Friday, December 4: A dismantled Indian Ocean
Alex Thomson (Hugo Boss) arrived in Cape Town in the morning and should soon be joined by Sébastien Simon (Arkéa Paprec). There are only 29 sailors left in the race. 12% of the boats at the start in Les Sables-d'Olonne have dropped out, which is an average number, as only around half of the fleet is completing its round the world voyage. Samantha Davies (Initiatives-C?ur), victim of a collision with a UFO, is also heading towards South Africa to take shelter in the bay and try to make repairs.
The head of the fleet covered just over 30% of the course. While the descent of the Atlantic has been fairly soft, the crossing of the Indian Ocean will be fast, due to a low pressure system which extends almost as far as Cape Leeuwin. The first seven sailors are clocking up daily averages of over 400 miles, yet they have their foot on the brake. The conditions are Dantean, the boats are banging..
While Charlie Dalin (Apivia) is still leading the pack, his runner-up Louis Burton has regained 100 miles from him. With his very southerly option, he has been able to take the lead. From the first to Maxime Sorel (V and B - Mayenne), all are sailing in 20 to 30 knots of wind on seas described as "rough" by Damien Seguin, 5th in the race.
Romain Attanasio and Clarisse Crémer have been caught up by the high pressure and are now sailing at less than 10 knots. Half of the fleet is still sailing in the South Atlantic, with the latter now 10 days behind Charlie Dalin.
Saturday, December 5: Sam Davies gives up in his turn
Sam Davies made his retirement official on Saturday 5th December as the fleet continues to make progress and stretches out over more than 3?700 miles. The sailor wants to make repairs to be able to get back out of the race and complete her round the world voyage, as much for the children to be saved as for her soul. The sailor was upset by the very violent collision with her boat.
Charlie Dalin is battling against messy seas gusting up to 40 knots, but maintains his lead with 190 miles over Thomas Ruyant. Behind them, a depression is building with gusts to 50 n?uds?; the skippers should meet it during the night of Tuesday to Wednesday.
This first group covered 670 miles with Maxime Sorel in 11th place, closing the gap. Conditions are unstable, with strong currents and choppy seas. Louis Burton (3rd) has finally solved his electronics problems and Jean Le Cam (6th) his autopilot problems. He was the fastest of the last 24 hours.
Behind the leading group, Romain Attanasio and Clarisse Crémer finally found some wind after rounding the Cape of Good Hope. 300 miles further west, the quartet of foilers Alan Roura (La Fabrique), Stéphane Le Diraison (Time For Oceans), Armel Tripon (L'Occitane en Provence) and Arnaud Boissières (La Mie Calîne - Artisans Artipôle) are getting closer to the Cape of Good Hope, which they should cross on Sunday. But above all they have to deal with a depression which is descending due south and could push them close to the Ice Exclusion Zone in two days time.
For the last group, conditions vary. Fabrice Amédéo (22nd , Newrest - Art & Fenêtres) is stuck in the St. Helena High, Alexia Barrier (TSE - 4myplanet) benefits from more favourable conditions. Jéremie Beyou (Cahral) is unable to hit strong winds and Kojiro Shiraishi (DMG Mori Global One) is repairing a bowsprit problem.
Sunday 6 December: Kevin Escoffier disembarked
This Sunday morning, Kevin Escoffier (PRB) finally left Jean Le Cam's IMOCA, which was picked up by the French Navy frigate Nivôse, which is heading for Reunion Island. For the two frontrunners, Charlie Dalin (Apivia) and Thomas Ruyant (LinkedOut), still separated by 200 miles, the dilemma is this front arriving next Tuesday, with chaotic conditions, 45 knots of wind and 7.5 metre high waves. Two options are open to them: go through the front and find themselves in the heart of the storm, or slow down to let it pass. An option apparently taken by the leader, who has started to slow down. In the leading group, made up of 11 skippers, all are wondering what attitude to adopt.
450 miles further west, Romain Attanasio and Clarisse Crémer are finally finding stronger winds (more than 15 knots since this morning). For the next quartet, nearly 600 miles further west, there is no respite. Alan Roura (La Fabrique), Stéphane Le Diraison (Time for Oceans), Armel Tripon (L'Occitane en Provence) and Arnaud Boissières (La Mie Câline - Artisans Artipôle) will certainly pass the Cape of Good Hope during the night, but are keeping a watchful eye on a low coming from Port Elizabeth, which they will have to face in two days time.
The last group, made up of eight skippers, still points in the heart of the South Atlantic.
Monday, December 7: Already a week under the Indian's thumb
Charlie Dalin and Thomas Ruyant have to go very fast to try to escape the front which stretches over 1?000 miles north of the Kerguelen Islands. In 24 hours, it will transform into a virulent secondary low and progress towards them at a speed of 25 knots. The two sailors are maintaining high speeds, 20 knots, which means surfing at 28/30 knots, facilitated by wiser seas and aligned in the direction of the north-westerly wind. Charlie Dalin is the fastest man of the day and comes close to the record for the distance in 24 hours (536 miles) held by Hugo Boss.
The 9 boats sailing in the wake of Charlie and Thomas were overtaken by the front (50 knots in the gusts!). At the stern, the sea state - deplorable - and the strong south-westerly flow make any liveable compromise difficult. The sea is rough, we have to juggle between overspeeds and too slow speeds which make the waves explode on the transoms.
For the past week, the leading pack has been sailing in the Indian Ocean and enduring its mood swings and stormy seas. Difficult conditions for human and material resources.
