Vendée Globe Race Update for Tuesday: Double Indemnity or Double Jeopardy?
by Vendée Globe media 3 Dec 09:40 PST
3 December 2024
Clarisse Crémer – Vendée Globe 2024 © Clarisse Crémer #VG2024
At the front of the Vendée Globe fleet, it seems that the top two sailors, Sébastien Simon (Groupe Dubreuil) and Charlie Dalin (MACIF Santé Prévoyance), are both veering northward, away from a harmful low-pressure system in the Southern Ocean, which is expected to deliver winds of 50-60 knots and waves reaching ten meters.
Yoann Richomme (PAPREC ARKÉA) opted for caution over recklessness last night, making a sharp turn north in evident upwind conditions and positioning himself 185 miles away from the course taken by the leading pair. Richomme is likely to tack back onto port and follow the trajectory set by fourth-place Thomas Ruyant (VULNERABLE). With a high-pressure ridge to the west, Richomme and Ruyant may lose some distance to the pursuing group, but their guarded approach increases their chances of keeping themselves and their boats in optimal condition, sailing about 500 miles west of Kerguelen Islands.
Simon, trailing leader Dalin by just 12 miles, described their situation: “The path ahead is blocked. We must be extremely careful and cautious with the boat. We need to let the worst of the storm pass by, hoping to come through it unscathed.”
The skipper from Les Sables d’Olonne added, “I’m feeling a bit anxious. We will be bracing ourselves for 48 hours. I encountered 67 knots during The Ocean Race in 2023. I know how unpleasant it can be, but there’s no way around it. It will not be easy for anyone. We will face challenges ahead.”
Hare in repair mode
In 17th place, Briton Pip Hare is expected to cross the longitude of the Cape of Good Hope this evening on Medallia. It has been an extremely challenging 24 hours for her due to a failure in the electrical system that powers the motor for her keel’s canting mechanism.
She attempted to replace a relay in the system, which initially failed, and only after rebuilding a working relay from parts of two damaged ones was she able to restore the keel’s functionality. However, during a rest after her initial efforts, while managing Medallia in high winds, a furling line broke. As a result of the flapping sails, she suffered damage to her FR0 and her Quad (Masthead gennaker). Latest updates indicate that Hare has repaired the tear in her FR0 but must now wait for another calm moment to get the masthead gennaker on deck for repairs. “It’s been a tough day, truly chaotic, but I must take it step by step, one moment at a time; we can get through this,” Hare stated.
For Pip and those around her, the wind conditions should prove much more manageable than for the leaders, even with the Agulhas currents potentially complicating matters near the Cape of Good Hope. Some sailors are even managing to navigate through gaps in these troublesome systems, like Manu Cousin, who is pleased with his progress following an incident with a UFAO two days ago. “My routings have actually placed me behind this significant system, which is beneficial. It allows me some time to recover from the psychological shock I experienced. I genuinely thought my race was done. I was quite frightened. I’m relieved not to be heading into a vast system immediately after that,” finished the skipper of Coup de Pouce, who well understands the precarious nature of the Vendée Globe for solo racers.
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