Vendée Globe

If there is ever a time and opportunity to rest then maybe the leading Vendée Globe skippers are seeing this as the time to seize a spell of slightly lighter winds to recharge their very depleted energy and sleep reserves.

Those, who returned to the race after a pit stop in Les Sables, Michel Desjoyeaux (Foncia), Bernard Stamm, SUI, (Cheminées Poujoulat) and Derek Hatfield, CAN, (Algimouss – Spirit of Canada)  look likely to find themselves very much alone for some time to come.  After the Bay of Biscay, which dashed or seriously damaged some hopes of victory, the fleet was separated out again at the Canaries.   Within 24 hours those ranked between eleventh and fifteenth saw the gap with the ten frontrunners increase from around thirty to over seventy miles. 

In the group of ten leaders, positions are more or less stable. Loïck Peyron (Gitana Eighty), Jean Le Cam (VM Matériaux), Sébastien Josse (BT) and Jean-Pierre Dick (Paprec-Virbac 2) are showing the way.  Behind, Vincent Riou (PRB), Yann Elies (Generali) and Armel Le Cléac’h (Brit Air) are fighting it out for fifth place and are within 3 miles of each other. Roland Jourdain (Veolia Environnement), Mike Golding, GBR, (Ecover) and Jérémie Beyou (Delta Dore) bring up the rear of this leading pack.

For now, the wind has clearly eased off in the leaders’ area. We are now far from the 15-17 knot averages of the past two days. The leaders are managing between 10 and 12 knots, which confirms the fears of some of the competitors that the trade winds would be abandoning the fleet.  After the stress of speeding along and watching for squalls, time now for some well deserved rest and reflection on the way through the Doldrums, as the latest weather models look highly complicated.  Everyone is keen to avoid being left behind by the group.

Although Peyron’s lead may be halved, his average speed overnight is still strong, but Le Cam still keeps up his threat.  Third placed Seb Josse (BT) has also gained overnight against the leader, making up nearly eight miles to lie 22.8 miles behind.

The product of several different reasons perhaps, a gap of nearly 80 miles has opened between 10^th Jérémie Beyou (Delta Dore) and 11^th, Brian Thompson, GBR, (Bahrain Team Pindar).

2004 winner Vincent Riou (PRB) is making places, up to fifth, and shaking off Armel Le Cléac’h (Brit Air) who has slipper to eighth. This pair were only 1.5 miles apart 24 hours ago

Mike Golding, GBR, (Ecover 3) has another good night and makes a gain of about 10 miles overnight on Peyron, lying 9th. 

Switzerland’s Dominic Wavre (Temenos II) is still working his way steadily up the fleet, rising a place overnight to 15^th, and is hot in the wake of Sam Davies, GBR, (ROXY). Davies also gained one position on the ranking overnight and is 12^th.

Of the inshore group, to the east and close to the coast of Morocco, speeds have been good overnight, with Basurko, ESP, (Pakea Bizkaia), 20th, gaining to within four miles of Dinelli (Fondation Ocean Vital). 

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Derek Hatfield, CAN, (Algimouss Spirit of Canada) has made good straight line speed in moderate, favourable winds since restarting yesterday, and is 120 miles from Cape Finisterre this morning.

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