Friday, February 5: Two new arrivals scheduled and a new start out of the race
Jérémie Beyou (Charal) and Romain Attanasio (PURE - Best Western Hotels & Resorts) are expected on Saturday in Les Sables-d'Olonne, in 13th and 14th place respectively. The former is expected to cross the finish line in the early morning, and the latter, who confesses that he has never made such a hard climb up the Atlantic, six hours later.
1300 miles to the west of the duo, six sailors are indulging in a match of anthology: Arnaud Boissières (La Mie Câline-Artisans Artipôle, 15th), Alan Roura (La Fabrique, 16th), Kojiro Shiraishi (DMG MORI - Global One, 17th), Stéphane Le Diraison (Time For Oceans, 18th) and a little further back Pipe Hare (Medallia, 19th) and Didac Costa (One Planet One Ocean, 20th).
They've done away with the big lows and should find easier sailing conditions again.
After being forced to retire at the beginning of January due to damage to her keel, Isabelle Joschke (MACSF) left the Brazilian port of Salvador de Bahia today to finish alongside Sam Davies (Initiatives-C?ur), who is also out of the race. The two sailors are expected in Les Sables-d'Olonne between 19th and 20th February.
Saturday 6 February: Jérémie Beyou and Romain Attanasio complete their world tour
Jérémie Beyou crossed the finish line of the Vendée Globe on Saturday 6th February at 09 h 15 minutes and 58 seconds after 89 days 18 hours 55 minutes and 58 seconds of racing. He finished in 13th place, after a return to port to repair multiple damages and a return to the race more than 9 days after the rest of the fleet and a fine comeback, overtaking 13 of his rivals.
Romain Attanasio also completed his second Vendée Globe this Saturday at 17 hours 06 minutes and 02 seconds after 90 days, 02 hours 46 minutes and 02 seconds of racing.
Sunday, February 7: Still 11 in the race
They are still 11 to be in the race and 13 including Sam Davies and Isabelle Joschke, out of the race. All should arrive by the end of February. The next ones to arrive are just about to be launched in a match race. There are 5 of them within a radius of less than 100 miles, battling it out more than 800 miles from the Portuguese coast: Arnaud Boissières (La Mie Câline-Artisans Artipôle, 15th), Kojiro Shiraishi (DMG MORI - Global One, 16th), Alan Roura (La Fabrique, 17th), Stéphane Le Diraison (Time for Oceans, 18th) and Pipe Hare (Medallia, 19th). And it's making headway, well in rather muscular conditions, with surfing at over 20 knots.
More than 400 miles away, Didac Costa (One Planet One Ocean) should pass behind the core of the low. The group's current speed could enable them to arrive on Wednesday.
On Saturday evening, Manu Cousin (Groupe SETIN) announced a keel damage. The rod of the keel actuator was severed, all in rough seas and rough conditions. Today is Pip Hare's 47th birthday.
In the South Atlantic, Ari Huusela (Stark), 25 e seemed to be heading towards Good Hope, while Alexia Barrier (TSE - 4myplanet), 370 miles to the NW, has opted for a long tack to look for a change of direction.
Isabelle Joschke (MACSF) and Sam Davies (Initiatives Coeur), out of the race, are progressing on their side off Recife in Brazil.
Monday 8 February: Situation unchanged
Sam Davies and Isabelle Joschke have decided to set off together to discuss weather options and keep an eye on each other. They plan to arrive together in Les Sables-d'Olonne.
The situation is unchanged for the eleven skippers still racing. Less than 800 miles from Les Sables-d'Olonne, a group of five skippers is still fighting. Arnaud Boissières (La Mie Câline-Artisans Artipôle, 15th) and Kojiro Shiraishi (DMG MORI - Global One, 16th) have taken a slight lead by positioning themselves at the front of the front, unlike Alan Roura (La Fabrique), Stéphane Le Diraison (Time For Oceans) and a little further back Pip Hare (Medallia). For Didac Costa (One Planet One Ocean), more than 640 miles south-west of Arnaud Boissières, the situation is improving: the Spaniard will not have to manoeuvre in the face of the current low, or even the next one, which is forecast at 50 to 55 knots.
