Expect the unexpected is an epithet which is never far from front of mind for the solo skippers on the Vendée Globe. But neither Benjamin Dutreux (GUYOT environnement – Water Family) who finished 10th late yesterday afternoon nor Clarisse Crémer (L’Occitane en Provence) who took 11th early this morning would have ever anticipated being welcomed into anywhere other than Les Sables d’Olonne at the end of their respective solo non-stop races around the world.
A big storm on the Bay of Biscay made entering into the famous Les Sables d’Olonne channel too dangerous, equally so staying out at sea. And so both successively were greeted into nearby La Rochelle, surely a timely warm up for the huge welcome they will receive as soon as the weather grants them safe passage into Les Sables d’Olonne a couple of hours up the coast. And Germany’s Boris Herrmann (Malizia-Seaexplorer, 12th) and Briton Sam Davies (Initiatives-Cœur, 13th) should cross the finish line on Wednesday. And further south, back down the track a posse of eight skippers are making slow progress in an anticyclone and five more sailors have crossed the equator.
Adapting is second nature for seafarers. It is a fact for all those who venture offshore and even more so for those who cross the oceans. The Vendée Globe has just entered its 11th week of racing and as always, Aeolus and Neptune are two of the main protagonists. The cause? Low pressure systems that are hitting the West of France, making the boats seriously rock and sometimes putting some local residents' feet in the water.
In passing Dutreux and Crémer wrote their own sidenotes in the history of the Vendée Globe skippers as the first two skippers to shelter in another port after the finish. The duo will return to Les Sables d’Olonne in the next few days to enjoy their well earned passages up the channel.
Dutreux grinned, "I am from Les Sables d’Olonne, Vendée, I dream of this channel. I can’t wait to go up the channel, probably with other boats, it’s going to be great!"
The challenge for Herrmann and Davies
Boris Hermann and Sam Davies should be next to finish after having had to slow down to let the worst of the depression pass. Vendée Globe weather consultant Basile Rochut explains:
"Boris and Sam were that bit behind and were at risk of facing much stronger conditions. With very rough seas and the uncertainty related to the conditions, that's what pushed them to slow down".
Currently at the latitude of Portugal, they have had 6 to 7 metres of waves and wind conditions that will strengthen as they get closer to the line.
Herrmann reported to his team that he has seen gusts to 65 knots this afternoon sailing only with a triple reefed mainsail, all the time trying to keep his Malizia Seaexplorer slowed.
"I have 3 reefs in my mainsail, I'm trying to keep slow and not to go too fast" said Davies in a video.
"The depression they are in is very intense and its movement very slow", underlines Will Harris of Malizia Seaexplorer. “On its southern limit there can be a very significant sea state with waves that can reach 12 metres. We hope that they can slow down enough to position themselves just behind and allow the worst of the storm to pass through."
The climb
1000 miles back down the track to the south Romain Attanasio (Fortinet - Best Western, 14th) and Yannick Bestaven (Maître Coq IV, out of the race) are skirting the high pressure area. They then hope to position themselves to find a front, pass to the northwest of the Azores and then head towards the Bay of Biscay. That would also work for Conrad Colman (MS Amlin) who is now up to 19th, only 37 miles behind Benjamin Ferré (Monnoyeur-Duo For A Job) who is the best of the non foiling boats.
Franco German Isabelle Joschke (MACSF, 18th) is side by side with Damien Seguin (Groupe APICIL, 17th) and today is celebrating her 48th birthday, “It’s calm in the heart of the high pressure area. I’ve been making headway for a few days now at an average of 5 knots. I’m coping, I’m being patient, I’m trying to find the best way out. The fleet coming together doesn’t suit me. With a bit of starboard and port tack, the end of the race isn’t going to be easy for me, I won’t be able to exploit 100% of the boat’s potential. I would have preferred to start this last section with a bit of an advance!”
Tanguy Le Turquais (Lazare, 22nd) has moved West. The normally chipper, upbeat skipper has found his smile again, 48 hours after having to work on repairs.
“I was in a very, very fatigued, the conditions were extremely unstable… It was a structural problem: if I didn’t get moving right away, it could affect the boat and sink it. It was hard, I was in race mode, I had to hang on. On land, when you have a problem, you can get help, you can complain, you can escape. In the Vendée Globe, you have no choice. And the happiness you feel when you solve them is enormous."
Le Turquais said, also taking the time to congratulate his partner, Clarisse Crémer, bursting with pride and on the edge of tears he said :
"We've been together for 14 years and she still impresses me so much. I'm moved because we really didn't think she'd be at the start at one point. She owes this Vendée Globe to all the people who believed in her but also to all those who didn't believe in her, who in the end gave her a lot of courage", Tanguy Le Turquais Lazare
In the last 24 hours, five skippers have crossed the equator: Kojiro Shiraishi (DMG Mori Global One, 24th), Louis Duc (Fives Group – Lantana Environnement, 25th), Sébastien Marsset (Foussier, 26th) and Violette Dorange (Devenir, 27th). “Everything is going well, I am focusing on preserving the boat and I am starting to think a lot about the finish,” said Japan’s Kojiro Shiraishi. The Japanese skipper was delighted to “see the Big Dipper again”, which is not possible all year round in the Northern hemisphere and only part of it in the South Atlantic.
There are still six skippers racing up the South Atlantic Antoine Cornic (Human Immobilier, 29th) and Éric Bellion (Stand as One – Altavia, out of the race) are heading back up the Brazilian coast while Oliver Heer (Tut Gut., 30th) – who was set to climb the mast to fix a ‘lazy-jack’ problem – and Jingkun Xu (Singchain Team Haikou, 31st) will soon be faced with Rio cold front. For Manuel Cousin (Coup de pouce, 32nd), Fabrice Amedeo (Nexans – Wewise, 33rd) and Denis Van Weynbergh (D’Ieteren Group, 34th), they are making progress upwind.
