Silence among leaders tells its own story (Vendée Globe update 22Jan21)
Those leading the Vendée Globe are focusing all their energies on the racing, with some skippers making it known that after 75 days, they want a few days respite from telling their stories so they can ‘remain in the zone’.
On the other hand, Thomas Ruyant shared his frustration at not being able to race the last 2200 mile sprint at full competitive capacity due to his missing port foil. “Thomas is first and foremost a competitive animal who wants to be able to be giving it everything in these final days so it is frustrating to be compromised like this when you are in the heart of the battle. And knowing that the podium positions might be decided on compensated time weighs heavily in his mind. It is not at all easy for him,” says Marcus Hutchinson, Ruyant’s team manager.
Meanwhile, fifth placed Yannick Bestaven is happy that after repairs to his furlers and other damage, he’ll be back close to 100% for the final sprint. Bestaven told his team yesterday, “I want to finish in the top five beyond that I know that the podium will be difficult, but it is still possible. They are not very far in front of me Thomas (Ruyant, LinkedOut) is in fourth place, not far in front of me, he is handicapped with his foil and I am faster than him; Boris (Herrmann, Seaexplorer – Yacht Club de Monaco) is going fast, he is coming back at Charlie Dalin (Apivia), and there is Louis (Burton, Bureau Vallée) who is fast out to the left, that can be interesting for him if he catches the SW’ly wind first. Everything is open and possible between us, it will be super interesting.”
Louis Burton is indeed starting to see his westerly route pay dividends. Now up to second place, he has negotiated the western side of the high pressure zone quickest and into the weekend should see his gains continue, sailing faster and back on a more direct route.
Hear from the skippers around the fleet
Pip Hare is not giving up
Pip Hare has been stuck in a wind hole, but having been up the mast, she now at least has wind data.
“I am sure anyone who has looked at the tracker in the last 24 hours will know that I am silently screaming. It’s not just that I have been stuck in a wind hole; I am consoled by the fact this is not personal and Cali and Alan have suffered the same fate to the East of me. It’s not our bad calls, just bad luck with the weather.
“The thing that really hurts is watching the boats to the South, cruising up to us in good breeze. All those miles I truly battled to gain in Southern ocean conditions just melting away in Atlantic heat. It would be very easy to get despondent and to feel powerless.
“But Medallia is in good shape and I am still here, still fighting, still trying to push the limits of what it’s possible to achieve in a 21 year old boat. Every day we are out here racing there is an opportunity for me to do better. Now I have wind data I can catch up on my sleep, recharge my own batteries and then sink all my energy into good trim, the right sail choices and being on the pace all of the time. I have just as much resolve as I did at the start, though definitely my expectations are now higher. We are racing to the finish and I will be giving it my all. I might not be able to compete against the newer boats on speed over the next section but I can compete on effort, tenacity and bloody-minded never giving up. We are still Game On.” (09.04 22Jan21)
Miranda Merron is feeling her position threatened
Having kept her distance from Clément Giraud (Compagnie du Lit / Jiliti) since the Cape of Good Hope,Merron now feels her 22nd place is more threatened than ever, while she only has a gap of less than 150 mile from 21st placed Manuel Cousin on Groupe Sétin.
′′We (the boat and I, Clément and Manu) are on the big sailboat road, from the east after Cape Horn before the north. Manu has been sailing on his own for a long time, so we hope he enjoys some company a few hundred miles away. He still has a little margin.
“The wind was starting to freshen too much for the sail setup I had, so I switched sail, and obviously 10 minutes later it’s calm on a level not seen since yesterday. But there’s a beautiful line of threatening clouds in the wind, so I’ll wait a bit before I change again.” (08.46 22Jan21)
Watch yesterday’s round-up from race organisers
