© Jean-Marie LIOT / Reporters du Large

With a number of problems which have been capped by the failure of his back up computer yesterday, Fabrice Amedeo has been forced to abandon his Vendee Globe.

In a message Fabrice Amedeo, Newrest - Art & Fenêtres said :


"Dear friends,
My boat is fine. We have looked after each other and I have been dealing with a few things since the St. Helena high My boat is fine, but since yesterday I have literally been blind: due to a new computer problem, I can no longer download the weather files, calculate the optimal course, the fastest possible route and importantly the safest possible.

Faced with this irremediable obstacle in my path I have two options: either to put a stop my Vendée Globe race here or to continue. It would be possible to continue to the old-fashioned way, without weather and attempt to round the Southern Ocean; to be at the mercy of the elements for a whole month to reach Cape Horn. 

The foils on the boat are difficult in strong winds and my priority has always been to be able to sail both safely and according to the principles of maintaining both control of the safety of myself and of that of the boat. I have therefore decided to stop my Vendée Globe race in Cape Town. It's a decision that was difficult to take. I must take it and assume it. I am very unhappy, but I know I will bounce back. I thank you all and my thoughts are with my sponsors who I so much wanted to be offering a finish in the Sables d'Olonne, like a small light at the end of the tunnel of this year 2020 which has been complicated for everyone. I would also like to thank my technical team very much who did a great job. The Vendée Globe tells stories of life, and failure is in fact a part of it. I will digest this failure which will make me grow and come back stronger.”

Source Vendée Globe