Vendée Globe: Leader's patience tried & tested as Sam Davies profits from her southbound initiative

by Vendée Globe 26 Nov 2020 19:44 AEDT 26 November 2020

Life is not getting any easier for Charlie Dalin, the Vendée Globe leader, as he is still struggling in light breezes as he tries to wriggle free from the sticky clutches of the Saint Helena high pressure which now spans most of the South Atlantic.

In the last 24 hours to 0400hrs UTC this morning Dalin on the yellow hulled Apivia had only made 130 nautical miles, averaging 5.4kts. In an area in which he might normally hope to be on a sleighride south averaging four times this speed, this will be frustrating. And according to the weather models this morning Dalin's patience is going to be tested for at least another 24-36 hours.

His lead over second placed Thomas Ruyant (LinkedOut), at 88 miles, and to Jean Le Cam (Yes We Cam!) at 350 miles behind, remains steady as both are mostly following his wake. That said the position of the veteran Le Cam, in the north and east, is looking vulnerable as evidenced by his slow speeds and many manoeuvres during the night.

But the group lead by Britain's Sam Davies (Initiatives Coeur) in ninth and Alex Thomson (HIGO BOSS) in eighth look set to make ongoing inroads as they are in downwind and reaching conditions on the west side of the high with a clear pathway in building breezes that should accelerate them south.

Vendée Globe Position Report 08H00 UTC 26/11/2020 - photo © #VG2020

Davies in particular seems to have the timing of her trajectory just right and continues to gain with good breeze and a profitable angle south, unlike fourth placed Kevin Escoffier (PRB) who this time yesterday morning admitted he could not decide which way to go. His procrastination seems to have cost him as he is angled on a south westerly course this morning, sailing away from the theoretical best course to the south east.

Speaking this morning from ninth placed Arkea Paprec Sébastien Simon said " As soon as we get to the south of the high pressure area we'll have a good ride in the southern depressions which will take us far, perhaps as far as the Kerguelen Islands. Meantime we will have to stay focused so as not to miss this train. If we miss it, we will catch a high pressure system which leave us behind."

Simon is just one skipper among a few, no doubt, who are regretting being too conservative in their strategic choices, opting for a middle route between Davies and Burton who dived south in his west and Le Cam and Escoffier who are paying a price for their easterly choice. He noted, " Sam and Louis will pass in front of me but I hope I get on the train in front of group to my east. "

Isabelle Joschke the fastest

With an average speed of 16.6 knots overnight and a VMG of 8.6 knots, Isabelle Joschke (MACSF) in 15th, recorded the fleet's best performances of the night. Her 115.9 miles run allowed her to cut 20 to 30 miles from her deficit to Giancarlo Pedote (Prysmian Group), 13th, and Benjamin Dutreux (OMIA - Water Family), 11th.

Armel Tripon (L'Occitane en Provence) took his penalty of four hours yesterday and so he has not yet really caught up again with his target group (Pip Hare, Manuel Cousin, Didac Costa). Clément Giraud (Compagnie du Lit - Jiliti) was the 28th of the 32 boats racing to enter the Southern Hemisphere last night. The three still in the Northern Hemisphere are Sébastien Destremau, Kojiro Shiraishi and Jérémie Beyou.

Rankings at 08H00 UTC:

Pos	Sail No	Skipper / Boat Name	DTF (nm)	DTL (nm)
1	FRA 79	Charlie Dalin APIVIA	NM	0 nm
2	FRA 59	Thomas Ruyant LinkedOut	NM	NM
3	FRA 01	Jean Le Cam Yes we Cam !	NM	NM
4	MON 10	Boris Herrmann Seaexplorer ‑ Yacht Club De Monaco	NM	NM
5	FRA 85	Kevin Escoffier PRB	NM	NM
6	FRA 17	Yannick Bestaven Maître Coq IV	NM	NM
7	FRA 4	Sébastien Simon ARKEA PAPREC	NM	NM
8	FRA 109	Samantha Davies Initiatives ‑ Coeur	NM	NM
9	GBR 99	Alex Thomson HUGO BOSS	NM	NM
10	FRA 18	Louis Burton Bureau Vallée 2	NM	NM
11	FRA 09	Benjamin Dutreux OMIA ‑ Water Family	NM	NM
12	FRA 1000	Damien Seguin Groupe APICIL	NM	NM
13	ITA 34	Giancarlo Pedote Prysmian Group	NM	NM
14	FRA 53	Maxime Sorel V And B Mayenne	NM	NM
15	FRA 27	Isabelle Joschke MACSF	NM	NM
16	FRA 49	Romain Attanasio Pure ‑ Best Western Hotels and Resorts	NM	NM
17	FRA 30	Clarisse Cremer Banque Populaire X	NM	NM
18	SUI 7	Alan Roura La Fabrique	NM	NM
19	FRA 92	Stéphane Le Diraison Time For Oceans	NM	NM
20	FRA 14	Arnaud Boissieres La Mie Câline ‑ Artisans Artipôle	NM	NM
21	ESP 33	Didac Costa One Planet One Ocean	NM	NM
22	FRA 71	Manuel Cousin Groupe Sétin	NM	NM
23	GBR 777	Pip Hare Medallia	NM	NM
24	FRA 02	Armel Tripon L'Occitane en Provence	NM	NM
25	FRA 56	Fabrice Amedeo Newrest ‑ Art et Fenetres	NM	NM
26	FRA 72	Alexia Barrier TSE ‑ 4myplanet	NM	NM
27	FRA 50	Miranda Merron Campagne de France	NM	NM
28	FRA 83	Clément Giraud Compagnie du lit ‑ Jiliti	NM	NM
29	FIN 222	Ari Huusela Stark	NM	NM
30	FRA 69	Sébastien Destremau Merci	NM	NM
31	JPN 11	Kojiro Shiraishi DMG MORI Global One	NM	NM
32	FRA 8	Jérémie Beyou Charal	NM	NM
RET	FRA 6	Nicolas Troussel CORUM L'Épargne