after it fell down again, he is presently progressing making slow progress without a mainsail. This latest mishap is again significantly delaying his arrival in Les Sables d’Olonne which now seems set to be after the finish line closes on Friday 7 March at 0700hrs UTC. And so it seems that Van Weynbergh might end up  completing his round the world race without an official ranking, finishing after the time limit. 

VAN WEYNBERGH’S ORDEAL CONTINUES

The Belgian skipper, 33rd of 33, may have been last for a long while but he did not expect such a complex and exhausting finish to his race. On Monday he had to deal with his main halyard breaking, the loop spliced at the top end of the halyard failed. But he managed to re-hoist it to the height of the second reef using the spinnaker halyard. But yesterday evening, in a short voice message, he said  that his halyard is "broken again". He is is making slow headway without a mainsail, only with a headsail. "I'm under J3 and for the moment I'm making headway like that," he said as he made 6 knots. "I'll see how the situation evolves to continue under the headsail, the boat and I are safe. There is no problem for the moment". 

"Right now Denis is monitoring the situation and continuing to progress towards the East", reports race director, Hubert Lemonnier. But Denis is slowed down,which compromises a finish before the line closure which will take place next Friday at 0700hrs. If he finishes after that time Denis will no longer be ranked but deemed to have finished out of the race. He is now expected around March 10th.

Source : Vendée Globe