Vendée Globe Race – Day 20: Another Shift as Storm Approaches Leading Fleet
by Vendee Globe Media/Richard Gladwell, Sail-World NZ, 30 Nov 19:05 PST
1 December 2024
Pip Hare – Medallia – IMOCA – November 29, 2024 © Pip Hare
Yoann Richomme aboard Paprec Arkéa has taken the lead on Day 20 of the Vendée Globe 2024 Race. The top four leaders are well into the Southern Ocean, positioned nearly 100nm ahead of the fifth-place competitor, Jérémie Beyou (Charal).
“It wasn’t my plan to take the lead again,” Richomme shared with Vendee Race Media. “I’ve no clue what happened. The winds might have shifted slightly. I navigated my course—there’s no strategy involved; I’m just sticking to my path, and it led me here. We encountered substantial wind last night, achieving speeds over 30 knots, which can be thrilling here.”
He, like several others in the fleet, closely monitored surrounding boats to prevent collisions. “I found myself parallel to Seb Simon who has an AIS that alerts at less than a mile away. When I heard the alarm, I bolted out of my bunk!” added Richomme.
Looking forward, the leaders will encounter a new challenge later this week—the approach of a strong southern depression predicted for Wednesday. “We’re unsure about handling it,” Richomme commented. “Typically, we navigate around such systems to the north to avoid rough waters, but this time the detour is quite distant, so we might consider heading south. I doubt it’ll majorly impact the race outcome, but safety is a priority.” A decision needs to be made tomorrow morning regardless.
Forecasts using Predictwind’s weather routing indicate that the frontrunner will experience the most severe weather on December 5, with gusts of 60 knots expected for several hours. The routing doesn’t suggest options for storm avoidance; however, competitors are likely inputting strong wind avoidance parameters to evaluate whether to steer clear of the storm’s projected path.
Competitors trailing by a thousand miles seem less affected than the Predictwind maps’ color coding might suggest, with Sam Davies experiencing only 40 knots, while the darker wind map colors would usually show at least 10 knots more.
Those 1500nm behind, like Pip Hare, also seem to avoid the storm’s brunt; however, they have yet to round the Cape of Good Hope. As observed for the past few weeks, these potent weather systems are forming in the South Atlantic and circulating the southern ocean’s altitudes before dispersing and diminishing in strength.
The daggerboard group, 2000nm behind the race leaders, includes Jean Le Cam and Duc, currently among eight competitors that are only 110 miles apart, although they face contrasting weather conditions.
Between the leading quartet and the first daggerboard boats, Justine Mettraux (Teamwork-Team SNEF), Clarisse Crémer (L’Occitane en Provence), and Boris Herrmann (Malizia – Sea Explorer) are less than two miles apart, all under the effects of the St Helena high-pressure system. The light winds, sunny weather, and moderate sea conditions have given Crémer time to catch up on maintenance, including hydrogenerator repairs and addressing chafe on the running rigging.
Herrmann, who nearly became becalmed earlier today, expressed his frustration: “Being inside the boat becomes challenging, staring at the screen and tracker. We invested four years preparing our new boat. We could sail at 20 knots… and here we are. It sometimes saddens me. I wish I could cry at times, but mostly, I channel that emotion positively. I’m doing what’s necessary and can adjust my position.”
Conversely, Pip Hare (Medallia) maintains a more optimistic outlook: “This is the most competitive race edition ever, with numerous boats closely matched in terms of their performance potential within each group. Mistakes can be costly. In the months leading to the start, I sailed in larger conditions to understand my boat better. Although we can’t replicate the Southern Ocean waves, I have some strategies in mind for dealing with them. We’ll see how it goes in practice.”
Sam Goodchild (Vulnerable) remains the leading second-generation foiling boat, roughly 250 miles behind the leaders, despite overnight challenges. “I’ve had a very hectic 12 hours,” he recounts. “It began last night when the rudder kicked up—the system securing it broke. My technical team assisted in resolving that issue, so we managed to lower the rudder again, which was positive.
We endured winds varying from 10 knots to 30 knots overnight. Picking the right sail is easier said than done. This morning we encountered nose-diving, the Achilles heel of this boat. We had a massive dive, everything went flying, and the boat ended up sideways. While trying to prepare breakfast, hot water flew around and landed dangerously close to me.
I switched to a smaller sail, which took about 45 minutes instead of the expected 15 due to various issues. I suppose I’m just tired and not executing tasks well. However, I’m glad to be back on course with a small FRO and we’re moving again.”
Further back, the rest of the fleet is preparing for the strong southern winds. “Since yesterday I’ve been in a strong wind zone south of the St Helena high,” remarks Isabelle Joschke (MACSF). “Symbolically, that means it’s time to ramp up again. I’ve left the calm Atlantic behind to return to the Indian Ocean. I’m readying the boat for southern conditions, changing sails, replacing important lines, and organizing my sails. In a few days, I’ll round the Cape of Good Hope, and it will feel like starting a new race.”
