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Being a sport and adventure photographer has to be one of life’s sweetest deals. At least that’s the way it seems when you browse through a portfolio from a guy like Ben Moon. Moon does it all: surfing, climbing, travel, the outdoors. And it’s all very, very mesmerizing…

After setting the solo transatlantic record yesterday, Francis Joyon turned IDEC toward France and went below for a little nap. Exhausted as only a solo record-breaking sailor can be, he, umm, overslept and woke up only when his 90-foot tri ground ashore on the rocks of the Brittany coast. Joyon was rescued, but IDEC is believed to be a total wreck, losing her mast and slowly disintegrating into pieces. The Daily Sail (subscription only, but well worth the price) has a full report. Here’s just a bit of it:

This disaster may have been averted had Joyon taken crew on board at the Lizard to help him deliver the boat back to the Lizard, but as one close friend commented: “Of course he is used to doing things by himself. He prepared the boat by himself, he painted the boat by himself, he went to New York by himself, he took the boat to the start line by himself – that is the way he is.” However this in no way questions Joyon’s seamanship – there was nothing remarkable about Joyon delivering his boat up and down this coast, something he had done on many previous occasions. Only this time he was exceedingly tired as he negotiated a treacherous part of the Breton coast.

Fortunately Joyon is safe and unhurt, but this is a terrible end for a boat that by rights should have been put into a museum for the incredible achievements she had made during her lifetime. 19 years old the IDEC trimaran must have one of the highest mileages of any race boat and was rapidly reaching the end of her life.

It’s a sad end to a great boat, though there wasn’t much left for Joyon to do with IDEC in the record-breaking game. Hope the thing was insured. It would be nice to see Joyon appear down the road with a newer, modern design…

[Update–Joyon on the tragedy: “After crossing the finish off The Lizard, I headed for the “Four Channel” (editor’s note – near Ushant off Western Brittany), then went through the Raz de Sein during the evening… As I had planned to reach La Trinité during the morning, I decided to slow the boat down a bit, by reducing the canvas, and with the wind aft, I was on a bearing well off Penmarc’h Point– about 30° to the right. As I hadn’t managed to get any sleep for a long time, when I did fall asleep, it was very deep… I was using the autopilot, and I think it must have taken her off course, as happened once or twice during the record – but I wasn’t going fast enough this time to be warned of the change. I suddenly woke up, when I heard a huge crash, when the boat came down in the breakers between a 6 metre high rock to my left and another one to my right. I was stuck there in the middle. I had managed to go aground on the most vicious rocks you can find off Penmarc’h Point. I think it must have been around one in the morning, and I immediately radioed a Mayday, as I thought I was on some rocks a little further out to sea. I didn’t think for one moment that the boat had turned in towards the coast. In the pitch black conditions, I gave my position and the coastguards service in Corsen told me that the rescue service was on their way, and that the boat could be reached on foot! They helped me ashore in amongst the rocks… I didn’t know what was going on for an hour or so, and I let them take care of me, which isn’t at all like me. As the rescue team saw I was in shock, and not very coherent, they suggested I go to hospital– I was examined for three hours in Pont L’Abbé. My brother came to see me at four in the morning, and we went back to the boat to try to get her off with the help of the sea rescue service: a diver from the rescue team went into the water, I got on deck to help him moor up the trimaran, but just at that moment, she swung around and in just a few moments, the breakers smashed her up and her mast came down… In spite of the extraordinary bravery and the determination of the sea rescue team, as we speak, all that remains of her is a few tiny pieces. It’s incredible that in such a short space of time, a boat can be smashed up like that.»

«Those six days at sea on board IDEC were a sheer joy, and when you find this sort of success with a boat, you get attached to her. I’m almost ready to believe that those little bits of fibre have some sort of spirit. I really believe the boat worked harder than I did in getting these two records. I was beginning to think about other challenges. I was determined to sail 600,000 miles alone with her! (…) But in the end, at sea, you are the only one in charge and you have to accept your mistakes, just as you accept the laurels of victory at other moments.”]

