Vendée Globe

Downwind sailing at last as the leading group bear away in westerly breezes with gennakers flying —  gybing their way south and east, Seb Josse (BT) is still heading the pack in first, whilst Michel Desjoyeaux overhauls two British skippers.

There might not be anyone on board calling the hoist, but it will still have been a good moment. The fat-hipped, flat-bottomed IMOCA 60s are made for launching themselves downwind, not battering their way into the breeze, and the leading skippers will today have been rejoicing in the opportunity to finally launch their big gennakers, bear off, flatten out the boat, and head in the right direction towards the ice gate.
The decision now is, which gybe? Most of the leading group have thrown in a few as they alternate between gaining ground to the east, or diving south. Amidst all this ducking and diving, Sébastien Josse on BT is steady in front, 14 miles ahead of Loick Peyron. Following the leaders’ zig-zag track in third is Vincent Riou (PRB), neck and neck with fifth-placed Armel Le Cleac’h (Brit Air). Fourth currently goes to Yann Elies (Generali), who has dived south. Mike Golding (Ecover, GBR, 9th) has also taken a long gybe south, and is currently heading back east.
The biggest losses so far have gone to Jean Le Cam (VM Matériaux), whose easterly line seems to have left him victim to St Helena’s capricious nature — he has dropped from second to ninth over the past 24 hours, and lost nearly 90 miles on the leader.
Meanwhile the biggest gains have gone to the seemingly unstoppable Michel Desjoyeaux. In this morning’s radio broadcasts the Foncia skipper joked about having some English skippers for breakfast, and he has made good on his promise, climbing past first Sam Davies (Roxy, GBR) this morning, and then Brian Thompson (Bahrain Team Pindar, GBR) to 12th place on the rankings. Sam Davies’ speed dropped to under six knots this morning as she strayed close to the centre of the high pressure zone, while earlier today Brian Thompson completed his four-hour penalty, which was awarded to Bahrain Team Pindar by the international jury on 10 November. Rich Wilson (Great American III) also completed a half-hour penalty today for sailing the incorrect course at the start in Les Sables d’Olonne.
Next on the skippers’ map are the islands of Tristan da Cunha, the most remote archipelago in the world, approximately 400 miles south-east of the fleet. This small volcanic island cluster was formally annexed by the United Kingdom in 1816, apparently as a measure to ensure that the French would not be able to assist their most famous captive — Napoleon Bonaparte — escape from prison on Saint Helena island. Golding and the rest of the British contingent will be hoping that this part of the ocean does not become a ‘Get out of Jail Free’ card for any more of the French rivals caught in the effects of St Helena’s high.
Meanwhile, Raphael Dinelli has abandoned his plans to stop off Trinidade to repair his mainsail halyard, as the swell off the islands is too great. He will continue to find a more suitable anchorage to begin repairs on  Fondation Océan Vital.

From today’s radio broadcasts:
- 9th Mike Golding, Ecover (GBR): I’m making progress and pointing in the right direction at last, which is quite a refreshing change. Now we’re going downwind, we’ve got big gennakers up, we’re making better speed, it’s more comfortable on the boat, and we’re pointing towards our waypoint which has been a long time coming. I’ve got good pressure now but the further you go, the stronger the breeze, and there’ll be a gradient across the course which is what I’m aiming on.

Last night I felt we were in danger in being hooked up into the high pressure, the breeze went very soft on me so I just took the decision to gybe at any cost to get south and get away from it.
The high was a little bit random because the way it looked on the weather files, the guys on the weather files should never have survived really, so there was a bit of a lottery attached to the outcome. The goal was not stopping - I’ve taken a long route round and probably paid a price for it but I didn’t stop. So in the end you pays your money and takes your chances!

- 14th Sam Davies, Roxy (GBR): It’s hot and sunny, and I’m maybe just a little bit too close to the centre of the high pressure, but I’m quite pleased to have some light winds because I can carry out some little repairs I’ve been waiting for this moment to do. For once I’m not being drenched by waves so I’ve actually been out there enjoying the sunshine — and saying hello to the first albatrosses of the south as well!

I am really enjoying the race, and I’m pleased because I thought I’d enjoy it but you never know until you get out there. I think the hard bit is yet to come so maybe I’ll say differently in a week’s time. When I wrote day 20 down today I thought  — oh my god, that’s nearly a quarter of the way through in time, it’s gone so quickly. I kind of hope it doesn’t go too quickly, but probably the bit in the south it would be good to get over and done with! I’m looking forward to hooning along and racking in the miles. And I’m looking forward to the sights as well because I haven’t been there for 10 years — the only thing I’m not looking forward to is the cold because I’m a bit of a wimp when it comes to being cold!

- 18th Jonny Malbon, Artemis (GBR): Last night was full of squalls again and I was hoping it would be a bit more kind to me this morning - I had a little respite for three or four hours and put the jib top up, but then it came back with a vengeance. I’m dreaming of not having to sit on deck waiting for the next squall to come through - I’m sick of saying the word squall! It would be nice to have a bit of a break and get some stable air.

My qualifier was 21 days — so about the same period but really heinous, very, very windy. The difference is this time there’s competition around, and I’m really enjoying it. I’m surprised it doesn’t feel anywhere near as long as my last trip, and I hope it continues to feel that way.

- 20th Rich Wilson, Great American III (USA): We’re heading a little bit further to the east of where the fleet has gone. The routing suggests that the high pressure system that everybody is going around further up in the fleet is going to move, so we’re trying to move towards where it’s going to be. Unfortunately my friend Raphael Dinelli has a problem with his main halyard and has to divert to an island east of Rio de Janierio to get it fixed. We were having a very good competition since the Equator, side by side going pretty fast and it was a lot of fun, and it’s too bad for Raphael but I‘m sure he’ll get it fixed and be back out on the course soon.


 

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