Please select your home edition
Edition
Maritimo S Series

Vendée Globe Day 65 morning update: The Wall

by Vendée Globe 10 Jan 2021 23:21 PST 11 January 2021
Vendée Globe © Stéphane Maillard / Bureau Vallée

Charlie Dalin (Apivia) and the chasing pack have continued to reduce their deficit behind leader Yannick Bestaven as the Maître Coq IV skipper finds himself upwind, closer to the Brazilian coast trying to be first to breach the wall of light winds that is the Cabo Frio cold front.

Dalin leads the advancing pack which is looking to find enough wind to sail through the phenomenon, 400 miles off the coast while Bestaven is trying to knit his way upwind some 120 miles closer to the shore. The skipper of Apivia has seen his gains continue to the point that he was 98 miles behind Maître Coq this morning and still making 16 knots compared with 6.5 for the leader.

The wall runs from about 400 miles offshore and stretches east for about 1800 miles and at the moment it is about 350 miles wide. Closer to the coast the breeze is NNW closer to the coast which is Bestaven is sailing upwind on port tack in, and in the high pressure system itself the wind is SSW'ly.

Dalin and the chasers will cross this in lighter, more variable SSW'ly wind. Thomas Ruyant is very much on Dalin's line while further offshore - about 80 miles - Damien Seguin (Groupe APICIL) and Louis Burton (Bureau Vallée 2) have continued to gain.

"I love to wait and watch the leaderboard. I'm totally addicted to it, I wait for updates like a child waits for Santa Claus. I look at the trajectory of those in front, I try to see how I could pick up some more, and it is exceptional: I did not enjoy anything like this pleasure four years ago! " chuckled Louis Burton this morning. Four years ago he was very much on his own climbing the Atlantic.

"I'm in good shape: I changed my watermaker. The previous one was giving me 'disgusting' water, and I was starting to have physical problems. it is now much better. When you come back up these Atlantic waters, after having sailed past Antarctica, you have the impression of sailing on the Bay of Morbihan... which is weird since you don't have that impression at all during the descent. There are still a lot of uncertainties about what we will face tomorrow night, this permanent cold front. It can go well or it can go wrong. My foils are in good condition, and I have the ambition to continue to climb slowly and get to the entrance to the doldrums, being satisfied with the work done ".

If Charlie Dalin made the biggest gain over Yannick Bestaven (Maître CoQ IV) last night, the rest of the top 10 won between 45 and 60 miles on the leader. This trend is expected to continue throughout the day.

Approximately 300 miles behind Maxime Sorel (496.6 miles from the leader), Armel Tripon (L'Occitane en Provence) and Clarisse Crémer (Banque Populaire X) negotiate a high pressure cell which blocks their way and they are upwind.

Approaching Cape Horn this morning Arnaud Boissières (La Mie Câline - Artisans Artipôle), Alan Roura (La Fabrique), Jérémie Beyou (Charal) and Pip Hare (Medallia) still have pretty tough weather as Jérémie Beyou, who will cross Cape Horn for the third time in four years, explain, "It took me a long time to get to my first one, it was during the last Vendée Globe, then I did it again in the Volvo Ocean Race. And both times I saw the rock. This will probably not be the case this time: a secondary depression is emerging in our North, we will move away from it. But I won't be sorry to leave this Pacific, which has been a real pain". The return to apparently more paved roads should take place in the afternoon.

Meantime Isabelle Joschke (MACSF) who abandoned with her keel problem has another 12 hours to endure in the low pressure zone before reaching lighter winds which will allow her and her team to further assess the situation and prepare a plan to sail to the most suitable port.

Find out more...

Related Articles

Oliver Heer confirms 2028 Vendée Globe ambition
The Swiss skipper aims to return for the 2028 edition of the legendary solo race with a newer boat After completing the Vendée Globe 2024 on his first attempt, Oliver Heer, the Swiss-German skipper of Tut gut Sailing, has confirmed his intention to return for the 2028 edition of the legendary solo race. Posted on 3 Jul
Touching base with Francesca Clapcich
Francesca Clapcich on her 2028-2029 Vendee Globe campaign In late March, Italian-American sailor Francesca “Frankie” Clapcich announced that her Team Francesca Clapcich Powered by 11th Hour Racing will campaign for the 2028-2029 edition of the Vendee Globe race. Posted on 13 May
An emotional evening in Les Sables d'Olonne
Les Sables d'Olonne lit up to celebrate the heroes of the Vendée Globe 2024-2025 On Saturday 10 May, Les Sables d'Olonne lit up to celebrate the heroes of the Vendée Globe 2024-2025. An exceptional evening brought together tens of thousands of people, with strong emotions and unforgettable memories, despite the driving rain. Posted on 11 May
An evening honouring the Vendée Globe heroes
On Saturday, May 10, Les Sables d'Olonne will once again come alive to celebrate On Saturday, May 10, Les Sables d'Olonne will once again come alive to celebrate the epic journey of the Vendée Globe and pay tribute to the skippers of the 2024 edition, during a spectacular evening filled with emotion and festivity. Posted on 5 May
Vendée Globe: A record-breaking 10th edition
An unprecedented level of competition The 10th edition of the Vendée Globe ends on an exceptional note, from a sporting, popular and media point of view. The level of competition has never been so high. Posted on 26 Mar
Vendée Globe - It's a wrap
Belgian skipper Denis Van Weynbergh is back in Les Sables d'Olonne Belgian skipper Denis Van Weynbergh completes solo non stop round the world passage but finishes outside the 2024 Vendée Globe ranking. Posted on 8 Mar
Vendée Globe 2024 Documentary
An extraordinary event recaptured over 52 minutes There were 40 solo skippers who set off on November 10 in front of a cheering crowd, for a race that will go down in history. Posted on 8 Mar
Fabrice Amedeo finishes 32nd in the Vendée Globe
Only Belgian skipper Denis Van Weynbergh (D'Ieteren Group) is now left racing Former political journalist turned ocean racer Fabrice Amedeo completed his second Vendée Globe today (Tuesday) when he crossed the Les Sables d'Olonne finish line at 14h UTC to take in 32nd place. Posted on 4 Mar
Manuel Cousin finishes 31th in the Vendée Globe
The 57 year old ocean racer completes his second successful Vendée Globe After 111 days and 38 minutes racing since leaving Les Sables d'Olonne on 10th November French skipper Manuel Cousin crossed the finish line of the Vendée Globe today at 1240hrs UTC. Posted on 1 Mar
Armel Le Cléac'h: “An epic race with a great win”
Le Cléac'h is a true Vendée Globe legend Armel Le Cléac'h won the 2016 Vendée Globe and held the Vendée Globe record for eight years. That was until Charlie Dalin came along and finally smashed it out the park this time. Posted on 28 Feb
Zhik 2024 DecemberSelden 2020 - FOOTERArmstrong 728x90 - Performance Mast Range - BOTTOM