IDEC As She Should Be Remembered…

It’s quiet. It’s enviro-friendly. It’s probably just a little slow. But it’s not a bad way to go waterskiing. Click here to watch…

“I wonder what other crazy stunts we can pull off on this cat…”

Because he’s King Of The Atlantic, just hours ago passing The Lizard to set a solo crossing record of 6 days, 4 hours, and 1 minute. Joyon crushed, and I mean crushed, Laurent Bourgnon’s 11-year old record by 22 hours and 33 minutes, averaging 19.75 knots for the crossing. Read all about it here. Joyon is an incredible, indomitable sailor, and this was an incredible voyage, in which he nailed two of the biggest three solo records (the 24-hour record, and the west/east transatlantic record). It’s particularly sweet that he did, because it looks as if Thomas Coville is about to take possession of his east/west transatlantic record (he’s more than 400 miles ahead of Joyon’s pace, with just 808 miles to go to the finish in San Salvador). So what now for Joyon? I guess he sits back and waits to see how Ellen, and possible Coville, do when they go after his new record later this year. His new mark will be very hard to beat. But that’s what everyone said before Ellen took the solo round-the-world record from him…

“Alors! Now what…?”

The Tour De France is one of those sporting spectacles that transcends a given sporting discipline. It’s got drama, suspense, heartbreak, elation and, always, exhaustion. Even if you are not a cycling fan, it will suck you in. And you can’t do any better than Outside Online’s dramatic, in-depth, coverage. You’ve got an interview with Lance (if you need to ask who that is, you really need to get out more), a daily blog from Lance’s coach, Chris Carmichael, and plenty of other good analysis. And don’t miss the inside account of last year’s race by superb writer Daniel Coyle, excerpted from his new book Lance Armstrong’s War: One Man’s Battle Against Fate, Fame, Love, Death, Scandal, and a Few Other Rivals on the Road to the Tour de France. Here’s Coyle tapping it out:

The Dead Elvis Grin refers to Armstrong’s facial expression when he’s pushed to the edge, on the verge of cracking, that tactically useful moment poker players call the tell. Armstrong’s tell began with the American changing positions on his bike—standing, sitting, standing again, rooting around for more power. Then he leaned forward on the handlebars, throwing his body weight into the pedals. His face went red, then ashen. The furrows in his forehead deepened, his eyes fixed, and his upper lip slowly rose over his front teeth, unveiling the signature half snarl, half smile.

Armstrong says this will be his last Tour. But if he wins, how can he resist coming back for another? I don’t think he will. But that’s a question for later. First, there’s a couple thousand miles of road to contest…

“I may look dead, but Ullrich is embalmed…”

This guy is just relentless. Just a couple of days into his solo west-east transatlantic attempt he put the hammer down and knocked off the solo 24-hour record, sailing 543 miles at an average speed of 22.62 knots. That beats Laurent Bourgnon’s 11-year old record, and puts Joyon 240 miles ahead of Bourgnon’s transatlantic pace. Typically, Joyon wasn’t even aware that he was on a record pace. He was just sailing hard, doing his thing. Now he’s 240 miles ahead of Bourgnon’s transatlantic pace with just 539 miles to go. (Follow along here). In other words, he’s going to nail this crossing record unless his mast falls down or a float breaks off. Watching closely is Joyon’s friendly nemesis, Ellen MacArthur. She plans to take a crack at this record in September. Will she steal another one from M. Joyon…

“Hmmm. If Ellen is following in September maybe I should drop a few mines over the side…”

Don’t know why the catfish record always seems to attract alot of media attention, but maybe in this instance it is deserved. Because Thai fishermen in the Mekong Delta landed a monster 646-pounder, believed to be the largest freshwater fish ever caught. Initially, they hoped to sell it to environmentalists, so they could take it back to the river to spawn. But the thing died before any deals could be struck. So they did the next best thing: they cut the bruiser up and sold the meat to local villagers. That’s one hell of a catfish fry, and you can read all about it here…

Mutant Freak: “I always suspected this river was radioactive…”

Hydroptere is out. According to the website, last night the mega-foiler hit a UFO (Unidentified Floating Object) and Alain Thebault has been forced to abandon his east-west transatlantic record attempt. At least that’s what happened if my minimal understanding of French is correct (I hope it doesn’t really say “last night all the crew enjoyed a large roast chicken for dinner”). It’s a shame, because they were sailing well. But I can’t say it’s a surprise. Just think of the forces on the foils and struts when a wave or something hard smacks into them at 30-plus knots. You have to wonder whether they can be beefy enough to survive an ocean crossing yet light enough to keep Hydroptere flying (take it from here all you structural engineers out there).

