Vendée Globe: Louis Burton exits race after rig damage
Louis Burton has withdrawn from the Vendée Globe following major damage to the rigging of his IMOCA60 yacht, Bureau Vallée. The issue was reported to the Vendée Globe race management and Burton’s technical team around midday UTC on Wednesday (4 December 2024).
The damage occurred while Burton was sailing ahead of a depression in brisk but manageable conditions, when a mechanical failure in the rigging left him unable to manoeuvre the boat.
The skipper spent 10 hours attempting to repair the damage but was ultimately unsuccessful. Despite extensive efforts to repair the damage and giving careful consideration to his options, he decided to abandon the race. Burton is now heading towards Cape Town, where he is expected to arrive in approximately three days.
Louis Burton aboard the IMOCA Bureau Vallée. Image courtest of Benjamin Sellier.
After having repaired serious cracks in his boat alone at sea a fortnight ago, this second major damage substantially affected the integrity of his boat at a time when the weather conditions in the Southern Ocean were extremely demanding.
Burton leaves the 10th edition of the Vendée Globe as a sailor with two previous circumnavigations under his belt, including a third-place finish in the 2020-21 Vendée Globe race, and 15 years of experience on the IMOCA circuit. His departure underscores the formidable challenges of this competition.
It has been almost a month since 40 skippers set off on the world’s most famous and challenging circumnavigation, with more than 24,000 nautical miles (45,000 km) to cover solo, non-stop, and without assistance.
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