Pakea Bizkaia abandons Vendee Globe

4:37 PM Sun 7 Dec 2008 GMT

Unai Basurko on Pakea Bizkaia has officially confirmed that he had to abandon the Vendee Globe race this Sunday 7 December at 13H34 (French time) - 12:34 GMT.

After four days of big winds ans big seas, this morning Unai has been able to check the boat properly. The starboard rudder box (cassette) is out of his natural place because the carbon pieces that join the rudderbox to the transom are broken.

Unai does not want to go further south in this conditions because it is dangerous for the boat and for him. The option to repair is not possible because he will need to take out of the water the boat to do it properly.

So Pakea Bizkaia is now trying to cross Santa Helena High and take the SE winds directly to Ecuador (just with one rudder).

24 of the 30 skippers that started the Vendee Globe on Sunday 9 November are still racing.

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Pakea Bizkaia abandons Vendee Globe

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