Vendée Globe

American Bruce Schwab (Ocean Planet) is the next racer expected into Les Sables d’Olonne. This morning he is less than 300 miles to the West of Cape Finisterre and 570 miles from the finish line. His tack early yesterday has set him right back on a direct course and the N to NW’ly wind awaiting him in the Bay of Biscay may propel him along at an average of 10 knots towards the Vendée coastline. With this in mind, Bruce may well make his much deserved arrival this Wednesday evening…

Bruce has a lead of over 1250 miles on his closest pursuer, Benoit Parnaudeau (Max Havelaar Best Western) from La Rochelle. Benoit is sailing past Mauritania right now, very likely keeping an eye on the arrival of some depressions from the West that may at last disrupt the anticyclone bathing Western Europe for a number of days. He, and to a varying degree Anne Liardet (Roxy), will have to position themselves in relation to a small front before hitting a favourable SSE’ly wind for a climb up to the Azores on a due N’ly course.

Raphaël Dinelli (Akena Verandas) finally seems to have escaped the torments of the doldrums. He is sailing in a trade wind which is very irregular and hence light. 320 miles south of him Karen Leibovici (Benefic) crossed the equator early this morning. She is now set to tackle a vast zone of light winds with the passage of active squalls in the doldrums. Deprived of freshwater this will hopefully provide her with an opportunity to collect some valuable rainwater.
Kate Jennings

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