For the rest of the troop, this great South is nevertheless desirable. After a good day spent in the calms, Alan Roura, Armel Tripon, Stéphane Le Diraison and Arnaud Boissières, experienced the rounding of the Cape of Good Hope yesterday (Sunday) as a liberation, a joy. This group is keeping a very close watch on the formation of a depression in the south of South Africa, which could lock them in, upwind (!) along the Antarctic Exclusion Zone.
Next should be Manuel Cousin, Didac Costa and Pip Hare. For the eight latecomers, the approach to South Africa is still laborious and only Jérémie Beyou was posting speeds in excess of 15 knots this Monday. Once the leaders have rounded Cape Leeuwin, the leaders will just enter the Indian Ocean.
Tuesday, December 8: Already a month at sea!
One month after the start of the race, 3?800 miles separate the leader - Charlie Dalin - from the last - Jérémie Beyou - and the fleet is split into three large groups divided between the South Atlantic and the Indian Ocean. 30 days is a little less than half of the race time Maos in terms of distance, the frontrunners have only covered 38% of the course. They are in the middle of the Indian Ocean, whereas four years ago Armel le Cléac'h had already passed the longitude of Cape Leeuwin. It has to be said that since the start, the weather conditions have never favoured a fast race, especially in the Atlantic.
One of the notable facts of this race is the tenacity of the boats with straight daggerboards against the foilers! Damien Seguin, Benjamin Dutreux and Jean Le Cam are making a fool of the flying boats! Between Thomas Ruyant (2 e ) and Omia - Water Family (5 e ), boats that are 12 years apart, only 200 miles apart," enthused the router Christian Dumard.
For the past 48 hours, this group has had a round back on either side of a front that extends north of the Kerguelen. Yannick Bestaven (3 e ), confident that he is meeting animal conditions and has retracted his foils. From Bestaven to Sorel (11 e ), nine of them have slowed down to let the depression drain to the southeast.
Apivia and LinkedOut are too early to avoid it. Charlie Dalin was already experiencing in the afternoon very harsh conditions: 40 knots of wind on the beam, under ultra-reduced sail, advancing only 10/12 knots. Thomas Ruyant, further north, will be better protected from the strong winds. For both men, this 30th day at sea will undoubtedly be the toughest since the start.
Wednesday, December 9: The storm hit
On the images sent by Charlie Dalin, the navigator is moving forward with three reefs and nothing ahead, not even the little storm sailor. After a night and a morning in 50 knots of wind, the leader gybed to get into the SW'ly flow. His speed remained very moderate throughout the day. 250 miles behind, Thomas Ruyant chose a more northerly route, passing 7 miles north of the island of Amsterdam, a route which sheltered him from the strongest winds. After gusts to 60 knots and a gybe, the skipper is benefiting from milder conditions, with 30 knots of wind.
Heading south, the two leaders should benefit from more stable conditions over the next 72 hours.
For their pursuers, the wind is still steady. At 45° South, Louis Burton, the southernmost of them all, is back in third place ahead of Yannick Bestaven, Benjamin Dutreux and Boris Herrmann, whose track today merges with that of Damien Seguin. For 3 days the latter has been trying to solve electrical problems that are causing blackouts, synonymous with the disconnection of the automatic pilot and the start of the race.
For nearly ten days now, these 11 solo sailors - chased by Romain Attanasio (12th) and Clarisse Cremer (13th) - have been boarding the ghost train of the Deep South and are experiencing an interminable succession of stressful moments.
For Stéphane Le Diraison and Alan Roura, entering the Indian Ocean is expensive. The former is stuck in a windless zone facing a 4 m swell while the latter is sailing with 25 knots of wind in conditions described as unbearable.
Armel Tripon has escaped and is now sailing alone, ahead of his compatriots Roura, Le Diraison and Boissières. In 10 days, he has gained 8 places in the rankings and is now in ideal conditions to continue his slide across the Indian Ocean.
At the rear, finally, the group of 8 led by Fabrice Amedeo is sailing on the edge of a low pressure system which will take them as far as the Cape of Good Hope
Thursday, December 10: A little respite!
The leaders are finally blowing! The low has evacuated to the SE to give way to a small low-pressure system offering steady westerly winds - between 25 and 30 knots -, some sunshine and passable seas. Everyone is heading downwind, heading SE towards the Antarctic Exclusion Zone. The latter has been somewhat modified, lowered by 3 degrees in the South (around 150 miles) to open up a strategic game between the competitors.
The skippers will now be able to rest and recover from their emotions. From the 3 e to the 9 e in place, Louis Burton (still further south), Yannick Bestaven, Benjamin Dutreux, Jean Le Cam, Damien Seguin, Boris Herrmann and Isabelle Joschke are all within 200 miles.
Strategically, there are no big maneuvers ahead. The gaps will mainly be in terms of speed, as the boats will slow down as they approach a transitional zone before the next low.
At the back, duets and trios were formed. Romain Attanasio and Clarisse Crémer follow each other at a distance of 900 miles from the race leader. Further back Armel Tripon, the fastest man in this 32 e race day is riding alone in the Indian Ocean. Thanks to the favourable weather, he gains a little more ground every day. He has abandoned his fellow competitors - Alan Roura, Stéphane Le Diraison and Arnaud Boissières - who are all sailing in the South-East of Good Hope. Behind them, Pip Hare and Manuel Cousin have been inseparable for 5 days.
Fabrice Amédéo, who was supposed to be next) pass Good Hope is victim of computer problems - his two onboard computers are down. The skipper of Newrest Art & Fenêtres is heading North-East to try to resolve this problem, which is preventing him from receiving and exploiting the weather.
In the last group, Alexia Barrier is enjoying the surf, while Jérémie Beyou is just 65 miles from Ari Huusela. Tonight, he could overtake his first competitor since his new start in Les Sables-d'Olonne.
