The Vendée Globe is the ultimate proving-ground for sailors—an unforgiving race that challenges every fibre of a skipper’s being. For Conrad Colman, New Zealand’s sole representative in this year’s edition – and the man we lovingly know as ‘the Crazy Kiwi’ given to him by his wife’s French family, the last few days have been an unrelenting battle against the elements and his own boat’s mechanical limits.
After you have seen the video from today – check out yesterday’s. I can feel the emotion after his sail is initially dragged overboard by the waves rolling over the front of the yacht.
As the fleet nears Australia, Colman’s updates reveal not only the challenges of racing solo around the world but also the extraordinary determination it takes to overcome them.
Conrads key stats at the moment
- Speed: 12.08 kts
- 24h average speed: 13.38 kts
- Distance to finish: 16970.25 NM
- Distance to leader: 2879.02 NM
- Current position: 29 of 38 (40 less 2 retirements)
A fight for survival in extreme conditions
“I finally got the [stuffing] beaten out of me last night,” Colman shared, recounting a nail-biting encounter with a rogue sail. Preparing for a wind shift, he lashed a heavy sail to leeward to avoid the exhausting task of shifting it repeatedly across the deck. However, this decision proved costly.
As the Southern Ocean unleashed its fury, relentless spray shredded the sail bag, and the sail plunged overboard, dragging stanchions and other equipment with it. The situation could have turned catastrophic, but Colman’s quick thinking and relentless effort saved the day.
Slowing the boat from a roaring 25 knots in 35-knot winds, Colman worked tirelessly to recover the sail amid a passing front. With gusts hitting 40 knots and rain lashing down, he winched the battered sail back onboard, salvaging a crucial piece of equipment. “Plenty on,” he remarked, reflecting on the delicate balance between sailing, rest, and constant maintenance.
Repairs on the fly
Colman’s ingenuity didn’t end with the sail recovery. His next challenge came in the form of a malfunctioning autopilot system—a critical piece of equipment for a solo sailor. Forced onto a backup pilot, he remotely collaborated with BMG technicians, diagnosing and repairing the problem with determination and engineering know-how.
Colman described the painstaking process of removing burnt diodes from a printed circuit board and reassembling the system, comparing the delicate operation to “brain surgery.” His efforts restored the below-deck unit to working order—a crucial win in his campaign.
Further complicating matters, Colman faced a keel system malfunction after a power blackout. Manually reconfiguring and pumping the keel into position, he managed to get the boat back on track, albeit with significant effort. Despite the challenges, he remains optimistic, reporting, “Little by little, I’m getting the boat back.”
Sailing on through the Southern Ocean
The Vendée Globe is notorious for pushing sailors to their limits, and Colman’s journey is a stark reminder of the race’s uncompromising nature. As the fleet closes in on Australia, his tenacity and resourcefulness embody the Kiwi spirit, making him a standout figure in this gruelling circumnavigation.
From battling rogue sails to performing intricate repairs, Colman’s story is one of resilience, skill, and determination. While the Southern Ocean continues to test him, his updates inspire not-only fans of the race, but also those who admire the indomitable human spirit.
Keep following Conrad Colman as he presses on in the Vendée Globe, carrying the New Zealand flag with pride through some of the world’s most challenging waters.
