Friday, November 13, 2020 : King John makes a stand!
There they are! While for the past 48 hours the Vendée Globe sailors have been preparing to face Theta, the head of the fleet has already tackled this first big tropical depression, a sort of level crossing at the start of the race. And the different strategies. While Alex Thomson (Hugo Boss), first in the fleet, followed by Jean Le Cam (Yes We Cam!) - who is making an exceptional start to the race on a 2007 daggerboard boat - have chosen the most committed trajectory, Charlie Dalin (Apivia), Thomas Ruyant (LinkedOut) and Kevin Escoffier (PRB) are rounding it from the west. The gaps are starting to widen, as 620 miles separate the leader from the last competitor Sébastien Destremau (Merci), 31st.
Sébastien Simon (Arkéa Paprec) took advantage of the proximity to the Azores to climb to the top of the mast, but was unable to fully repair his problem with damaged windvanes. Maxime Sorel (V and B - Mayenne) reported autopilot problems, while Louis Burton (Bureau Vallée 2) had to repair a crack in the bulkhead.
Saturday 14 November: It's a big hit at the head of the fleet!
Jérémie Beyou (Charal), victim of several damages, reached Port Olonna this Saturday 14th November to carry out repairs to his boat. After rounding the tropical depression, the head of the fleet is still benefiting from 15 to 20 knots of wind. They now have to gybe to ensure the transition between the N to NW'ly wind and the trade wind blowing from the E, NE'ly. This situation allows the foilers to show their full potential. Charlie Dalin (Apivia) was the first to gybe when Thomas Ruyant (LinkedOut) and Kevin Escoffier (PRB) tacked to do so. 150 miles southwest of the quartet, Jean Le Cam (Yes We Cam!) and Alex Thomson (HUGO BOSS) gybed early this afternoon. This gave them a better gybe point and therefore a slightly more direct route.
Behind the head of the fleet, the 20 chasers are gradually pulling out of the depression. Even further back, the tail of the pack - Ari Huusela (Stark), Miranda Merron (Campagne de France), Alexia Barrier (TSE - 4myplanet), Clément Giraud (Compagnie du Lit / Jiliti), Sébastien Destremau (Merci) and Armel Tripon (L'Occitane en Provence) - are stuck in 4 knots of wind.
In mid-afternoon, the DMG Mori Global One team informed that Kojiro Shiraishi suffered a failure of his autopilot and that his mainsail ripped above the second batten.
Sunday 15th November: Hugo Boss, fleet leader
After three lows in a week, the skippers are finally getting some respite as they are getting back into the sunshine and more clement conditions. Alex Thomson (Hugo Boss) has taken back the lead of the fleet, he is the first to have hit a stable trade wind in the morning, and the only one to have covered more than 300 miles in 24 hours. He is still being followed by Jean Le Cam (Yes We Cam!) and the trio of foilers Charlie Dalin (Apivia), Thomas Ruyant (LinkedOut), Kevin Escoffier (PRB), as well as Benjamin Dutreux (Omia Water Family), who is surprising on his daggerboard boat.
During the night, conditions were rather weak (10 to 15 knots) in a transition zone. However, as soon as they got out of the clutches of the high, they gained slightly in speed (15 to 20 knots). The foilers are now back in conditions which allow them to fly again, even if the rather weak trade winds require the skippers to concentrate in order to maintain speeds in excess of 20 knots. The sailors take time to rest and treat themselves to good food.
The fleet is now divided into three distinct groups. The centre group is holding on, but the shift towards the trade winds will be less easy. Finally, at the rear, after Theta, they will pass through a high-pressure bubble with very little wind.
The Charal Sailing Team is still working hard to repair the IMOCA so that Jérémie Beyou can get back in the race.
