Vendée Globe Race – Day 11 – Leaders Shift While Approaching the Doldrums
by Richard Gladwell, Sail-World NZ 19 Nov 16:00 PST
20 November 2024
Sam Davies (Initiatives-Coeur) – Vendée Globe – November 17, 2024 © Sam Davies
Sam Goodchild (Vulnerable) has taken the lead in the Vendée Globe Race, reaching speeds of 24 knots as the leading group sails past the Cape Verde Islands toward the Doldrums.
As of the 2200hrs UTC report on November 19, Seb Simon (Groupe Dubreuil) is currently in second position, traveling at 22.5 knots and trailing Goodchild by 41 nautical miles.
Race favorite Charlie Dalin is in third, 57 nautical miles behind Goodchild, sailing slightly faster at 23.5 knots.
The gap is widening, with the top eight boats now spread over 100 nautical miles. Sam Davies (Initiative Coeur) holds eighth place among this leader group, all of which are foiling boats.
Jean Le Cam, the former leader, has dropped to 11th place, sailing at 16.3 knots as per the 2200hrs schedule. He seems to be caught in the wind shadow of the Cape Verde island, particularly affected by Mt Fogo (9281ft), the tallest in the group and closest to Le Cam. The six-time race veteran (65 years) held the lead until earlier on November 19. Alongside Conrad Colman (MS Amlin), Le Cam was one of only two skippers to navigate between the Cape Verde islands and the West African coastline, influenced by the nearby Sahara desert.
Their strategy, though occasionally promising, contradicted the common race policy of “West is Best.”
At times the fleet has been split into three groups – western, central, and eastern – but they have now converged; however, Le Cam remains 400 nautical miles east of Goodchild.
With the exception of Conrad Colman, the fleet is heading south, aiming for a swift transit through the Doldrums, which seem substantial but offer some pathways. The 39 boats in the Vendée Globe Race fleet will be navigating through these challenges and adjusting their routes with every weather update they receive.
A comprehensive update and routing analysis will be provided later today.
