Fleet News:
Hugo Boss skipper surprised new French boats have made it
Mike Golding running out of everything except willpower
Tanguy de Lamotte is fastest in the fleet
Fleet News:
Alex Thomson (Hugo Boss) threw caution to the wind on Friday and forecast a relatively simple passage through the doldrums on his westerly course.
“I don’t really see it being too much of a problem,” a relaxed Thomson told Vendee Globe TV. “When you look at the satellite images there’s quite a lot of cloud, but the cloud is quite a long way north and for if I can get another 85 miles, another 8-10 hours, then I’m fully out. I’ve got the wind now in ENE so I’m not expecting it to be too much of a stop. Francois had probably the toughest time so far out of everybody, hopefully for myself and probably for Jean-Pierre (Dick), who’s probably nearly out, it’s not going to be too arduous.”
It seemed to be working out like that on Friday afternoonas Thomson averaged 9.3 knots through the doldrums in the four hours since the last ranking. He has tacked, and though there could be surprises, he should be into a stronger northeasterly wind this evening. Third-placedJean-Pierre Dick (Virbac-Paprec 3) is already getting there, 210 miles ahead and to the northeast, but only averaging 10.2 knots. But if Dick enjoyed a good doldrums, Thomson’s may well be seamless. He has taken 61 miles back from Dick in the last 24 hours.
Thomson said he was his realistic targets were third place and finishing in under 80 days, which would mean covering the 3163.6 miles to go to Les Sables d’Olonne before January 29.
“You’ve got to stay motivated and if my goal was to win, frankly right now I’d probably be a bit demotivated because it would be a bit out of my grasp,” he said. “My goals at the moment are to try and finish third and to try and break 80 days. If I don’t beat 88 days (Mike Golding’s British record) then I’ve had a serious problem.”
Like many, the reliability of the new generation French boats – which occupy the top three positions - has surprised him. Before the start he predicted they would not make it around the world.
“It’s surprised everybody probably, actually the attrition in the race so far has been amazingly good considering last time,” He said. “If you take away the three horrible accidents, two fishing boats and poor old Vincent (Riou) hitting the unidentified object and having to pull out, there really haven’t been many boats dropping out from technical issues. We all expected it and I think the reason it hasn’t happened is because of the preparation of the boats and that talks about the professionalism of the teams and it’s a real credit to the shore teams.”
At the front, 672 miles ahead of Thomson, the leaderFrancois Gabart (MACIF) has not begun drawing away from Armel Le Cléac’h (Banque Populaire) yet, as the forecast suggested. Gabart averaged 12.7 knots in the last four hours and Le Cléac’h 12.3.
Golding’s philosophical breakfast
As one of the five skippers in the middle of the fleet apparently cursed by the weather gods, sixth-placed Mike Golding (Gamesa) was chewing over his need to finish what he reaffirmed (not for the first time) would be his last Vendée Globe. With food and fuel beginning to run low he reflected on what is driving him on.
“If I were starting on a passage home from Rio de Janeiro today, and what I have in terms of food, spares and fuel was presented to me on the dock, I would laugh – because it's just not sufficient,” Golding wrote. “But out here, 400 miles east into the Atlantic, heading north with the majority of my fourth Vendée Globe behind me, I have no option but to make ends meet.
“Running out of cereal is one thing, but since our hydrogenerator control box nearly burst into flames as we entered the Southern Ocean going South, fuel has been the primary concern. We chose not to make a huge hogwash about it, others seemed so much worse off then we did at the time, and we still do have fuel which we think will be sufficient. But like the cereal - and pretty much everything else now – it's going to be a close run thing.
“No power equals no auto pilot, lights, navigation systems, AIS, active echo, keel etc…. In Biscay - in Feb, really?! That is too much and not very safe or seaman like. But in common with every other Vendée competitor, it is my inbuilt need to complete (a form of madness?), we simply must close this circle and finish so we can once again enjoy the feeling and emotion of that 20 minute passage through the canal into Les Sables d'Olonne.
“Perhaps this time the paranoia is even further heightened by the knowledge that this is my last expression of such madness…. and I bloody well mean it this time!”
Golding had closed the gap on Jean Le Cam (SynerCiel) slightly to 16 miles, but the latest wind shift seems to have favoured the west, with 20-22 knots northerlies. After the week they have had though, no one will be celebrating too soon.
Fast Tanguy
Tanguy de Lamotte (Initiatives cœur), in eleventh, is having the best time, reaching north, in 20-22 knot westerlies. He has been the fastest over the last four hours with 17 knots and has the best 24-hour average in the fleet, averaging 14.4 knots and covering 345.5 miles.
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