Vendée Globe Day 4: Record Breakers and Misfortunes
by Vendée Globe Media 13 Nov 11:31 PST
13 November 2024
Today, the leading competitors of the tenth Vendée Globe edition will pass the Portuguese Madeira islands. While the front-runners aim to avoid the significant lee created by the islands, several skippers are looking to utilize the windbreak effect of the jagged Picos mountains for necessary repairs to maintain their solo, non-stop round-the-world race.
Later today, the top group, led by Yoann Richomme (Paprec Arkéa), will be passing at a good pace, followed closely by Charlie Dalin (MACIF Santé Prévoyance) and Britain’s Sam Goodchild (VULNERABLE).
Nico Lunven (Holcim-PRB) is in fourth place after impressively sprinting down the west flank of the fleet at a speed that could earn him the solo monohull 24-hour distance record of 546.6 nautical miles (1012.30 km) on his fast boat. This vessel also narrowly holds the WSSRC ratified crewed monohull record of 640.48 miles established in May 2023 during The Ocean Race, although Lunven’s achievement still needs formal ratification by the WSSRC.
Issues arise
Meanwhile, problems are mounting in the fleet, particularly for Maxime Sorel (V and B – Monbana – Mayenne), Clarisse Crémer (L’Occitane en Provence), and Szabolcs Weöres (New Europe).
This morning, new race leader Richomme remarked, “In the Bay of Biscay, I missed a few shifts and had seaweed on my keel, which placed me mid-pack for a moment. However, when the wind came in, I managed to regain speed and executed a good rounding of Cape Finisterre. I took some risks and was a bit overpowered, but I gained a few positions. Since then, the boat has been performing well downwind in the current seaway, and I’m happy with its speed. This morning’s lead was unexpected; I thought Sam and Charlie would be ahead. I didn’t track closely, but it seems everyone was weary after a few intense racing days.”
Tactical decisions required
The winds have gradually softened for the leading pack. “They have a rather direct route with stable conditions and fewer maneuvers required,” noted Basile Rochut, weather consultant for Vendée Globe. “However, around Madeira, they must be cautious of the significant lee behind the islands. The frontrunners might be slowed by an anticyclonic ridge starting tomorrow, with weak conditions anticipated between the Canaries and Cape Verde.”
“The wind will lessen, making strategic decisions challenging,” analyzed Switzerland’s Alan Roura (Hublot). “We’ll need to be opportunistic and clever.” Meanwhile, Thomas Ruyant, currently in sixth and coping with water seeping into his forward sail locker, observes, “There are decisions to make, varying wind speeds, and subtle shifts. In this scenario, I prefer to be the hunter.”
Struggles for Szabi
Since last night, Szabolcs Weöres from Hungary has battled towards Madeira with a severely damaged mainsail and his small A7 gennaker tangled in his forestay due to being knocked down by 35 to 40 knots winds. He is on his way to find a sheltered bay to assess his situation.
Szabi shared, “It was a horrendous night—35 to 40 knots of wind, massive waves knocked me over, and the mast took a dive into the water. I noticed a massive hole in the mainsail—about three meters by three meters, resembling a giant window. The A7 gennaker is trapped around the forestay, and in 40 knots of wind, I couldn’t do anything. I need to locate a calmer area to take down the A7 and evaluate the mainsail. Things look grim, and I’m quite disappointed. We’ll see what I can manage; I’ll always do my best.”
Maxime faces mounting issues; Ruyant stays resilient
Maxime Sorel has seen his troubles multiply. He injured his ankle yesterday and continues to struggle with a faulty mainsail hook, a mechanism that secures the sail off the halyard. “I must acknowledge the hook is broken,” he admits.
Similar to Szabi, he too is heading to Madeira to seek refuge and attempt to climb back up the mast to address his issues. “I didn’t expect such a challenging start to the Vendée Globe.”
Ruyant remains focused on fixing the water ingress issue at the front of his IMOCA while dealing with the constant influx of water. “It’s like Niagara Falls with all the water on deck. It requires significant energy to pump it out—taking 30 minutes to an hour every couple of hours—but it won’t stop me from sailing,” he explained during a French LIVE show. “However, we will certainly face more challenges ahead, as will others.”
Clarisse Crémer (L’Occitane en Provence) reported a “night from hell,” losing her largest headsail (the Masthead Zero gennaker). “Without this sail, the next few days downwind in lighter winds will be frustrating,” she acknowledges.
Guirec Soudée (Freelance.com) has faced his own setbacks: “I can no longer use my spinnaker as it fell into the water, nor can I use my small gennaker. It’s disheartening to not be performing at the boat’s full potential.” He is waiting for better conditions to attempt repairs. “I’m heading for shelter near Madeira to fix what I can.”
As the 40-boat fleet remains fully intact, the Vendée Globe is already throwing up numerous challenges daily…
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