The 2024 Vendée Globe ends less well than it started for the northern team Vulnerable. While fighting for 4th place, the Englishman Sam Goodchild has just lost his mainsail during a maneuver in the North Atlantic. He loses all his chances of beating Jérémie Beyou in the duel for this runner-up. Thomas Ruyant, for his part, ended an overall disappointing race. The weather conditions are difficult. But the Dunkirk is expected on Friday in Les Sables d'Olonne.
The news broke at the very beginning of the afternoon of this 11th week of racing, via this press release. “Sam Goodchild, the British skipper of the VULNERABLE sailboat, informed the race direction and his technical team shortly before 1 p.m. of the tear in his mainsail. It literally exploded during an untimely jibe under pilot, at the level of the 3rd batten, over the entire width, from the leech to the luff, while the sailboat faced winds of nearly 30 knots. Sam resumed his journey, main sail lowered, with the J2 and the J3 in scissors at the front. He was fighting hard and side by side from the latitude of Itajai in Brazil with Jérémie Beyou (Charal) for 4th place at the time of the incident. Sam remains in the race, determined to reach Les Sables d'Olonne. »
This major damage completely upsets the end of the race for the Briton, on the verge of achieving a huge performance on the former foiler of Thomas Ruyant. » I was passing the depression off the coast of the Azores, we were passing the strongest of the wind and the sea when we suffered a double gybe (gybe) under pilot, in a laughing stock with the main sail very shocked. She did a stunt, breaking the slats and tearing herself into two pieces. The tear is quite high. I can't take a 3rd reef but a repair is possible. At the moment, there are seas and 30 knots of wind and it is not conducive to repairs. I'm going to do as much east as I can and try to fix it a little later.
» This completely changes my Vendée Globe » Sam Goodchild
« This completely changes my Vendée Globe. I'm just trying to get my boat home safely. We're going to go all the way. If I can't repair it, I'll have to wait until the wind is with me to return as best I can. We didn't want this depression so close to the finish. But she was there. I played and I lost. It’s a change in history and we’re not giving up. I'm going to think about all of this and try to get through it as best as possible.«
-Thomas Ruyant in difficulty
In short, Sam's objective now is to return to Les Sables d'Olonne, without a ranking objective. This depression also affects the entire fleet sailing off the Azores. Starting with Thomas Ruyant, who fell to 10th place after also experiencing a sail tear on January 2. In the radio session this Monday morning, the Dunkirk explains the situation.
« We haven't had very good service since Cape Horn. We go upwind, upwind in medium winds. Since my J2 tore, I've been biting my fingers. But I have to make do with what I have… The wind is moving quite a bit. With the depression, heavy seas with waves of 7 meters are expected. We will have to preserve the boat because we realize at the end of the race that they are all well worn.«
In the 3 p.m. rankings this Monday, Thomas had again lost ground on the astonishing Swiss sailor Justine Mettraux, who is competing in his first Vendée Globe. He is currently 9th, 475 nautical miles from Jeremy Beyouwho leads the fleet. According to the latest ETA (arrival estimate), the northern skipper should arrive in Les Sables d'Olonne on Friday, with the aim of 8th place. Far from its initial objectives. It is time for this 2024 Vendée Globe to end for Vulnerable.
Vendée Globe information
