Day 72: Record 24 hours for Alex Thomson
Britain's Alex Thomson on Hugo Boss this morning defeated the 24-hour distance swallowed record single-handed on a monohull. Fasten your seat belt: 536.81 miles (994 km) at a staggering 22.4 knots. He thus beats the record set by François Gabart in 2012, which was 534.48 miles. Proof of that is that Alex is pushing his Imoca to the limit, that he is devilishly motivated to hang up dangerously on Armel Le Cléac'h's transom! 78 miles separate the two frontrunners expected in Les Sables d'Olonne on Thursday 19th January between 8h and 14h. In the meantime, from tomorrow, the speeds will be slowing down as they approach a high pressure zone (windless zone), then there will be a crucial tack change very much off Ushant and then the last uncertain miles along the Breton coast... Place your bets, the bets are on: but who is going to win this 8th Vendée Globe?
Day 73: War of Nerves
Banque Populaire VIII at the head of the 8th Vendée Globe for 45 days is not wavering in spite of Hugo Boss' attacks 69 miles away this evening. With less than 48 hours to go before the final whistle, the two captains are playing their final tricks on a course that is becoming less windy and more tactical. On boats worn out by 24,000 miles covered (43,200 km!), worn out by the last few hours without sleep, buoyed by the adrenalin of a possible victory, Armel and Alex, out of breath, are getting ready to experience a decisive blow tomorrow: that of the tack change in the NE'ly shift to finally point their bows towards Les Sables d'Olonne and put an end to this grandiose match, which we've been witnessing since... 23rd November 2016!
Day 74: Towards a victory for Armel?
"I want to sleep, I think once I get ashore I'll sleep for a whole year!" alex Thomson confided this lunchtime. The skipper of Hugo Boss can't believe he's saying this, as he no longer closes an eye since the whims of his automatic pilot and AIS (vessel identification system). However, he continues to reduce the gap with Armel Le Cléac'h (35 miles this evening in relation to the distance to the goal). To the question "Is Banque Populaire VIII going to win," a Norman answer would obviously be inappropriate... Armel Le Cléac'h is heading straight towards the grail he has been waiting for for so many years, victory in the Vendée Globe.
Day 75: Armel le Cléac'h, winner of the 8th Vendée Globe
Armel Le Cléac'h crossed the finish line of the 8th Vendée Globe this Thursday 19 January 2017 at 16 hours 37 minutes and 46 seconds French time. For his third participation, the skipper of Banque Populaire VIII has achieved a remarkable performance and set a new reference time for this single-handed round the world voyage in a monohull: 74 days 03 hours 35 minutes 46 seconds (3 days 22 hours and 41 minutes less than François Gabart in 2013).
Her average speed over the theoretical course of 24,500 miles is 13.77 knots. Armel actually covered 27,455 miles on the water at an average speed of 15.43 knots. Twice second on the Everest of the Seas (2008 and 2012), the 39-year-old Breton from Saint-Pol-de-Léon, finally grabs the grail !
Day 76: Alex Thomson second in the 2016/2017 Vendée Globe
Alex Thomson has crossed the finish line of the 8th Vendée Globe this Friday, January 20, 2017 at 8:37 a.m. 37 minutes and 15 seconds French time, 3:59 p.m. and 29 seconds after winner Armel Le Cléac'h. For his fourth participation in the Vendée Globe (3rd in 2013, retiring in 2004 and 2008), the Briton set a hell of a pace, beating the record for the distance covered in 24 hours with 536.81 miles swallowed up at an average speed of 22.4 knots! Deprived of his foil since 19th November, Alex was able to keep up the pressure on his opponent Armel Le Cléac'h... right to the end.
Day 77: Fight for 4th place!
What a long way up the Atlantic! How much we want this Horn for Pieter Heerema and Sebastien Destremau! The 16 sailors still in the race are continuing on their way towards Les Sables d'Olonne with infinite patience as Armel Le Cléac'h and Alex Thomson sleep in cosy beds, savour good food and revel in hot showers... Jérémie Beyou is starting a battle against the lack of wind. His ETA (Estimated Time Arrival) on the finish line keeps moving backwards: from Sunday evening, the routing now gives Monday evening... late. Jean-Pierre Dick, currently in 4th position, opened his chin after a fall on the track and healed himself. Finally, Jean Le Cam and Yann Eliès are making a strong comeback on the skipper of StMichel-Virbac... There's going to be a fierce battle...
Day 78: Navigation continues
16 boats still racing, from the middle of the South Pacific to the approach to the tip of Brittany, and always "gossip" from sailors to tell, stories of sailing and life on board. Conrad Colman is dreaming of pizza, Yann Eliès is satisfied to have regained some miles from Jean Le Cam, who feels very small in the face of the cargo ships that cross his path in the north of the Azores. Fabrice Amedeo and Arnaud Boissières are setting themselves the challenge of catching up with the two men in front, Bellion and Colman... And while Cali is enjoying some foie gras, Jérémie Beyou is eating his black bread in a zone of calm, which is sticking to him at less than one knot of speed. The Vendée Globe is full of stories of men and regattas!