[Update]: Here’s the summary from the website.

Departed from Cadiz on Tuesday morning for the Atlantic crossing, Alain Thébault and his crew are forced to give up after having struck an unidentified floating object yesterday evening, a little earlier before 8.00p.m. The brutal shock occurred while the multihull was progressing at 20-25 knots under the high Grand’Voile et the gennaker at 50 miles from Lanzarote. The crew deplores an impact of the port side foil, which caused a strong torsion in the connection arm. An difficult unfortunate event for the Hydroptère that was on the way to succeed its first Atlantic crossing. Alain Thébault and his team-mates called at Lanzarote and will quickly decide if they repair there or come back to France.

Account of the shock by Alain Thébault:
“ After a careful departure from Cadiz and a day on the sea in a light wind varying from 10 to 15 knots, the Hydroptère began lengthening the tread between 20 and 25 knots of speed under the the high Grand’Voile, gennaker and fore-staysail. The sea was then formed with 2 to 2,5 meters of hollow. We are positioned at 50 miles North from Lanzarote in the Canary Islands. Suddenly we felt a violent schock! Projected against the partition while we were asleep, Jean-Mathieu and I joined Jacques, François and Pollux on the deck. We could see the impact of the Foil and its consequences of the arm. Fortunately, these elements, built by Airbus Nantes, did not suffer that much damage. Only an aluminium vein and the torsion box set at the end of the arm are to be replaced”.

In the meantime, Thomas Coville and Sodebo are almost a 1000 miles into their solo run at Francis Joyon’s Route Of Discovery record, with just over 3000 to go. Coville is pretty much hanging onto Joyon’s pace, which is a good thing because Joyon had a pretty slow finish.

Joyon will be interested to see how it all turns out (poor guy can never rest; there’s always someone stealing his records). But he’ll have to keep track by satphone, because Joyon just set out early this morning on from New York in a bid to nail the west/east transatlantic record which has been held for a long, long time (since 1994) by Laurent Bourgnon and Primagaz. This is one of the Big Three (the other two being the solo RTW and 24-hour), and Joyon is hoping for a shot at the solo 24-hour (also held by Bourgnon and set on his 1994 crossing). The numbers Joyon is shooting for: 7 days, 2 hours, 24 minutes, and 540 miles. You can follow M. Joyon’s position and track here. I’m pulling for him because Bourgnon has held the record long enough. Plus, I love Joyon for his stolid, Old School approach to sailing and he’s going to need a new record if Coville gets lucky with the weather. The only question is whether he’ll be able to hang onto it. Ellen will be after this record in the fall, and Coville no doubt will take a crack at it when he heads back across the Atlantic. Solo record setting: it’s where all the action is these days…

“The chicken is almost ready, Alain. And you’re not going to believe what that idiot at Wetass Chronicles is reporting…”

Since I’m posting so much video today, I can’t resist adding this quick and excellent skiff wipeout, submitted by TWC reader Scott Muir. I guess it was take off the heads of the powerboaters or crash..

Skiffin’: “Whatever you do, Dude, don’t touch the mark…”

De Kersauson and his big tri Geronimo are one week and 3000 miles into their circumnavigation of Australia. Go here for a great, no superb, tracking program (Attention race organizers, particularly NYYC! They’re out there. You just have to pay attention…) that has all the stats (just put the cursor over a boat position). Barring breakdown a record is a foregone conclusion. But it’s always fun to see what these beasts are like when they are powered up and Geronimo is uploading some cool video. Click here, and then here, to go sailing with the devilish DeK…

“Stupid fu*cker thinks he can land on the nets…”