Vendée Globe

Gains do not come easily for Jean-Pierre Dick in the south. The Nicois skipper told today’s radio vacations today of a difficult Sunday yesterday when he spent four hours battling with a snarled furler on Paprec-Virbac 2 in 40-45 knots of wind.

That difficult afternoon may have seen the leading skipper moderate his attack a little, for Paprec-Virbac has lost a small matter of five or so miles to second placed Roland ‘Bilou’ Jourdain but he still has cushion of 38.2 miles as the leaders split either side of the Prince Edward islands.

Veolia Environnement is at the front of a trio of tightly grouped boats including Loïck Peyron on Gitana Eighty in fourth and Mike Golding on Ecover 3 in fifth. Jourdain has been fastest this morning and is 15.8 miles ahead of Josse, who explained this morning that he is being ‘resaonable’ all the time and staying within his limits.

Mike Golding commented this morning on the weather systems that have prevailed so far in the Southern Ocean:

“The systems we have had have passed through in about a couple of days. It is not like previous races where it was possible to pass through the whole Southern Ocean on three or four different systems, these ones are weaker. And that makes the transitions the most important bit.”

“The wind has moderated a little bit now, we have 18 knots but still big seas, and I have changed up to the reacher.”

“It is very intense, but it is not how it must look. It is an awful long race and the main thing is not to get buried. I know that Loïck passed me yesterday and I could see his work rate, but then on the next gybe I gained and I passed him.”

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