Vendée Globe Race Sunday Update: Regatta mode for yesterday's Cape Horners, Goodchild attacks!
by Vendée Globe media 29 Dec 2024 17:58 GMT
29 December 2024
Guirec Soudée - Vendée Globe Race © Guirec Soudée #VG2024
After rounding Cape Horn in quick succession yesterday the second group in the Vendée Globe, the peloton, have broken up slightly as they negotiate an upwind phase in light winds caused by a cell of high pressure.
From deep ocean racing mode, dealing with the constant stress of the Southern Ocean, this group are suddenly into regatta mode, racing almost boat on boat as they try to climb out of the zone of light airs.
As he has proven happy to do, and having profited previously from making his own choices, Briton Sam Goodchild (VULNERABLE) has made the strategic decision to pass through the Le Maire Strait, to the west of Staten Island to try and find the better breeze to the west, closer to the coast than his rivals.
Through today he seems to have profited and it may be tomorrow that he finds out how much he has at least closed a lot of the gap to Jérémie Beyou (Charal) and Nico Lunven (HOLCIM PRB) who are fifth and sixth.
Thomas Ruyant (VULNERABLE) and Sébastien Simon (Groupe Dubreuil) look increasingly secure in fourth and third. With the chasing pack behind Ruyant having 24 hours in light winds he has gained many miles on them whilst the Les Sables d'Olonne skipper Simion has been the fastest today, fully capitalising on being on starboard gybe and making full speed on his good, working foil.
"The conditions are great at the moment because they allow me to quickly head towards the North North-East racing downwind. It's really ideal even if the conditions are not so easy. There is still a bit of sea and the wind is really very unstable. It's difficult to find the right power ratio, which sail to set, But I compare myself with the pursuers, it's really nice because at least I'm racking up miles and I'm the fastest over 24 hours and that's really nice. It's true that I'm a bit between two groups. I'm rather keeping an eye on what's happening behind. Right now, I'm in the process of regaining a bit of distance on the pursuers."
Charge and recharge mode
Looking forwards is not so much a source of joy for Simon, "Up front, I find it hard to believe that I can honestly catch up with them, especially since I'm going to have a slow down by tomorrow noon in a calm area. I'm going to have to be patient and between now and then, I have to try to rack up as many miles as possible compared to those behind me. Being in this position, I'm not under pressure. I probably had the pressure ease a little and I slept almost all day yesterday and all night last night. I think I had a pretty big sleep debt and finally it's gone now. It feels good not to have my pace imposed on me and to recover a little. I know that the North Atlantic is going to be intense too. It's time to recharge the batteries a little. Now, knowing where to position the cursor when you don't have any competition next to you is definitely quite difficult from a performance point of view. For me, the important moment will be tomorrow afternoon and the following 48 hours. The goal will be to find the little mouse hole that will allow me to catch the south-east trade winds. I hope that it will go well and that I will not lose too much time in this lull otherwise the pursuers will come back behind. I hope not to have too much port tack to do for resetting and other things."
For the boats in the Atlantic again, as Simon says, taking every chance to redress the sleep debt is important. For those in the Pacific, or indeed the Indian, there are still many weeks to go and it is about playing the long game, keeping to the rhythm but being able to find something extra if needed. The fight in the daggerboard group remains as intense and tight as ever as Seb Marsset (Foussier) observes "Obviously, the goal is to catch up with the rivals in front. There are still 10,000 miles of racing to go, so we mustn't panic. I'm relying on my boat's capabilities and I'm making my way. And honestly, if you look at the match being played out on the daggerboard boats, it's crazy! You really have to really push hard all the time. You have a constant concern about the boat's progress and comparing yourself with your opponents is extremely absorbing!"
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