Vendée Globe Race Monday Update: Records Falling
by Vendée Globe media 25 Nov 09:03 PST
25 November 2024
Vendée Globe Race Monday Update: Records Falling © Arnaud Boissières
The 24-hour solo monohull record has already been surpassed twice in this tenth edition of the Vendée Globe, but last night it was broken again as the frontrunners of this solo, non-stop round-the-world race took advantage of ideal conditions to maintain high speeds.
Thomas Ruyant (VULNERABLE), Nicolas Lunven (Holcim – PRB), Charlie Dalin (MACIF Santé Prévoyance), Sébastien Simon (Groupe Dubreuil), Jérémie Beyou (Charal), and Yoann Richomme (PAPREC ARKÉA) all pushed the record higher and higher. In a fitting turn of events, it was Richomme, who had held the record set five days prior, that surged past the fast-moving pack with a new record of 579.86 miles, achieved in smooth water with winds of 17-20 knots between 0130hrs UTC yesterday and the same time this morning.
However, there has been little time to celebrate the new record, as the leading group presses hard to capitalize on a low-pressure system that is perfectly positioned to propel them toward the Southern Ocean. All skippers are striving to stay aligned with this system, which is narrowing rapidly. With lighter winds on either side, it feels increasingly like a fast-paced, high-wire act.
“It’s a bit like life, the rich get richer!” joked 16th-placed Romain Attanasio (Fortinet – Best Western) during the French Vendée Globe LIVE! show today. Indeed, leaders Charlie Dalin and Thomas Ruyant are steadily extending their lead over the pack. A few days ago, the top ten boats were about sixty miles apart, but now that gap has stretched to 273 nautical miles back to British sailor Sam Davies (Initiatives Coeur), who still holds a strong tenth place.
K.I.S.S.ing Pays Off at High Speed
Davies stated today, “The conditions have been really nice, and it’s just starting to get a bit rougher, but recently the seas have been flat, making it easy to sail the boat quickly, so we haven’t dropped too much distance. For me, I’m slightly behind the leaders with a little less wind. I struggled for power yesterday, but it’s back now, and we’re moving full speed ahead. It’s been the rich getting richer for the last two days, so it’s tough to keep up. Still, I’m in a good position to ride this breeze, even if I have slightly less wind. But it’s quite good.”
In these fast conditions, it’s crucial to keep everything straightforward. Organization is key before heading south. All items must be in their proper places, near the navigation seat, so you aren’t forced out on deck. You’ll be making minor trim and course changes, and at high speeds, there’s not much else you can do.
Quick Reflections from Ruyant
Earlier this morning, Ruyant, currently in second place about 45 miles behind Dalin, remarked, “We’re not pushing hard just to break records but to secure the best position with this depression. We’re uncertain what the rest of this phase will bring, but if we can hold onto it as long as possible, that’ll be good. Downwind, I believe I have a solid machine; I’m getting used to it well, though Charlie and Yoann continue to sail quickly, and the rest of the fleet is also close.”
He added with enthusiasm, “I just hit a peak speed of 32 knots. Our life is a bit cramped; we’re holding on, either sitting or lying down, being exceptionally cautious since the boat can react unexpectedly due to the sea state. I feel like a small creature surviving in this hull that’s moving at Mach 12!”
“But surviving is going well; we’ll have these conditions for some time. This gybe is prolonged, so we have a while longer like this, and afterward, it eases as we head south, which is good overall.”
Attanasio explained, “I’m trying to stay within this depression for as long as I can. It’s challenging to keep up with its trajectory. Right now, the aim is to remain with it. The area behind us looks light to windward, and we’re unsure about leeward, so we certainly don’t want to venture there,”
He isn’t overly concerned as he plans to utilize a “plan B,” in this case, the arrival of another small depression just behind.
“The Saint Helena high is reforming and will swiftly move in front of us, so we won’t get stuck in the middle,” explained Attanasio, like others around him, who will only have a short wait for the next low coming their way.
Animal Instincts
Meanwhile, the daggerboard boats behind them will follow a much more traditional route, adopting a ‘triple whammy’ approach, which means they will sail slower, further, and less directly than the leading half of the fleet that has the advantage of an optimal routing.
“Today, we’re in a fairly ‘classic’ situation. Not much is expected over the next three or four days, but by the end of the week, there will be a somewhat technical depression to catch. If we sail well then, I believe we can make up some ground,” promised French skipper Benjamin Ferré, who is starting to lose track of time on his first Vendée Globe.
“At this point in the race, we become a bit wild. We start to lose track of how many days we’ve been out, adjusting ourselves to the sun. For me, I feel like a lion cub in the savannah: during the day, when it’s hot, I take naps, and at night, I go hunting and eat,” concluded the skipper of Monnoyeur – Duo for a Job, who is in 27th position, about 100 miles behind Jean Le Cam (Tout commence en Finistère-Armor lux), the first daggerboard boat, who mentored both Ferré and Violette Dorange (Devenir). At 23, she trails only 40 miles behind Le Cam, sailing his old Farr design, which he raced to fourth place in 2020-21 under the name Hubert.
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