Monday 16th November: The Doldrums are approaching and Corum l'Epargne is being abandoned
The fleet of the 9th edition is continuing on its way south. Thomas Ruyant (LinkedOut) covered 500 miles in 24 hours, he is the fastest in the fleet in the last 24 hours, 117 miles behind Alex Thomson (Hugo Boss). The IMOCA hydrofoil boats are taking advantage of these conditions, which allow them to be 3 knots faster than the daggerboard boats. Jean Le Cam (Yes We Cam!) is nevertheless managing to keep up the pace. The eleven monohulls sailing in the west of the Cape Verde archipelago are due to enter the inter-tropical convergence zone tomorrow, tonight for Alex Thomson. To the south-west of the Canaries and as far as Madeira, 11 IMOCA boats are suffering in a ridge of high pressure, a zone of light winds. From Arnaud Boissières, 23rd in the rankings, to Clément Giraud, 31st, sailing is no picnic.
The bad news of the day is the dismasting of Nicolas Troussel (Corum l'Epargne) at dawn which sounds his abandonment. Jérémie Beyou announced his return to the race on Tuesday 17th November.
Tuesday 17th November: Entering the Doldrums, Charal's return to racing
Alex Thomson entered the doldrums late this morning. This zone where the NE and SE trade winds collide is fairly unpredictable with lots of clouds, squalls and sometimes thunderstorms and impressive wind shifts.
Hugo Boss, LinkedOut, Yes We Cam! and Apivia started to slow down at midday. They should leave this area if all goes well Wednesday morning.
Jérémie Beyou left the Port Olonna pontoons at 15:15 before crossing the start line again at 17:15. Almost 10 days after the start of the race, the skipper of Charal is setting out again at sea, one hemisphere behind the head of the fleet, something never seen before in the Vendée Globe.
Wednesday 18 November: Passage into the Southern Hemisphere
Alex Thomson (Hugo Boss) passed the Equator this Wednesday at 14:19 after a superb descent of the North Atlantic. He has been leading the fleet since 15th November, with a 78-mile lead over his direct pursuer, Thomas Ruyant (LinkedOut). In the end, the skipper of Hugo Boss has negotiated the Doldrums wonderfully, averaging 15 knots.
In the South-West of the Canaries, the tail of the pack is finally getting some wind, after 3 days of being stuck in the ice. Armel Tripon, Ari Huusela, Alexia Barrier, Miranda Merron, Clément Giraud and Sébastien Destremau are finally sliding into the trade winds.
Nicolas Troussel is turning back at 3.5 knots towards Mindelo in Cape Verde. For Fabrice Amédéo (Newrest-Matmut), 31 e of the fleet 1760 miles from the race leader and Jérémie Beyou (Charal), 32nd at 2830 miles, it's another story that is being written. The two sailors who had to turn back to Les Sables had to manage their race differently. Japanese sailor Kojiro Shiraishi, for his part, is working hard to repair his mainsail. For several days now, he has been pursuing his route under headsail alone.
Thursday 19 November: Alex Thomson threatened
Alex Thomson is still leading the fleet even though his lead is shrinking. He is now just 15.4 miles ahead of Thomas Ruyant in the 15 Hours ranking and 44.8 miles ahead of Charlie Dalin (Apivia) who was over 160 miles back at the start of the week.
Corum l'Epargne arrived in Cape Verde after a three-day crossing. Expertise is conducted on Corum to understand the circumstances of Nicolas Troussel's dismasting.
23 hours and 37 minutes after Alex Thomson, Damien Seguin in turn crossed the equator. The skipper of Groupe Apicil is the 12th to enter the southern hemisphere in this edition. Seaexplorer - Yacht Club De Monaco, Initiatives - Coeur, Maître CoQ IV, OMIA - Water Family and ARKEA PAPREC had preceded him. At this time, 9 of the 12 "southerners" are foilers, but the "straight daggerboards" are holding out! Proof of this is the 10th place of Benjamin Dutreux, who was a great racer on OMIA - Water Family, and of course the 4th place of Jean Le Cam, again and again.
Within 24 hours, there should be six more sailing in the southern hemisphere.
