Vendée Globe Race Wednesday Update: Sébastien Simon breaks consecutive 24-hour speed records
by Vendée Globe media 27 Nov 09:34 PST
27 November 2024
Sébastien Simon breaks consecutive 24-hour speed records © Eric Bellion
The leading five boats in the Vendée Globe are maintaining unprecedented solo monohull speeds as they advance toward the Cape of Good Hope longitude.
Sébastien Simon from Les Sables d’Olonne (Groupe Dubreuil) is achieving speeds more reflective of his airline sponsor than a solo around-the-world yacht race, continuously raising the solo monohull 24-hour record to a remarkable new high of 614.25 nautical miles as of 1330 UTC today.
Following an action-packed night, Simon, sailing the Verdier-designed boat previously known as The Ocean Race’s 11th Hour, had already set a new record of 596.23 miles by 0830 this morning. With optimal conditions, he continued to raise the bar. There’s a strong possibility the record will keep increasing on this low pressure system, which has been a ‘gift that keeps on giving’ to the elite leaders. Six boats have now surpassed 560 nautical miles in the past 24 hours, including Macif Santé Prévoyance, HOLCIM – PRB, VULNERABLE, and Charal, the latter peaking at 615.33 miles.
It’s time for takeoff.
It seems highly likely that the leaders will make a quick, speedy gybe all the way from their entry point into the low pressure area just north of Rio to the Cape of Good Hope.
Simon reported this morning, “The boat is performing excellently; there’s just one meter of sea with a good wind of 24 to 26 knots. I have two reefs in the mainsail, configured safely for the boat. It’s an incredible distance; I never imagined I could achieve that. In my view, it’s not over because conditions are improving for us. Since I’m still in the leading group, I’m staying with this low pressure all the way to Bonne Espérance instead of dropping off this evening, so I expect to maintain this speed for nearly another full day, increasing the chances of beating the record again, hopefully by me.” And indeed, his prediction proved accurate.
Rocket ship.
“When the boat is set up just right, she flies. She thrives in these conditions, with maximum power and righting moment; it’s like a rocket ship,” shared Jack Bouttell from the winning 11th Hour Racing team. “It’s astounding to remember the old record for a fully crewed boat was 618 miles on a 100-footer, and Seb is achieving this solo. It’s fantastic to see this ‘old girl’ performing so impressively after all the effort we put into her. However, when these boats reach speeds beyond 22-23 knots, it feels like chaos could erupt at any moment, with various noises coming from the rig and the foils, and alarms ringing.”
The pressing question, which Yoann Richomme (PAPREC ARKÉA) posed rhetorically one week ago after setting a new mark at 551 miles, is whether the crewed record of 640 nautical miles on an IMOCA can be surpassed during this remarkable speed phase.
Basile Rochut, the race’s weather consultant, noted this morning, “The top six boats will remain in a strong flow of 30 knots until tomorrow morning, enabling them to continue pushing hard.”
“The goal is not to chase records but to maintain a steady average. Essentially, it’s about keeping a good rhythm while retaining distance,” cautioned Jérémie Beyou (Charal), who injured his knee in the SE’ly trades. “I just need to avoid hurting it again; we’re still on the TGV (French express train)—it’s fantastic. However, the scenery is changing. The depression is approaching, the sky is overcast, and the water temperature is sharply dropping,” said Beyou, who bundled up with extra layers last night. Beyou, along with leader Charlie Dalin (MACIF Santé Prévoyance), second-placed Thomas Ruyant (VULNERABLE), Simon, Richomme, and Nicolas Lunven (Holcim – PRB), has successfully stayed with the same depression since its passage off the Brazilian coast. However, there are two paths ahead: take a direct route through a narrow wind corridor while managing the Agulhas Current or dive south to skirt the Arctic Exclusion Zone (AEZ), which looks simpler on paper. “For now, I’m trying to stay on this port gybe for as long as possible. The wind will somewhat dictate our next moves. We mustn’t get overly caught up in future strategies,” explained Jérémie Beyou, who, like the others, will cross the Greenwich meridian this evening, his longitude shifting from 0 to east tonight—an encouraging mental milestone.
Envious onlookers?
For those left behind, it’s apparent that the gap to this leading group is expanding exponentially. Germany’s Boris Herrmann (Malizia Seaexplorer), currently in 11th place and trailing Dalin by 492 miles, reflected this morning, “We’re lagging behind with this front, feeling somewhat on the fringe of it. Consequently, conditions are a bit unstable, with wind speeds ranging between 13 and 20 knots, averaging about 15 knots, making it tough to stay fast constantly. We’re making the most of it. We had a good night with no sail changes, and everything is well on board. The distance from the leaders will significantly change; they will gain a lot. Moreover, I had AIS contact with Clarisse, which was nice to have a direct fellow competitor. I heard her on the VHF, but I couldn’t spot her. Now I am alone again. The weather is still sunny with reasonably nice conditions. The wind peaked at 27 knots for a while, leading me to put in a reef, but I soon took it out since it was just a brief change. The sea is a bit short and choppy, with not much to report. As for the front runners? Incredible performance. Respect to them; they are in a fortunate position now due to their efforts, which is great to see. I feel a bit envious, of course, but the race remains long. Let’s see what unfolds. I expect the distance to them will nearly double, reaching six or seven hundred miles. Hopefully, I’ll find opportunities in the Indian or Pacific Oceans to close that gap; otherwise, this race could be effectively decided here. Yet, I don’t think it’s over yet.”
Sail down.
The challenge for Swiss skipper Justine Mettraux, near Herrmann, took a hit today when her J0 headsail was severely damaged, tearing in a separate incident unrelated to her earlier repairs. Mettraux managed to retrieve the sail, halyard, and sheets without causing any additional harm to her TeamWork-Team Snef’s structure or appendages.
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