Day 30: Breakage... and a record for Le Cléac'h
The competitors in the eighth Vendée Globe are in the thick of it. The conditions are demanding for both men and machines and the technical problems are multiplying. Some are more serious than others. Sébastien Josse deplores a major damage on the port foil of his boat. Following a collision with a UFO that damaged both rudders, Romain Attanasio diverts to Cape Town (South Africa) where he will attempt a reparation. Twenty-nine days after the start in Les Sables d'Olonne, the leaders of the Vendée Globe are already south of Australia. At crossing Cape Leeuwin at 9:14 a.m. this Monday, Armel Le Cléac'h improved by more than five and a half days on the previous reference time held by François Gabart!
Day 31: Major difficulties on the Indian Ocean
Rather unspoilt up until now, the Vendée Globe fleet is suffering in conditions typical of the dreaded Indian Ocean. Certain sailors have suffered the consequences. In the morning, Kito de Pavant suffered major damage to the keel of his boat . The situation appears to be under control and Kito is waiting to be rescued by the vessel Marion-Dufresne, which is expected to arrive in the area from 6 p.m. (French time). After his foil damage yesterday, Sébastien Josse has his back to the depression, while Romain Attanasio is continuing on his way to Cape Town where he will attempt to repair his damaged rudders. Everything is going well for Armel Le Cléac'h, still in the lead to the South of Australia, ahead of Alex Thomson, who is obviously not giving up..
Day 32: 22 skippers still racing!
After withdrawals of Kito de Pavant and Sébastien Josse There are still 22 competitors in the race out of the 29 who started in Les Sables d'Olonne 31 days ago. At the time of writing, Sébastien Josse is the seventh and last skipper to have given notice of retirement. The race continues for the other sailors and it is still the duo Armel Le Cléac'h/Alex Thomson who are leading the way, to the advantage of the French skipper, who is widening the gap to 130 miles. Behind him, a young rookie is taking provisional third place, a certain Paul Meilhat..
Day 33: Halfway point
They're on their way back. Armel Le Cléac'h and Alex Thomson crossed the halfway point in the eighth Vendée Globe on Thursday. And the crazy ride continues with an entry into the Pacific Ocean, which promises to be a tough one, to say the least. More than 1200 miles behind, Paul Meilhat crossed the longitude of Cape Leeuwin (to the south-west of Australia) at 10h40 (French time). Romain Attanasio is still at rest in a bay near another cape, Good Hope, where he is trying to repair his damaged rudders. This evening, the fleet is stretching out over 6,000 miles and, given the weather situation, the gaps will continue to widen.
Day 34: Hostile elements but sailors on the attack
Good news for Romain Attanasio, who has successfully repaired his two rudders and will set out again tomorrow morning from Simonstown Bay, located close to the Cape of Good Hope. Far ahead, in a violent depression at the entrance to the Pacific, Armel Le Cléac'h and Alex Thomson are not lifting a finger. After 33 days at sea, the Vendée Globe competitors are in full sailor mode, happy to be living their dream in spite of the hostile elements, the permanent discomfort and the impossibility of indulging in the little pleasures of land-based activities... Arnaud Boissières has reported a mainsail problem, which is not preventing him from continuing his course.
Day 35: Good news
To the South of New Zealand, in strong winds and chaotic seas, the battle between Armel Le Cléac'h and Alex Thomson is epic. Ahead of their bows, the vastness of the Pacific promises them some strategic puzzles... Since Romain Attanasio's return to the race this morning, the 22 sailors still competing in the eighth Vendée Globe are all at sea. Very close to the longitude of Cape Leeuwin, Jean Le Cam is making the powder keg talk, as is Louis Burton, who has racked up some impressive average speeds over the past 24 hours. As for the youngest and the oldest of the Vendée Globe, they are never to be parted: Alan Roura (23 years old) and Rich Wilson (66 years old) are within fifteen miles of each other.
Day 36: New Depression in Sight
The arrival of a new low is reshuffling the cards at the head of the fleet and Alex Thomson has significantly reduced his deficit on the leader Armel Le Cléac'h. For their part, Paul Meilhat and Jérémie Beyou are at the halfway point. The fleet of 22 competitors still in contention is so spread out that they are crossing different headings at the same time: Sébastien Destremau was the last to overtake Good Hope this afternoon, while Thomas Ruyant will round Cape Leeuwin tomorrow. Still aboard the Marion Dufresne, Kito de Pavant is recovering from his misadventure and remains hopeful of recovering his boat, which was abandoned in the heart of the Indian Ocean.
