At the head of the Vendée Globe, Charlie Dalin (MACIF Santé Prévoyance) and Yoann Richomme (PAPREC ARKÉA) continue their close duel, a real mano a mano which looks more like a game of nautical tag than a simple race. Every time one thinks they have a little head start, the other emerges like a devil out of his box. They both navigate with mechanical precision, but when the gap closes or disappears, their composure wavers. And for good reason! Imagine: you spend days fighting against the elements, and your rival, instead of getting lost in the horizon, decides to stick to you like a hungry seagull behind a fishing boat. “ What's impressive is how quickly you can get caught and gain miles back. You can lose 100 miles in one day and then gain 70 back the next day. It's a bit confusing. You have to stay fairly calm in your head, which is not always easy. », confessed Yoann. For him, as for his rival, each advance is a fleeting satisfaction, each setback, a biting frustration. In this context, psychology becomes a key element. The goal of the game? Ignore the pressure, and don't let yourself be (too) devoured by uncertainty. “ I admit that when we got past the depression, Charlie got a little lost and I thought I was going to be stuck in it for a long time. I scared myself a little », added Yoann, proving that even the best sometimes doubt, which is, ultimately, almost reassuring. Because between us, who can claim to take every decision like a GPS without ever making a mistake?
A step towards the trade winds
“If I can hold a moderate gap, that’s a good thing. It would be good to make the transition into the anticyclone with not too much difference. It could be great for keeping a little suspense for the arrival but I'm not sure Charlie would have the same opinion! », added, not without humor, the double winner of the Solitaire du Figaro. Having returned to less than thirty miles from his rival, he has made a significant shift in recent hours, and is now progressing towards the North. “ It feels good to be out of the mess we were in,” he assured. In recent days, just like the skipper of MACIF Santé Prévoyance, he has racked his brains juggling unpredictable weather conditions, where each decision seemed as random as a roll of the dice. But finally, the decor changes. The winds gradually stabilize, offering a welcome calm, almost a taste of the trade winds. However, this is only a prelude. Tomorrow, these long-awaited regular winds should finally strengthen, allowing it to move at a good pace towards the Northern Hemisphere. In the immediate future, he enjoys this respite, a bit like a marathon runner who sees the refreshment point in the distance: it's still far from over, but it's good for his morale!
Sublime spectacle, silent threat
While he plans to cross the equator within three or four days, taking advantage of the heat to stock up on vitamin D, his competitors behind are experiencing a very different atmosphere, particularly those moving between the south of New Zealand and the mythical Nemo point. The latter must deal with an imposing adversary: icebergs. These icy giants appear on their path, sowing discord in minds already strained by polar conditions. Each mile traveled becomes an exercise in redoubled vigilance. “ Impressive, majestic, they bring a dose of magic to the race… but also a good pinch of stress. Imagining seeing one of these frosty giants on the horizon is both fascinating and a little scary. Because, let's be honest, as much as it's beautiful from afar, we don't really want to hug them up close », commented Antoine Cornic, who was also surprised to have to deal with anticyclonic conditions, which does not really excite him, he who had almost become accustomed to the intense tremors of the Deep South.
Be extra careful
For Conrad Colman (MS Amlin), Sébastien Marsset (FOUSSIER) and Éric Bellion (Stand as One / Altavia), “very close” is not an exaggerated expression. Their shared testimonies oscillate between thrills and dark humor. The other sailors, who have not yet encountered these frozen sentinels, nervously scan their instruments, hoping that the weather models and the alerts from Race Direction will allow them to stay at a respectable distance.
