VENDÉE GLOBE : PACIFIC BECKONS TOMORROW FOR DALIN

A SHORT BREAK IS APPRECIATED

The group of four, led by Boris Herrmann (Malizia Seaexplorer) have suffered a slow down as they encounter the forecasted high pressure ridge, as Justine Mettraux (TeamWork- Team Snef) explained in her overnight message,

“We were slowed down for several hours, it was at night so I didn’t see much, but we are still in a slightly overcast sky, quite grey now that day has broken. Boris and I took a little break but the wind is coming back from behind so I think it will come back strong, I’m not sure there will be much of a gap after that, and then I had set off again and then I don’t know, I fell into a little soft header, so that didn’t help me too much! Now I’ve just caught wind again, so we’ll see, but I’m not sure there will be big gaps at the end and I hope I haven’t lost too much ground on Boris either!”

I took the opportunity to do a few things, and also check the whole boat to see if there were any special problems. This moment of calm allows you to move around the boat more easily and go to these kinds of places without risking getting hurt or having to the boat down, so I took advantage of doing that! Personally, it’s been a few days between the maneuvers and the difficult wind conditions that I haven’t taken too much time for myself, I just listened to music and audio books, otherwise I was focused on the race because with the sea state and everything, it wasn’t easy… Tomorrow evening I should pass Cape Leeuwin, and after that I have to look better, the weather doesn’t seem very set or complicated, because the routings do weird things, so I have to look better, I have to take the time to look at that more, there are areas of strong wind, potentially quite low depressions and so I have to take the time to look at that more.” 

LIFE IN THE WASHING MACHINE 

The little posse of three, Benjamin Dutreux (Guyot Environnement- Water Family), Romain Attanasio (FORTINET Best Western) and Pip Hare (Medallia) remain in stronger winds with unruly, messed up seas which are still making it hard to press the boats hard and go faster. Dutreux has a 100 miles advance on the chasing duo.

A resolute Atttanasio in 15th place explains, “It’s a permanent washing machine, it’s been like that since I entered the Indian Ocean! It’s not easy, last night it was hell, the sea was in all directions, you can’t even go fast it’s hitting you in all directions. We had a little lull yesterday, the day was rather pleasant, but it quickly returned to normal! This Indian has not been easy since the beginning, a lot of strong wind, and a lot of reaching, so really unpleasant conditions, we are a little holed up at the bottom of the boat, and the conditions are so changeable that for example yesterday I spent half a day rolling – unfurling the headsails and sending reefs, until at one point I said to myself “but wait, it’s actually useless, you waste more time doing that than staying a little under-canvassed”, I think it’s better to wait and keep your head down when it’s a little light, because you put a reef back and ten minutes later you have too much wind and you’re overloaded, so it’s really not easy! I think the group in front, they have too much of a lead, I won’t see them again, 500 miles is still a lot, they would have to stop for a long time, in the Big South it seems unlikely, these phenomena pass by quickly, here for example when there is a calm spell it does not last long. 500 miles is something that you can quickly lose in the anticyclone, in the Big South the next depression always arrives quickly!

I have 40 knots coming all at once! I try to make myself a little coffee from time to time and eat a square of chocolate but otherwise it’s focus, focus on the race all the time! Plus, Benjamin has got away a bit there but I am still with Pip Hare, so it’s a bit of a fight so we don’t give up, she and I, so it’s difficult to calm things down, if I lose a bit it shows right away! I guess I’m painting you a slightly dark picture but that’s what the Vendée is, it’s progressing well, that’s the main thing! I’m not with the leaders but in any case they are untouchable, I’m in my place with the boat that I have so for the moment everything is fine.” 

JACKIE GAINING 

Much further back things are going very well for China’s race rookie JingKun Zu (Singchain Team Haikou) who this morning is up to 34th place thanks to his more southerly, shorter, more direct route. He is going well, “Since I entered the Indian Ocean it has been so much more intense and the wind has been from 30 knots to 51 knots a big change with waves six to eight metres high. Deciding which jib to use was a tough choice.  This is my first time sailing in the Southern Ocean, I can’t say I am really enjoying it, I am excited to be thinking about getting back.”

“I choose a more southern route, not to try and catch people but I feel there is less adjusting and my boat is ready for this and it is the shorter route. Of course I am just focused on the finish line and I won’t take any unnecessary risk for more speed, and I stay a bit cautious with my sail choice.”

“The wind and waves are not as big as forecast but the gusts are much bigger than expected. I will find time to finish my (hydrogenator) bracket repair perfectly. The more energy I have the better.”

“I am proud of the fact that after one month I have no damage to any of my sails, they are all still in perfect condition.”