Christopher Pratt: An impeccable Vendée Globe thus far and an intriguing design competition at the forefront
by Ed Gorman / IMOCA Globe Series 27 Nov 12:01 PST
Sébastien Simon on Groupe Dubreuil – Vendée Globe 2024 © Sébastien Simon
Like everyone captivated by the remarkable 10th edition of the Vendée Globe to date, French sailor Christopher Pratt has been closely following the action as the leading vessels have raced towards the Cape of Good Hope.
At 43 and hailing from Marseille, Pratt has extensive racing experience with Team Holcim-PRB, Team V, and B-Monbana-Mayenne, and was part of the Malizia-Seaexplorer Ocean Race crew in 2023. In 2021, he also sailed with Charal’s skipper Jérémie Beyou (currently in fifth). He notes that the conditions in the South Atlantic have been absolutely ideal.
“They’ve had the ideal wind direction and speed, and the sea state has been quite pleasant, although it is deteriorating. It was relatively calm, which is why six boats have surpassed the 24-hour record,” Pratt shared with the Class.
His comments came as Sébastien Simon, aboard Groupe Dubreuil in third position (+52.1), set a new unofficial 24-hour solo distance record today, achieving an astonishing distance of 613.33 nautical miles at an average speed of 25.56 knots.
“These boats are incredible in such conditions,” Pratt added, having reached the podium in both 2019 and 2021 editions of the Transat Jacques Vabre alongside Beyou. “When you think they’re often reaching average speeds of 23-24 knots, it means they must hit 30 knots frequently to achieve those averages.
“It’s truly impressive, and what’s noteworthy now is that the two Antoine Koch/Finot Conq designs—sailed by Thomas Ruyant in second (VULNERABLE) and Yoann Richomme in fourth (Paprec Arkéa)—seem to provide a bit more comfort for their skippers at these speeds than the other boats.”
Pratt states that the older boats in the top-15 from the last Vendée Globe, like Sam Goodchild’s VULNERABLE in seventh place (+180) and Justine Mettraux’s TeamWork-Team SNEF in 13th (+584), struggle to keep up with the newer generation of foiling boats.
“When we saw the boats accelerate, it was difficult for those older vessels to match their pace, making it crucial to see how well they can handle such conditions, along with the boat’s trim and speed capability, even if the sea isn’t flat,” he remarked.
Pratt is especially intrigued by the design competition emerging among the newest boats, as race leader Charlie Dalin on his Guillame Verdier foiler, MACIF Santé Prévoyance, competes against the two Koch/Finot Conq boats. “What’s fascinating from a design perspective is that Antoine Koch’s approach for Yoann and Thomas was to create a boat optimized for the Southern Ocean. In contrast, Guillaume Verdier and Charlie designed a boat to perform well in all conditions, leaving no gaps in the performance range, even in lighter winds.
“So, if we evaluate after this Atlantic section, we can conclude Guillaume and Charlie have succeeded in their bet, having crafted a boat ready to tackle low-pressure systems and enter the Indian Ocean with a significant advantage. On the flip side, Yoann and Thomas will likely trail within 100 miles of them, which makes their boats potentially better suited for the Southern Ocean in the next four to five weeks.”
Pratt considers Sébastien Simon a surprise contender in the race thus far, as he has performed consistently well with his boat since the start. “He’s racing excellently, consistently placing in the top-3 or top-5 in various conditions,” he noted. “He’s always speedy, and his routing choices have been spot on. It’s clear he’s at his best, which is great to see.”
Conversely, Pratt mentions a much tougher beginning for German skipper Boris Herrmann in his second Vendée Globe, as his Malizia-Seaexplorer currently sits 11th, 507 miles behind and likely to fall further behind as the leaders approach the Southern Ocean.
“I feel a bit disappointed for Boris because I believe he should be with the group of six or seven boats up front. He struggled in the light pressure systems near Madeira and the Canaries. Nonetheless, both he and the boat are capable of sailing swiftly in the Southern Ocean, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he leads by the time they exit the Southern Ocean. However, he’s expected to reach the Cape of Good Hope with an 800-1,000 mile deficit, which is quite significant,” Pratt said.
Looking ahead, Pratt adds that the routing isn’t clear regarding when the leaders will finally lose contact with the low-pressure system that has propelled them from Brazil across the South Atlantic.
“It’s truly challenging to gauge when the low pressure system will move on,” he said. “It’s tough because if they sail just one or two knots faster, they can extend their stay with it for many more miles. Even for the skippers, it’s hard to determine when they need to gybe south after the low-pressure system.”
On the racecourse, IMOCA Class also caught up with Benjamin Dutreux, skipper of Guyot Environnement-Water Family from France. He currently finds himself in a lonely 14th position, about 720 miles behind Dalin and 135 miles back from Mettraux in 13th.
The 34-year-old Ocean Race skipper, sailing the former Hugo Boss from 2015, expresses enjoyment in his second Vendée Globe but wishes to connect more with the rest of the fleet. “I would prefer to be amongst others—it’s usually more enjoyable—but overall, the race is proceeding well. We’re making good progress towards the Cape of Good Hope.”
He notes that the tough part for him is observing the leaders extending their advantage over boats like his. “I can’t predict what’s next, but I know the gap with those ahead will increase over the next few days. That’s going to be tough to manage—dealing with that frustration. For me, it’s the biggest challenge ahead,” he admitted.
However, Dutreux retains hope for a top-10 finish, which was his goal prior to the race. “Currently, I’m where I should be with my boat,” he remarked. “So far, the race is going well for us. There’s still a long way to go, and I just need to keep navigating well to let everything fall into place naturally.”
When asked about the key takeaway from his first Vendée Globe, where he finished ninth, he said, “What I’ve learned more is how to speed up, to push hard, and accelerate at times. However, it comes with a bit less comfort,” he explained.
Yet, he emphasizes that balancing speed with care for the boat is never straightforward. “Out here, there’s always that urge to push harder,” Dutreux conceded. “But managing the boat is also vital, ensuring it stays comfortable. So, I try to restrain myself at times, reminding myself that not all boats are alike. Pushing mine too hard negatively impacts it much more.”
Record-Breaking Streak
With the depression driving them faster, the six frontrunners of the race continue to break records.
Today, it is Sébastien Simon who has etched his name in history, becoming the first solo sailor on a monohull to surpass the 600 nautical mile milestone in 24 hours. Between 3:00 PM yesterday and the same time today (French time), the skipper of Groupe Dubreuil achieved an incredible distance of 615.33 nautical miles (equivalent to 1,139.6 kilometers) at an astonishing average speed of 25.64 knots.
With this remarkable feat, Sébastien Simon shattered the prior record held by Yoann Richomme, who covered 579.86 nautical miles between November 24 and 25 during the same race. Simon’s accomplishment signifies an enhancement of 35.47 nautical miles.
*Pending official confirmation by the WSSRC (World Sailing Speed Record Council).
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