For three days, the ETAs have been slipping, implacable, as if the finish line was playing with the sailors' nerves. For the small group from Jérémie Beyou (Charal) to Boris Herrmann (Malizia – Seaexplorer) caught in a complex weather scenario, the end of the race becomes a real headache. A ridge planted off Cape Finisterre promises to slow their progress, already trapping some in weak winds. Behind this barrier, two successive depressions await, including one, of the heavy type, which promises to shake up their plans even more and shake them in their socks. It's a daunting mental test, akin to a marathon runner seeing what he thinks is the finishing arch, only to realize there are still several miles to go. This false hope is a blow to morale, especially after weeks of strenuous efforts. Reconditioning your mind, rethinking your pace, convincing yourself that the effort will have to last a little longer than expected, requires immense psychological strength. We must forget yesterday's projections and relearn how to navigate the present.
The suspended time of the last line“These last few days of racing have been far from being a long, quiet river,” confirmed Clarisse Crémer (L’Occitane en Provence), supporting our mountaineer analogy: “It is better to avoid thinking too much about the number of bumps that There remains, otherwise disappointment awaits. The idea is to take them one after the other. What is complicated is this uncertainty: will I arrive on Sunday or not? As long as the depression, which is forecast for that day in the Bay of Biscay, continues to accelerate, there is even a chance that I will have to slow down, and that is hard to take morally. Because deep down, we can't help but plan for an end date, even if we know we shouldn't. It's a kind of mental torture, but we accept it, because it's the rules of the game.” added the navigator, with this strange feeling of getting lost in the corridors of time at this stage of the race. In this context, it's hard not to feel a little schizophrenic. “Part of me is already in ‘arrival’ mode, which is never ideal. I have this feeling of being several people at the same time: impatient to touch down, a little nostalgic that this adventure is ending, and at the same time relieved at the idea of being on the verge of success. , added Clarisse whose objective, today, remains to go as quickly as possible to try to escape the massive depression which is showing up and starting to flash its lights on the cartography, as if to say: “ Get ready, I'm coming! “.
The weather trapShe will spare Jérémie Beyou (Charal) and his pursuers up to Thomas Ruyant (VULNERABLE), in principle already arrived at that time. On the other hand, it potentially risks heckling her as well as Benjamin Dutreux (GUYOT Environnement), and even more so Sam Davies (Initiatives-Cœur) then Boris Herrmann (Malizia – Seaexplorer), weakened by the loss of his port foil. “It must not block our route and prevent us from returning to the port of Sables-d'Olonne,” stressed the navigator. To avoid it, you still have to deal with particularly unstable weather conditions. “Crossing several weather systems increases uncertainty. Transitions, always delicate, are phases where weather files quickly show their limits. Result: you have to juggle a host of parameters and integrate many elements into the decision-making pot,” clarified Clarisse.
When the Doldrums become more digestibleBehind, other competitors finally seem to have closed the pressure cooker of the Doldrums. For them, this cauldron of clouds, storms and capricious winds seems to have already released its grip, and the menu looks more digestible. In this equatorial cuisine, everyone had to adjust their ingredients to prevent the sauce from turning: anticipate the grains, adapt to the seesaws, and above all, never lose patience.
“The night was particularly agitated, with almost incessant lightning. It was intense. I don't want to bring bad luck, but I have the impression that we are starting to see the end. If this is confirmed, it will be a very good news. For the moment, I have stable wind and the sky is clear, which gives me hope that I have left this area. “For the moment, he is juggling between satisfaction and caution. a cook in front of an oven capricious. “With the Doldrums, we must always remain vigilant: it could still go north with us. I remain suspicious! “.
-Every detail countsFrom now on, the Morbihan resident is focusing on another battle, the one between him and Benjamin Ferré (Monnoyeur – DUO for a JOB) for first place among the daggerboard boats. A breathtaking duel where each mile covered is fiercely contested. But the fight does not stop there: Jean Le Cam (Tout Commence en Finistère – Armor-lux) and Conrad Colman (MS Amlin) are back in force. “The weather is favorable for bringing the group together, and so much the better. What we want is to fight for as long as possible. This is what motivates us. I'm going to fight until the end, and frankly, I'm enjoying this Vendée Globe. It's not just a trip or an adventure, it's a real regatta. Every maneuver counts, and I execute them as if I don't have to waste a fraction of a second. It's truly incredible. I enjoy every moment. I'm working hard on the settings, in the cockpit all day fine-tuning the sheets to the nearest centimeter,” said Tanguy, with a determination that perfectly illustrates his qualities as a fierce competitor.
Manage doubts, earn the milesBy creating a strategic gap in the East so as not to remain in the wake of his rival, he also demonstrates his instinct as a fine strategist, capable of thinking beyond simple immediate combat. He doesn't just participate: he constantly analyzes, anticipates and adjusts, turning every mile into an opportunity to gain ground. However, he remains fully aware of the challenges facing him in this journey up the North Atlantic. Between the strong trade winds, the Azores anticyclone which acts as an impassable wall, and the uncertainties of the routing, the path is far from being mapped out. This lucidity about the complexity of the situation only reinforces his pragmatism, while highlighting another difficulty: the length of the last miles of this world tour. “As Charlie (Dalin) said, they are the longest. And I’m really starting to feel it.” This feeling, coupled with the uncertainty of the weather, pushed him to a methodical approach: “I say to myself: “Be careful not to think that you arrived too quickly, otherwise you risk slacking off, and that, you must not especially not. » » His mental strategy is clear: push back the deadline in his mind to better keep up the pace. “In my head, I tell myself that I will be done in a month. It helps me stay focused and keep my motivation intact. »
The endless ascentIn the end, this famous finish line of the Vendée Globe is like a summit that always seems to slip away at the last moment. Like the mountaineer who thinks he has reached the peak, only to discover a new ridge to cross, the sailors advance, again and again, without really knowing where the peak is. But when they finally cross the line, it will not only be a relief, but the victory of a journey where each hump overcome will have been a challenge in itself. Because ultimately, it doesn't matter how many times the mountain hides, as long as we keep the desire to climb.
Find our daily weather analysis of the race with METEO CONSULT Marine in our special Vendée Globe report.
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