Vendée Globe: Frantic pace at the front, Alan Roura shunned by Mother Nature

Charlie Dalin (Macif Santé Prévoyance) increased his lead at the top of the 10th Vendée Globe during the night from Tuesday to Wednesday and was 49 miles ahead of Thomas Ruyant (Vulnerable) at the 7:00 a.m. (GMT+1) check-in.

A little further on, Sébastien Simon (Groupe Dubreuil) took third place from Yoan Richomme (Paprec Arkéa), the first sailing in the early morning 61 miles from the lead and the second around ten miles further on.

While the head of the fleet rushes towards the Cape of Good Hope, the first five pursuers of Dalin – also including Nicolas Lunven (Holcim – PRB) and Jérémie Beyou (Charal) – are held within around fifty miles and less than 100 miles from the first.

Then a group of three skippers – Sam Goodchild (Vulnerable), Yannick Bestaven (Maître Coq V) and Paul Meilhat (Biotherm) – are still in contact before a clear break of 160 miles with the rest of the fleet, where we find notably Justine Mettraux from Geneva (Teamwork-Team Snef)13th about 500 miles from the lead.

Fast pace up front

“I really try to always sail with the same intensity, with a fairly stable average speed and a tight trajectory, because that’s what’s interesting over time to preserve the equipment and not do stupid things and establish a little an operating routine. It’s certain that we’ve been at more than 20 knots all the time for a few days now!” Meilhat told the organizers by radio.

It has in fact maintained an average speed of 20.82 knots over the last 24 hours and was sailing at 20.68 knots at 7:00 a.m. while ahead, Dalin posted 27.16 knots in the early morning for an average over 24 hours of 22.23 knots. . But Meilhat chose to take advantage of “stable” conditions to regain strength.

“I really try to sleep as much as possible, and I have managed at times to extend my sleep time a little and not just be in 20-minute nap mode. Afterwards, it’s true that we don’t move much, so when we do a maneuver, which is a little rare, we realize that we are a little rusty, and a little tired. I try to stay in shape and be careful!” he said.

The rear of the fleet, including Alan Roura, victim of the weather

If the first 14 benefit from a depression, behind them the lack of wind is felt, forcing some to take less direct routes, others to maneuver constantly. And as the Saint Helena anticyclone will settle in the area, according to the organizers, the gaps risk increasing with the leaders.

Victim of these unstable weather conditions, the Genevan Alan Roura (Hublot) is still 25th this Wednesday morning, 1,480 miles from first, but is only sailing at 8.4 knots and must be patient. Third Swiss skipper of this “Everest of the seas”, the Zurich resident Oliver Heer (Tut Gut.) is 35th, nearly 1,730 miles from the lead.