Vendee Globe Ocean Race, Trio Tangle

Fleet News:
Three fighting for 7th place
At the crossroads
The train south Atlantic and south Pacific

Looking at the situation, this Saturday morning, the big question is why has Dominique Wavre (Mirabaud) chosen this course? His track is off the direct route and will most certainly enable his chasers Javier Sanso (Acciona 100% EcoPowered) only 13 miles behind and Arnaud Bossières (Akena Verandas) to overtake him. From ashore, it is sometimes very difficult to understand the situation at sea and why he decided to push further east into the South Atlantic. Yesterday on the French Vendée Globe LIVE he explained this is what he is was planning, however, the weather models don’t seem to favour this route. Perhaps, the conditions at sea are different. But it does look as if this shift will surely benefit Javier Sanso (Acciona 100% EcoPowered) and Arnaud Bossières (Akena Verandas). Perhaps, as Lenin said, it’s necessary to take two steps back to make a giant leap forward. Only time will tell.

At the crossroads
Soon, we will see the true outcome of Alex Thomson (Hugo Boss) option to sail closer to Brazil. He seems to be released from the high pressure and is heading north at twice the speed, from doing only 4.6 knots yesterday to 9 knots this morning. There now lies 11 miles between Thomson Jean-Pierre Dick (Virbac Paprec 3) as he approaches the northern edge of Brazil. Once he tacks the situation will become clearer but the wind looks light. Indeed though, he will definitely have re-gained from the 300 mile deficit he had against Jean-Pierre Dick (Virbac Paprec 3) when he rounded Cape Horn.

The train of the south Atlantic and south Pacific

François Gabart (MACIF) is breaking away and the gap between and Armel Le Cléac’h (Banque Populaire) is growing, as well as the distances from Alex Thomson (Hugo Boss) and Jean-Pierre Dick (Virbac Paprec 3), who are also losing ground on the leader. Good news for 5th place Jean Le Cam (SynerCiel) and Mike Golding (Gamesa) in 6th position who have made up some miles on him. However, they are about to sail on the nose into a high pressure system which will slow them down.

Further south Javier Sanso (Acciona 100% EcoPowered) and Arnaud Bossières (Akena Verandas) are stuck to each other like glue as they both attack Dominique Wavre (Mirabaud) for 7th place. They are making good speeds in a westerly wind of 20 knots.

Meanwhile in the Pacific, the final trio truck on towards Cape Horn. Bertrand De Broc (Votre Nom Autour du Monde avec EDM) is now 790 miles from the mythical rock and sailing is northwesterly wind of 20 knots. Tanguy de Lamotte (Initiatives Coeur) is 263 miles behind.

At 82 miles from the last mandatory gate of the Pacific, the perpetually positive Alessandro Di Benedetto (Team Plastique) is sailing out of a depression and making good progress covering around 300 miles. Yesterday, on the French Vendée Globe LIVE he sent back a video showing how he is boat is covered in krill, small crustaceans of the order Euphausiacea. Many animals feed on krill, ranging from smaller animals like fish or penguins to larger ones like seals and even baleen whales. Alessandro Di Benedetto (Team Plastique) is around 1800 miles from Cape Horn.