Category: South West TV
Date: 22.03.2005
Printable version
Plymouth solo yachtsman Conrad Humphreys battled with the elements and faced serious damage to his boat as he competed in the world's toughest yacht race this winter - the legendary round the world Vendée Globe.
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Conrad's Race (91Èȱ¬ ONE South West, 28 March) follows his single-handed journey and gives an in-depth look at the down moments and difficulties along with the highs of his perilous challenge.
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The Vendée Globe race is renowned as the Everest of the sport of sailing - a 26,000 miles marathon solo, non cicumnavigation, past the great capes of Africa, Australia and finally round the legendary Cape Horn.
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The skippers are not allowed to stop in any port nor receive any outside assistance and must carry out all their own maintenance, which for Conrad included remarkable underwater repairs to his 60 ft yacht Hellomoto.
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With only four small video cameras on board his boat to keep him company, Conrad took comfort in their compansionship.
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Although they couldn't offer him advice or reassurance they were always a welcome ear to listen to his dilemmas and hopes for the unknown waters ahead.
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They also recorded all his activity on board and this exclusive programme presents a first hand account of his adventure through the footage, much of which has never been seen before.
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Producer Mick Catmull explains: "We're incredibly lucky to get our hands on this material and to be able to show viewers for the first time - warts and all - just what a roller coaster ride this was for Conrad.
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"And there's real drama - times when he is on the point of giving up, like when his rudder is smashed off Cape Town and he ends up in last place.
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"His generator packs up, he has to manoeuvre past icebergs at night, prevent serious flooding in the boat, weather Southern Ocean storms and then to cap it all has to deal with a broken keel - it's really exciting."
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Conrad also speaks exclusively to the 91Èȱ¬ film crew as he takes a look back over his epic round the world journey.
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Conrad Humphreys says: "I've faced a few challenges in my yachting career but this was certainly the toughest of them all. It also ranks as the biggest achievement in my life so far.
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"I wanted to express everything I was experiencing at the time, good and bad, by recording my own on-board video diary, so I'm looking forward to seeing the programme.
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"It will be fantastic to re-live the experience - from the comfort and warmth of my own home!"
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Twenty skippers left the port of Les Sables d'Olonne in France on 7 November 2004 but only 13 managed to complete the challenge.
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Conrad made a spectacular comeback from last to seventh place.
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The film is an A38 Films production for 91Èȱ¬ South West.
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