Vendée Globe

The series of lows moving from west to east to the north of the Azores is producing high waves in the NE of the North Atlantic. Another cold front is expected over the Azores on Monday night with winds from force 8 to 9 (SW’ly on Monday veering NW’ly afterwards) leading to 6-9 metre high waves over a huge area stretching from Cape Finisterre, over Madeira and to the Azores. This zone of heavy seas, which blocked Veolia will be affecting Brit Air on Tuesday.
Further south, Roxy, Safran and Pindar are continuing to climb north on the starboard tack in the E to NE’ly trade winds as they prepare to deal with the Azores high with two distinct options: the direct, but slower route taken by Roxy and a longer route, but which should be quicker for Safran and Pindar.
In the Equatorial zone, Aviva is getting out of the Doldrums, which were particularly difficult this weekend, as there were more and more areas of light wind after the previous boats passed through.
Akena is getting ready to enter the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone by taking advantage of the moderate easterly trade winds. Toe in the water should finally make it through the ridge of high pressure from the St. Helena high to take advantage of the same weather system, but this will not be the case until Tuesday.
A respite for Great American III after suffering in the passage of several very active cold fronts and a violent thundery low this weekend. It is on the southern edge of a high with fairly light winds that the American is sailing today.
Fondation Ocean Vital will round the Horn in the absence of wind. This is the same calm that has taken Nauticsport Kapsch prisoner off Chile. The final competitor to reach the Horn will have to wait for the next front to arrive as the high is moving in over the Austrian sailor.
Sylvain Mondon
Météo-France