This Monday 16th January 2017, there are only 1,000 miles of course left for the two leaders. This is an opportunity for Alex Thomson to put the pressure on Armel le Cléac'h, who now has a 73 mile lead! Indeed, in the Azores, the skipper of Hugo Boss put in an excellent performance: 525 miles swallowed up at an average of 22 knots in 24 hours!
The two leaders are clocking up demanding average speeds - between 20 and 22 knots - and are heading towards the finish line in Les Sables-d'Olonne, which they will reach this Thursday 19th January. Over the past 24 hours, Armel le Cléac'h has dropped 498 miles and Alex Thomson has dropped 527 miles! That's almost as much as on his "record" day at 535 miles on 19th November 2016.
It must be said that Alex Thomson is particularly at ease in these intense conditions! And to make things easier, the two leaders are sailing on starboard tack at very high speed.
"The sea is not very pleasant with the waves coming from the east" said Alex Thomson in the English version of Vendée Live on Sunday, January 15. "This isn't easy, but I'm not complaining, because I'm able to progress at a good speed. The wind will strengthen in the next 24 hours with more than 30 knots. I'm going to do my best... "
In terms of the gap, we're back to the same ratios as exactly a week ago: 71 miles ahead for the skipper of Banque Populaire VIII over Hugo Boss' skipper. "It's not much!" laughs the third, Jérémie Beyou, joined at 4:30 this morning, "Neither of them can make a mistake, neither of them can make a dumpling, especially since I'm lying in ambush." Jeremiah always puts his ticket on Armel "he's a good friend and my training buddy... but Alex has a lot of assets and he's in the positive momentum of the one who's making up the miles."
The two leaders, who are due to arrive in Port Olonna on Thursday afternoon, will have to make a big tack and probably go as far as Ushant before being able to tack for the final sprint to the finish, along the coast of Brittany. This means that Alex Thomson can still catch up with Armel le Cléac'h, at least as far as Ushant, where the final run could however handicap the British competitor slightly. The latest simulations give a lead of around thirty miles at the tip of Brittany alone!
The Breton competitor won't give up, as he indicated during the radio session on 14th January "The last five days are going to be varied and complicated. I would have liked a more relaxed end of the race. All the way to the end, we're going to have to be at the top of our game. There's going to be a fight. I'm going to use my knowledge of racing in contact to keep my lead. I'll be in Figaro mode for the final miles. I'm not hiding the fact that there's a bit of pressure... "
