Vendée Globe – Uncertainty about weather condition in North Atlantic

by Christian Dumard and Bernard Sacré / Great Circle on 4 Jan 2017 Alex Thomson and Armel le Cléac'h are probably looking closely at the wind models for the North Atlantic. It does not seem to be easy.

The first skippers are beginning to look closely at the weather situation in the North Atlantic. A depression situated West of the Canary Islands January 8th will arrive to disrupt the classic scenario. It fills on January 10th and moves slightly to the West, which leaves a big zone with light winds. How are they going to round this zone?

The question of the position of the Azores high will raise itself then. Is it going to reestablish itself in its usual location? There will be many questions on the way to the finish line. The race is not over. In the shorter run, crossing the Doldrums without losing too much distance will be the major objective for the skippers.

Behind, Jérémie Beyou pursues his straight route while the trio made up of Jean Pierre Dick, Yann Eliès and Jean Le Cam are sailing in 30 knots of wind, in a in a rough sea and at a close wind angle, conditions which are testing for the equipment and the sailors. The South Atlantic is once again faithful to its reputation. The conditions are not easy, the weather models are unstable and the wind variations are brutal in this part of the world.