Manuel Cousin continues his race and has transformed his boat into a real DIY workshop. He now has to block the keel in the axis and will benefit from milder conditions to do so.
Tuesday 9 February: No arrivals before Thursday
With over 1000 miles separating them, Alan Roura (La Fabrique) and Stéphane Le Diraison are side by side, less than 800 miles from the finish. Contrary to the forecasts over the past few days, no skipper will be arriving in Les Sables-d'Olonne before Thursday.
The first four - Arnaud Boissières (15th), Kojiro Shiraishi (16th), Stéphane Le Diraison (17th), Alan Roura (18th) - should therefore be upwind. The skippers of La Mie Câline-Artisans Artipôle and DMG MORI Global One are expected early Thursday morning,
Manu Cousin (Groupe SETIN) has finally finished his work and is now heading back to Les Sables-d'Olonne.
Didac Costa (One Planet One Ocean, 20 e), who passed to the west of the Azores, should benefit from the next front to arrive downwind this weekend. 700 miles further South, Clément Giraud is leading a trio with Miranda Merron and Manuel Cousin
Further on, the crossing of the Doldrums should be less problematic for Alexia Barrier (TSE-4myplanet, 24th) and Ari Huusela (STARK, 25th). Sam Davies (Initiatives Coeur, out of the race) has also emerged from the doldrums, while Isabelle Joschke (MACSF, out of the race) is trying to get out of it.
In Les Sables, some of the boats that have already arrived have left the Port Olona pontoon.
Wednesday, February 10: Deliverance Coming Soon
Four skippers will complete the circumnavigation of the world this Thursday. Arnaud Boissières (La Mie-Câline-Artisans Artipôle) is still at the head of a group made up of Kojiro Shiraishi (DMG MORI Global One) and further afield, the duo Alan Roura (La Fabrique) and Stéphane Le Diraison (Time for Oceans). All of them will finish upwind, and will no doubt have to deal with a very unstable E'ly wind at sea. With the channel being closed between 0700 and 1400 hours, Arnaud Boissières and Kojiro Shiraishi will have to wait after crossing the line to climb back up together. Alan Roura and Stéphane Le Diraison are expected to be back at the end of the day on Thursday. Finally, Pip Hare (Medallia) should arrive in the middle of the night from Thursday to Friday.
Nearly 700 miles SE of Arnaud Boissières, Didac Costa (One Planet One Ocean) is not sailing in the same weather system. The Spaniard will be taking advantage of the flow of a low coming from the west to accelerate and set a course for Les Sables-d'Olonne. More than 800 miles further South, Clément Giraud may take the edge of this same low, widening the gap with Miranda Merron (Campagne de France) and Manuel Cousin (Groupe SETIN).
Finally, Alexia Barrier (TSE - 4myplanet) and Ari Huusela (STARK) continue to make headway off Brazil at over 12 to 13 knots. Both have just reached the latitude of Recife.
The sailors of Heart Initiatives and MACSF also continue to sail up the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Brazil.
Thursday 11 February: Four new arrivals
Arnaud Boissières (La Mie Caline - Artisans Artipôle) crossed the finish line at 08 h 56 minutes and 06 seconds after 94 days, 18 hours, 36 minutes and 06 seconds. He thus completed his fourth Vendée Globe in a row (2008, 2012, 2016), in 15th position, and is the only one today to have achieved this feat.
At 11 hours 52 minutes and 56 seconds Kojiro Shiraishi crossed the finish line in Les Sables-d'Olonne after 94 days, 21 hours, 32 minutes and 56 seconds. He thus completed his course in 16th position, 14 days, 17 hours, 48 minutes and 10 seconds after the winner and became the first Asian sailor to finish Everest des Mers.
At 8:00 p.m., 29 minutes and 56 seconds, Alan Roura crossed the finish line in 17th position after 95 days, 6 hours, 9 minutes and 56 seconds, completing his second consecutive round-the-world race.
At 10:36 p.m., Stéphane Le Diraison completed this batch of the day's four arrivals after 95 days, 8 hours, 16 minutes and finished at the 18 e place. He is thus completing his first Vendée Globe, having dismasted in 2016 and suffered a lot of damage, and came close to retiring on two occasions.
