VENDÉE GLOBE
The battle at the front of the Vendée Globe is never-ending. One again Yoann Richomme (PAPREC ARKEA, 2nd) has reduced his gap to Charlie Dalin (MACIF Santé Prévoyance, 1st) reducing it from 190 miles yesterday to 155 miles at 0600hrs UTC this morning. But that is largely down to wind conditions. Further back in the fleet Jean Le Cam (Tout Commence en Finistère – Armor Lux, 14th) seems to be managing to climb away from his rivals in the South Atlantic. And 8000 miles from the leaders still in the cold heart of the Pacific, Manu Cousin (Coup de Pouce, 33rd), Fabrice Amedeo (Nexans – Wewise, 34th) and Belgium’s Denis Van Weynbergh (D’Ieteren Group, 35th) are just trucking along, doing their thing, continuing their race and in their cases, ticking off the miles to Point Nemo. They have to watch out for icebergs but should be at Cape Horn in about ten days.
For the first duo there will be mixed feelings. At the same time as pressing at maximum capacity, clicking off the miles to Les Sables d’Olonne and the finish, there is the knowledge that as the temperatures drop, so there are a whole sequence of ‘lasts’. The last full week is over. This is the last weekend, next weekend it will be over and they will be at the heart of their loved ones, waking up in a dry bed and cherishing the small, seemingly insignificant luxuries we take for granted very day.
The outcome is near and it is tempting to play out every scenario, every action and gesture of the two leaders to know what will be the final difference at the finish. So, when we see that Yoann Richomme (PAPREC ARKEA) is only 155 miles behind Charlie Dalin (MACIF Santé Prévoyance) while he was 190 miles behind at 1400hrs yesterday it is hard not to jump to conclusions, but the runway is running out….
“Yoann simply has a little more air by being slightly behind,” explains Fabien Delahaye from Race Direction. ” It’s about a knot over half an hour, an hour and so on and it’s each having their turn in the better conditions. It’s a bit of a yo-yo between the two.”
The two leaders are making progress at an average speed of 22 to 25 knots, benefiting from the winds from the warm front linked to a low that is catching up with them. And just to reiterate a point from race management, since they tacked off Rio, they have been on starboard tack and will remain so until reaching Penmarch, at the tip of Brittany on Monday. The two top skippers are still expected on Tuesday in Les Sables d’Olonne.
CLOSE
In the main body of the peloton it remains incredibly tight between Sam Goodchild(VULNERABLE) clinging on to fourth only a mile or two ahead of Jérémie Beyou (Charal). Both are making just under 17 knots in 12-14kts of SE’ly trade winds with Charal about five miles to leeward of Goodchild.
Meantime it’s Jean Le Cam who is quietly rejoicing at his gains. Less than a week after catching up with Romain Attanasio (Fortinet Best Western, currently 15th) and Damien Seguin (Groupe Apicil, 17th), “King Jean” is in the process of clearing out ahead of them.
“While the anticyclone shifts to the East and slows down his direct competitors, he has managed to find the right lane and slip away through a mouse hole”, explains Claire Renou at the race management.
LIVING THE PACIFIC LIFE
Much further south it is still winter, the real thing, Denis Van Weynbergh (D’Ieteren Group, 35th) is resolute and still enjoying his race just as much, ”
Of course we would like to be a little further on up the track and a little warmer! It’s really cold here. For the first time since the start, I slept last night with a hat on. Sometimes time seems to drag but that’s how it is. The goal is Point Nemo, Cape Horn… It’s all very motivating…
In terms of winter temperatures, Fabrice Amedeo (Nexans – Wewize, 34th), calls his heating as a “real little pleasure” “Along with my warm boots, it changes my life!” Everyone knows that the winner of the Vendée Globe will soon be crowned. “It’s crazy what they’re doing, hats off! They’re having an incredible race, it’s a crazy edition,” enthuses Manu Cousin. “It’s great to see the averages they’ve kept to!” Denis is also ecstatic about “the incredible outcome”, “the enormous level of performance”, “the record that’s going to be smashed”(from 74 days to around 66, editor’s note). And then he offers a touch of humor: “it motivates me because as soon as they arrive, I will finally be able to reduce my gap with the leader!” Fabrice recognizes that “it’s been a long time since I stopped counting my miles to the leaders”. He adds:
“They have combined three elements: exceptional skippers, exceptional boats and exceptional weather. It’s as if someone running the marathon in 4 hours was going to compare themselves with those who run it in 2 hours 15. I do my race, at my own pace, I will do my Vendée Globe in a hundred days by doing everything I need to to get to the finisih”.
Manu Cousin explains “it is not the 60 days that weigh but the ten that separate us from the South Atlantic” Fabrice Amedeo has a very personal formula for discussing time appreciation:
“On the one hand, I feel like I left an eternity ago and at the same time the days go by at an incredible speed. It’s both very monotonous and very rhythmic. And the perception of time is all turned upside down.”
In any case, Denis is making progress close-hauled not far from the AEZ and hopes to quickly lengthen his stride. The Cousin-Amedeo duo is nearly 300 miles further east. The two inseparable friends, behind an anticyclone, hope to continue downwind before benefiting from the tail of a depression. In the meantime, they must increase their vigilance because of the possible presence of icebergs. Four icebergs, including one measuring 400 metres, have been spotted in the area by the race management, which is paying particular attention to their track.
