Vendee Globe - Fast Fa on Les Sables Layline

by Vendee Globe on 4 Feb 2017 Nandor Fa is getting a perfect slingshot towards Les Sables d'Olonne on a fast moving low pressure system. This Saturday morning he has a 1300 miles layline for the finish line and is making a steady 15kts on Spirit of Hungary. Fa has 25-30kts of wind and his ETA on the finish line of his second Vendée Globe is still Tuesday afternoon.

Fa is the first non-French skipper ever to finish the Vendée Globe. He completed the 1992 race in fifth place behind Alain Gautier, Jean Luc Van Den Heede, Philippe Poupon and Yves Parlier, rounding in 128d 16h. This time he will me more than one month quicker, on course to arrive in 93 days.

Eric Bellion (CommeUnSeulHomme) is wriggling northwards slowly trying to get around the west side of the Azores high and seems to have escaped the lightest winds, making 11.4kts.

Three hundred and 40 miles behind Bellion Conrad Colman (Foresight Natural Energy) is still in a good tradewind, NE'ly 16-18kts and is making 11kts with just over 1000 miles to the Azores.

La Mie Caline and Newrest Matmut, Arnaud Boissières and Fabrice Amedeo, are in lighter E'ly winds, chasing Amedeo is 85 miles behind and very slightly quicker this morning.

Alan Roura (La Fabrique) is still feeling the Doldrums effect making just seven knots this morning but is easing north into a more settled breeze.

Rich Wilson has just over one day to get to the Equator on Great American IV and is making easy, steady miles northwards doing 12kts this morning.

OnePlanet OneOcean is 22 miles ahead of Famille Mary-Etamine du Lys today, Didac Costa continuing to hold a very small speed advantage over Romain Attanasio. In 17th place Pieter Heerema (No Way Back) is starting to feel a stronger, more regular E'ly breeze and is making 11kts boat speed.

And Sébstien Destremau is still down-speed in the high pressure ridge 745 miles SE of Buenos Aires.