IMOCA considers limiting foil size for next Vendée Globe (update 26Nov20)

After Thomas Ruyant’s foil difficulty yesterday (25Nov20) Antoine Mermod, the president of IMOCA , has spoken out about the constant drive for more speed in relation to the 2024 edition of the race.

“I do think that we will try to limit the size of the foils and we are also working on the cost and the time it takes to build the foils. It is very complicated to build such a piece and now we have 19 boats with foils, maybe there will be 25 or 30 next time,” Mermod says.

“We need to find the right balance so that most of the teams can build these foils on time and also test them in time for a reasonable cost. We are working with the technical committee which comprises most of the technical managers of the teams, plus designers, plus builders. We are working every week now to prepare the rule for the Vendée Globe 2024.”

Mermod related the developments to the America’s Cup and the improvements made there. He says there are always ways to improve and make better boats.

As race leader Charlie Dalin passed some 150 miles west of the volcanic islands of Tristan de Cunha, the most remote inhabited islands in the world, Thomas Ruyant has detailed the damage to his port foil, saying it has ‘some pretty bad cracks in it’. Ruyant has managed to retract the foil about 1.2m into the boat (they don’t retract fully). His team says he is sailing along at the best speed right now and his boat is not compromised on its port tack.

Nineteen of the 32 IMOCAs racing are now under the influence of the Saint Helena high pressure system in the South Atlantic.

Hear from skippers around the fleet:

Sam Davies showcases her ‘meteo’ strategy

Sam Davies (main image) was one of the first to recognise the opportunity to recover miles by choosing to dive more directly south. She’s pulled back around 100 miles on Louis Burton (Bureau Vallée 2). Davies is now ninth and was still one of the quickest in the fleet yesterday afternoon.

Watch as Davies catches Burton on camera (16.48 15Nov20)

Alex Thomson has completed his marathon repairs

“All the repairs are over. It’s dragged on for sure. But I finished in the nick of time, and now the breeze is up.

“Got some catching up to do and a tip of a boat, but it feels fantastic to be able to start focusing back on the race again.”

“Alex is just finishing off some tidying up. He has done a great job and is now back focussing on the racing. We are lucky where it happened and also that we carry more spares than a lot of teams. So he is on a bit of a high, he worked incredibly hard to complete the repairs, it is a horrible place in the boat to have to work,” says his team.

Watch Thomson’s delight at being fully operational again (19.31 26Nov20)

Miranda Merron has crossed the equator

“That’s it, we’re in the South East Trade Show! We’re making good progress. I see Alexia (Barrier) on my radar. Nice to have a small fleet to regatta with. Of course, the importance of fleet head gaps is disappointing, but our boats are so dissimilar.

“I am now very comfortable with my manoeuvres and avoid messing around.

“Days go fast and time doesn’t seem long. I’m very busy. I’m resting well, and starting to fuel myself better. When it’s hot like the equator, I tend to eat little.”

No news from Pip Hare today

Watch yesterday’s round-up from race organisers

It takes a while to get through the countdown . . . (17.30 25Nov20)

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