Charlie Dalin and the other leaders of the 10th Vendée Globe, relatively untouched by the weather conditions since the start, are preparing to encounter a first big squall north of the Kerguelen archipelago on Wednesday, December 4.
Hang in there, it’s going to shake! “We are now getting to the heart of the matter […] when I see what the first ones are going to get in their teeth”, was alarmed on Monday December 2 by Alan Roura (Hublot), very far from the head of the race and who is still a few days of navigation from the Cape of Good Hope, the gateway to the Indian Ocean that the first ones have crossed Friday late afternoon. More than 2,000 miles ahead of him, in the direction where the leading trio Charlie Dalin (Macif), Sébastien Simon (Groupe Dubreuil) and Yoann Richomme (Paprec Arkea), the first real «prune» of the Vendée Globe is taking shape.
On the menu: 35 knots of wind (65 km/h), gusts of more than 50 knots and raging seas with waves that can reach more than 7 meters high. Enough to break up boats and endanger men. “There’s this big storm coming. There’s nothing simple about this, we don’t really know where to go.”explains Yoann Richomme, who was slightly further north on Monday than his two direct competitors Dalin and Simon. “We are trying to gain ground in the east before he arrives. We shouldn’t stop too much because we don’t want to end up in the wrong place. There is an issue”he specifies.
The most impacted leaders
The Var sailor also aims to progress northwards, towards the Saint-Paul and Amsterdam islands, to avoid the brunt of the blow, even if it means leaving the shortest trajectory towards the next heading to port. “All the loners will logically pass to its north. Lower in latitude, they would experience it much longer, but also with more wind and more sea. explains Christian Dumard, weather consultant for the event. The south-facing option, for its part, is blocked by the “Antarctic Exclusion Zone”implemented by the organization since 2016 to protect skippers from icebergs and which results in time penalties if you enter without authorization.
Behind the leaders, it’s time to position ourselves to get out without too much damage, says Paul Meilhat (Biotherm), 9th, 920 miles from Dalin at 7:00 p.m. “If we do it well, we will still be impacted, but it is especially the leaders who should suffer the most”he adds.
“We’re all going to get expensive”
“We’re going to take 40-45 knots, which is strong but ultimately a bit like the price of these southern navigations”agrees the skipper of Maître Coq V Yannick Bestaven, who is preparing to take the first “potatoes” of his world tour. “Today [lundi 2 décembre]it’s boat inspection day. Preparation for heavy weather is underway with the installation of the sails that go with it”indicates the Rochelais, defending champion and in 7th place Monday evening, a little over 700 miles from the race lead.
On Sunday, the experienced Jérémie Beyou (Charal) did the same to ensure that “everything was functional” on board before facing bad weather. “I am already thinking about the trajectory to take, how to manage it”he explains a little worried. And even the bulk of the fleet preparing to enter the Indian will be entitled to tough conditions, but a few days later: “I see that everyone is in the same boat. With a little delay, we will all get expensive,” summarizes Roura.
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