Vendée Globe

Armel Le Cleach still has strong winds for his finish. He’ll have 25-30 knots later today and at the moment 30-35 knots NNW’ly. It has been very gusty, still with big seas.

At 1000hrs GMT Le Cléac’h had 219 miles to do so realistically an early morning finish tomorrow. Brit Air has been making between 10 and 11 knots. He should accelerate a little, but he is mainly sailing safe, watching for traffic, has seen a lot of cargo ships, he has been keeping a close eye on the boat and everything not trying to push too hard.

His second place is safe and is contingent on him not breaking anything, not hitting anything so is down to him and luck staying on his side.

Tomorrow’s tide to get into the canal is about 11h-11h30 local time tomorrow morning.

The battle off the Azores, is keeping racing interest keen. Sam is 255 miles ahead this morning and so has lost a bit as Guillemot’s leverage starts to change for the better in the NW, he is not much quicker than Sam but is making back towards the course in building downwind conditions, 12.1 knots to Sam’s 10.5 knots.

He is on starboard in SW’ly winds which will build for him. In fact the high pressure is holding on to Sam and she will be slowed during today…

Pindar is still in Tradewinds. Thompson would like to see a more even sea state to get away from Caffari a bit. He has been compromised by his keel rams problems, running at around 50% cant. Bahrain Team Pindar is a little more east than Guillemot’s track and will gain a few miles.

He is 166 miles DTF behind Guillemot and 142 miles ahead of Dee – half a day at the moment—she is doing 13.1 knots he was making 7.9 knots this morning – may have another problem – should be going quicker….

Caffari is quickest in the fleet this morning 13.1 knots more eased than Brian, wind more in the east for her, and for Akena Verandas.

Dee will also benefit more than Brian as the high moves to the SE and she will be able to cut the corner a little more

Steve White is getting towards the Doldrums – they are wide – about 500 miles but the squall activity is reasoanably limited and so he should have a steady crossing –

Rich Wilson is in the transition zone, that squally S America Doldrums territory but has been making good miles 225 miles in 24 hours, best in the fleet in that respect at the moment

Raphael Dinelli has a low coming at him with 55 knots and his 310 miles past the Falklands Same too for Sedlacek who is still a little slowed this morning…..140 miles SW of East Falkland island

Here is the summary of what the French speaking skippers had to say today:

Armel Le Cléac’h (Brit Air) : Yet another rough night although a bit calmer than yesterday afternoon. Freshening again this morning. Remaining cautious as only 200 miles left. Windy and rough up to finish. I should be finishing in around 24 hours. To be precise 208 miles left and at this speed I should finish just before noon. Squalls arrived at around 5 this morning. Not much sleep in the night as a lot of cargo ships heading south. Then early this morning got a bit of rest. The protective cover over cockpit broke off yesterday and sank somewhere in the Bay of Biscay. Problem with mainsail car. Food just running out, so correctly calculated. Looking forward to steak and chips – a tradition for him in transatlantic races. The real problem with rough seas and gales was that wind was on the beam. The low is moving slowly with him and currently centred over Brittany, so these conditions have lasted a long time. Will remember a lot of things from this voyage, but the stand-out image will be rounding Cape Horn and Jean’s rescue.

Marc Guillemot (Safran): Has lowered big spinnaker and hoisted smaller one and about to reap the benefits of his westerly option. Has made it around without too much suffering and this morning wind picking up in the right direction. Wind speed 20-22 knots. Boat speed 15.5 knots. When you are sailing, you always have doubts. I tried to tell myself I was doing the right things. You have to stick with your options. If you don’t believe in what you are doing, there’s no point in working hard. His routing shows he could arrive 10th in late afternoon, but reckons early on 11th would be more realistic. Sailing under reduced sail will be less and less of a problem with strong winds ahead. Is going to have to learn how to take in reefs, because hasn’t had much practice recently. The designers in conjunction with Safran and Marc wanted above all a lightweight boat and he has been happy with her performance.

Sam Davies (Roxy): I hope it will be five more days and not six. 10-12 knots of wind, still sailing upwind and seas calming. Yesterday squalls and rough seas. Reckons she will have periods without wind this afternoon and evening and that by the end of the night, she will be picking up wind again. Avoiding looking at Marc’s position, as there’s nothing she can do about the situation but do her best, where she is. Trying witchcraft. Twitching her nose to get a bit of magic going. Although she likes Marco, she doesn’t like the idea of losing a battle. What she is missing most and has been missing most is her bathroom, as she’s a real girl. Being without warm water, beauty products and warm towels is not nice for a girl. At one point used to wash her hair with washing up liquid, but promised her hairdresser she wouldn’t do that this time. Priority when she steps ashore will be a cool beer

Raphaël Dinelli (Fondation Ocean Vital): Deep low giving winds in excess of 40 knots, which developed over Argentina. Tomorrow should have strong downwind conditions. Wasn’t able to repair in calm conditions yesterday as there was still a residual swell, so too dangerous to go up the mast.

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