There is a keen sense of anticipation among the top trio on the Vendée Globe this Monday morning as they consider how the first major Southern Ocean system will treat them. In the relatively moderate conditions of a transition zone it is Charlie Dalin (MACIF Santé Prevoyance) who has retaken the lead, by just 4.6 nautical miles, ahead of Yoann Richomme (PAPREC ARKÉA).

THE HISTORY, BOYS

Dalin knows the south from his last Vendée Globe, for Simon and Richomme it is new territory, now about 220 miles west of the Crozet Islands. Simon hit an object four years ago today and damaged his starboard foil which he had to cut off before retiring into Cape Town. Back then he had already shown considerable potential and was in fourth place but over four hundred miles behind the leader. On the last race, the skipper from Les Sables d’Olonne was sponsored by ARKÉA PAPREC. He has visibly raised his level on this race and is less than 20 miles behind Dalin this morning.

SIMON THE REVELATION

“The level is quite similar to the races we have had before. We have Seb Simon who has really lifted his game quite a bit recently, his is the big progression, otherwise for the others it is the usual suspects, the big missing one is Boris, otherwise for the rest the level it is what I expected.” Acknowledged Richomme early this morning.

The skipper of PAPREC ARKÉA coolly explained how he sees the transition to the big conditions expected Wednesday, “The next few hours Monday, it is a transition to another small depression before the big one, I harbour a wee hope of sneaking between the two to gain ground to the East before the arrival of the big one. In any case, these are moderate conditions, a real transition between the two depressions, we should not slow too much, because we don’t want to slow to end up the wrong place in relation to the other depression, there is still a challenge to get towards the North East and the Saint-Paul and Amsterdam Islands, that is the goal.” 

He said, “Then there is this big storm that is coming, with the small transition zone before it, it will be interesting see how it really happens, and after the storm see how we all deal with it, all not necessarily in the same place. There are different issues and I also see that there are small differences in routing with Macif Santé Prévoyance and Groupe Dubreuil, it is not much but I do not really know where they want to go. It is not simple and we do not really know where to put ourselves in relation to this depression, so there are risks that quite a difference will develop.”

CHARGING MALIZIA?

The leaders are making good speeds in these modest conditions. But in the real transition zone, a light airs area between the systems, it is frustratingly slow. Paul Meilhat who holds his solid ninth place on Biotherm is making about two knots in light, swirly unsettled conditions, so similarly 250 or so miles ahead of him in eighth Sam Goodchild (VULNERABLE) is struggling to make ten knots. Quickest this morning, and making up valuable miles, is Boris Herrmann (Malizia Seaexplorer) who is making 22kts and surely eyeing a place in the top ten in the not too distant future.

DENIS ADJUSTS

Denis van Weynbergh might be on his first Vendée Globe and over these coming days will have been at sea solo for longer than he ever has been before, but the Belgian retains his same joie de vie and his keen sense of humour as he contemplates the next weeks in the Big South. The 37th placed Belgian noted this morning, “Everything is going well we have been going three weeks, I think it’s the first time I’ve been at sea for so long, I may have done 24 days once in the Minitransat, so we’re almost at my maximum, I feel good, I’m happy that the first three weeks have passed, we’re making progress, the boat is doing well, as am I,  I did a couple of little things before entering the Southern Ocean, everything is in order, we have a bit more wind but it’s still quite reasonable, I had 26 knots this afternoon, flat sea, the boat was sliding well, it was pleasant, well we have to be careful, now we’ve entered the Southern Ocean, it’s grey, it’s raining a bit, I put my fleeces back on, it’s a bit colder. For the moment, I haven’t found it very difficult these first three weeks, we’ve always had moderate conditions, never much wind, no big depression to pass, lots of sun, points of sail that were still progressing well, quite stable, apart from the Doldrums but like for everyone, and again, my Doldrums weren’t too complicated, so it’s rather pleasant.”