Five times since the start of Les Sables-d'Olonne, the race management has modified the limits of the Antarctic Exclusion Zone (AEZ). This virtual zone surrounds the waters of the south of the globe, in order to prevent Vendée Globe skippers from hitting icebergs. It is prohibited from access, under penalty of penalties. However, several participants have had to slalom between the blocks of ice since the evening of Wednesday 1is January (French time). And this, even though they were within the rules. A first since Samantha Davies in 2008.
READ ALSO. What is the Antarctic Exclusion Zone?
These pieces have been drifting from Antarctica for several days or even weeks. They are particularly feared. “Hit something here and it’s over”summarizes New Zealander Conrad Colman (MS Amlin), who saw one at 1:05 a.m. Thursday January 2 (MF). For several days, the organizing committee has been warning of this danger. Failure to be able to change the ZEA: “From the moment the first competitors have passed, we can no longer change the route. Because the latter must be the same for all skippers”says Fabien Delahaye, assistant race director.
Faced with risk, prudence takes precedence over performance
Skippers are informed individually. But sometimes forecasts are not enough. Example at 7:15 p.m. Wednesday 1is January (hf), with Sébastien Marsset (Foussier) : “The iceberg was supposed to drift north, but it ended up going due east. My radar alarm went off. I stuck my head out (du cockpit) and I saw it directly. I was heading straight for it. Get ready to fight! I was moving at 17 knots. I had to route to avoid meeting him, and passed 2.5 miles from him. » To the point that Éric Bellion (Stand as one – Altavia), which came close to one at 9 p.m. Wednesday (mf), took a step back: “I realized how varnished we are to have these tools. What's crazy is the performance of the Vendée Globe pioneers, who had neither these tools nor our satellite forecasts. They were at the thermometer: when the water was cold, they became vigilant. » Especially since the ZEA was only established in 2016 (first edition of the Vendée Globe in 1989).
Faced with this risk, even those who have not seen ice with their own eyes slow down significantly to avoid the worst. Guirec Soudée (Freelance.com), Benjamin Ferré (Monnoyeur – Duo for a job) et le Japonais Kojiro Shirashi (DMG Mori Global One) have openly declared that they prioritize their safety over performance.
Difficult to get back into the race once the fear has passed
The situation, which could affect the fleet until Friday, is particularly trying for sailors. They are required to pay attention at all times. “I’m stuck on my radar, and go outside every 20 minutes”testifies Guirec Soudée. “It’s beautiful, but menacing and scary », summarizes Conrad Colman, who has already seen them in the Global Ocean Race in 2011 and in another Class40 race the following year. For those who have passed them, the aftermath can also be trying: “It’s not easy to remobilize. It cut me off pawsshares Sébastien Marsset. It's tense, the slightest white trace in the water makes you gag. » Especially since, as Conrad Colman points out, “there are also false positives”namely floating blocks identified even though they do not exist. While its radar struggled at times to locate real icebergs, with video to back it up.
“It’s going to haunt my dreams during the week”he prophesies. And this, while the race is far from over for this group of competitors, close to Point Nemo. Or the furthest place from any inhabited land…
