Vendée Globe

Bruce Schwab (Ocean Planet) is continuing to make headway upwind in the Bay of Biscay. Under blue skies and icy winds, the depression over Spain is dealing the American skipper a NNE’ly wind and temperatures below zero. Bruce is currently right in the middle of the bay, 132 miles North of Gijon (Spain). He is likely to make the finish in Les Sables d’Olonne on Thursday afternoon as planned but for now numerous fleece layers and slamming upwind conditions are the order of the day!

Having tacked yesterday, Bruce Schwab (Ocean Planet) is continuing on a long upwind stretch on starboard tack up the French coast. He is North of Cape Finisterre set to pass in front of Les Sables d’Olonne before tacking again onto a direct course to the finish line. Right now Bruce is likely to have around 10 knots of NE’ly as he clocks up 5.3 knots of instantaneous speed for 7.5 knots of average boat speed over a half hour period. Making 156 miles over the past 24 hours, Bruce has wind on the nose in virtually flat seas as a result of the persistant onshore winds. The name of the game is to make the most of conditions to make the best course he can on a point of sail where the boat performs fairly well.

Benoît Parnaudeau (Max Havelaar/Best Western) has been racking up a fine 10.9 knots of average boat speed over the past half hour with a VMG of … 10.8 knots. Suffice to say he is well on course making good speed. Benoit is reaping the benefits of the depression centred over the Azores which is distilling a favourable W’ly air flow, he being to the South of this system. If the depression remains stationary, the wind is likely to back proressively to the SW and then the South leaving Benoit with some ideal downwind conditons. The La Rochelle skipper has made 217 miles over the past 24 hours which is the best performance of the fleet. He is currently 830 miles abeam of Essaouira (Morocco) and 350 miles South of Santa Maria (Azores).

Anne Liardet (Roxy) isn’t far behind having made 198 miles since this time yesterday. Anne is also attempting to hook onto the right wagon supplied by the depression over the Azores, the W’ly airflow set to fill in over the coming hours. Anne is currently off Mauritanian making a VMG of virtually 100%!

Raphaël Dinelli (Akena Vérandas) continues to make headway toward the NNE at a good speed, though a less spectacular VMG. He has made 141 miles along the route over the past 24 hours with an instantaneous speed of 9.2 knots. For the moment Raphael is following a course of 346°, 700 miles W of Fogo (Cape Verde).

Tailender Karen Leibovici (Benefic) is also trying to make NNE’ly. She is on a heading between 357 and 2° making as much N’ly as she can while close reaching. Karen has made 170 miles along the course thus managing to gain back some miles on Raphaël. Benefic is currently 660 miles SW of Fogo (Cape Verde) and will continue to make headway to the NE for over 24 more hours.
Translation Kate Jennings

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