In brief 29 September 2023

Week 3 - Atlantic Wayback e-series

It's been nineteen days since the Vendée Globe eSeries Atlantic Wayback set off between Cape Horn and Les Sables d'Olonne and we still don't know which group is going to win, although things are beginning to become clearer...

The first night's option was and will remain decisive. The group that took the lead still has a comfortable lead. The Azores anticyclone is very shifty and spreads out across the ocean. It's difficult for the virtual skippers to find their way around and aim for the gap as this zone of high pressure fluctuates...

A group led by BigLuD-EZ and Pas Foil La Gambas could come out on top. RflBzH - PVe followed by BlackPanther BSP further to the west two days ago, have followed in their wake. 

juju456 - BSP, who had been leading for a long time, is now at the head of a small group in the company of other big names. But his slightly too easterly option could prove fatal.

Faced with these weather conditions, some have tried to find the wind further west. But it will be difficult to catch up, even if the last few days of the race could be favourable for them. Will the difference in speed be enough to compensate for the many extra miles needed to complete this trajectory?

Others tried a very daring move: to sail up the ocean via the African coast. On Tuesday, some navigators were even predicting that they would win! Today, that's not so much the case. If it turns out that the winner in Les Sables comes from this original route, it would be unprecedented, as the sailors are so used to taking a more central route across the Atlantic.

The equator was crossed a few days ago by the whole fleet. Many of them are now north of the Tropic of Cancer.

At 12h00 on Friday 29th September, the leading trio were as follows: 

1 - Darius-BHT/Entourage
2 - coulou 8 BSP
3 - NEVETS 56

These three are located very far east. The current leader passed not far from the Cape Verde archipelago a few days ago. 

But they will have to contend with a headwind for those closest to the African coast, or a vast zone of light airs. The rankings are not yet significant.

In a week's time, the finish will be close! Who will have come up with the best route in this Atlantic slump?

Let's not forget the team players :

The podium has been turned upside down since last week. The BHT/Entourage #FORPEOPLE team is in the lead ahead of LSV - Trustable and the Black Sailing Project team. Everything remains to be done for this ranking too.

There's still a lot to think about over the next few days if we're to reach the podium or grab a good place in the rankings. 

See you next week!

In brief 20 September 2023

Week 2 - Atlantic Wayback e-series

It is now ten days since the Vendée Globe Atlantic Wayback e-series set off between Cape Horn and Les Sables d'Olonne.

The first night's option was decisive. Indeed, the virtual players who had decided to use Le Maire Strait to head due north now form the leading pack. The daredevils who had tried the due East option in order to make a nice ladle paid dearly for this attempt which, at the time of the start, could have been considered successful! They are now around fifteen hours behind the leading e-skippers.

The whole fleet is now sailing in the tropics, benefiting from well-established trade winds, albeit with slightly variable angles depending on their position. At 22:00 on Wednesday 20th September, the frontrunners were at the latitude of Salvador in Brazil at the 14th parallel south.

Here is the leading trio:

1- EcLaiR-BFC
2- Sem la Guédonne - INC-BUREAU VALLEE
3- Juju456 - BSP

The top thirty are just 5 miles apart. In a few days' time, the e-skippers are likely to have to contend with calms in the inter-tropical convergence zone once they cross the equator. Competitors will need to know how to read the weather models as well as possible in order to try and avoid this zone of calms. They will also have to think about the best route to the European continent. Will they have to make a big dip towards the North Atlantic? Or a more modest dip to get around the Azores High, which looks like it will be inviting itself in the form of a ridge of high pressure towards the European continent in the next week or 10 days?

Nerves will be sorely tested again over the coming week! It's worth noting that in the team rankings, INC - Bureau Vallée have taken a lead over Black Sailing Project and Team PVe.

Three more days of trade winds before the first choices are made. What will happen? See you next week!

In brief 14 September 2023

Nicolas Lunven, skipper of IMOCA Holcim - PRB

Two-time winner of the Solitaire du Figaro (2009 and 2017) Nicolas Lunven becomes skipper of IMOCA Holcim - PRB, a latest-generation IMOCA designed for the next Vendée Globe. A highly sought-after crew member, Nicolas has an impressive record in ocean racing. He has sailed on a number of IMOCAs: Initiatives-Coeur with Sam Davies, Team Malizia with Boris Herrmann, Benjamin Ferré's boat... He is now skipper of his own IMOCA with his sights set on the Vendée Globe 2024! 

Nicolas Lunven: "It's a big challenge, but we're going to do everything we can to write the most beautiful page possible in this Vendée Globe".

In brief 13 September 2023

Week 1 - Atlantic Wayback e-series

This Sunday saw the start of the Vendée Globe Atlantic Wayback e-series between Cape Horn and Les Sables d'Olonne, the final race in the Vendée Globe e-series, a virtual round-the-world race divided into three mythical capes. 

Right from the start of the race, the players had to think hard to find the most appropriate route. The weather models were certainly opting for a rapid climb to the west of the Falklands. However, the European ECMWF model suggested the possibility of heading due east for a dip before heading north again a few days later.

So far, it's the first option that has taken the lead. At 22h30 on Wednesday 13th, here are the top three:

1 - juju456 - BSP
2 - JoeLeBarbot - BSP
3 - Amity - TP83

In the team rankings, after just over 72 hours of racing, INC - Bureau Vallée are leading the way ahead of the Black Sailing Project team and the EXTAZ SEA team.

But the race is still in its early stages, and the 16 386 virtual skippers can expect to see a number of twists and turns depending on the weather conditions.

Nevertheless, the next 4-5 days look fairly calm for the leading group, with no complex weather systems to contend with as they alternate between reaching sails and staysails.