Globe40 2025/26 Stage 2 Start - To each their own "diagonale des fous"

Globe40 fleet © Jean-Marie Liot / Globe40

On the way to Reunion Island, after leaving Cape Verde at 2:00 p.m. in magnificent conditions, it is difficult for the GLOBE40 competitors not to compare this stage with the famous trail race on the island in the Indian Ocean.

It won't be 170 km and 10,000 m of elevation gain, but 6,200 miles on the direct route and at least 7,000 miles expected to be covered on the water. That's 35 days at sea for the first-place finisher in the previous edition and probably around thirty this year for the latest-generation Class40s. No fewer than two Routes du Rhum placed end to end. The skippers of the second edition are calmly preparing for what will be the longest leg of the race, with a coefficient of 3, and which will present itself in multiple geographical and meteorological landscapes. A real challenge to navigate in a sailor's life...

Mindelo: A battered but resilient Cape Verde

Arriving after setting sail from Cadiz in Mindelo on the island of Sao Vicente, the skippers of the GLOBE40 found an island hard hit by Tropical Storm Erin, which later became a hurricane on the night of August 10-11. It dumped 193 mm of rain in 5 hours and left 14 dead on the archipelago. Uprooted trees, roads blocked, cars thrown into the sea, and torrents of mud—such was the desolate scene on the morning of August 11. But solidarity quickly emerged on the island, throughout Cape Verde, and internationally. A month and a half after the events, the island of Sao Vicente still shows some scars, but most of the infrastructure has been restored, and life has resumed. And the Mindelo leg, although obviously less festive than the first edition, still offers the same sumptuous seascapes of the archipelago and its islands, as well as the incredible resilience and kindness of the Cape Verdean people. GLOBE40 did not want to arrive empty-handed in this situation and participated in the operation launched by CREDIT MUTUEL, which will provide school supplies to more than a thousand children in devastated schools; each crew symbolically carried around ten kilos of this equipment, while the bulk of it is being transported by air. Cape Verde will always remain a dear stop for GLOBE40.

The first and biggest leg of the race

Christian Dumard, weather consultant for the race and many others (Ocean Race / Vendée Globe / Mini Transat) gives us his thoughts on the course for leg 2: "The fleet is expected to set sail from Mindelo in light easterly winds. The first obstacle will be the famous Doldrums, true to its reputation. It looks set to be quite active at the end of the week with stormy passages, squalls, and calm areas as it approaches the equator. Once in the Southern Hemisphere, conditions should be more pleasant with a long reaching leg, then downwind to go around the Saint Helena High. Things will get serious as we approach the 40th kilometer mark. For many, this will be their first taste of the South. In addition to avoiding the depressions, we'll also have to contend with the Agulhas Current, which arrives from the Mozambique Channel. This current, as strong as the Gulf Stream, can reach 5 knots in places. It will therefore be necessary Slaloming through its meanders to find favorable currents and avoid the large opposing currents that can generate rogue waves; after the Cape of Good Hope, the 40th and the Aiguilles Current, the competitors will head towards Reunion Island with the front passages and then the Mascarene High to negotiate before arriving in the North West of the island. They will then have to deal with the calm winds in the lee of the island (3600 meters high) during the last 12 hours before crossing the finish line. ".

There are plenty of opportunities for each team to make good or bad moves, or both in succession. After the prologue and stage 1, few points have been awarded, and the gaps are small: CREDIT MUTUEL leads overall, but with only a 2-point lead over BELGIUM OCEAN RACING - CURIUM, less than a place ahead of the upcoming stage. In the top-level standings, 0.5 points separate BARCO BRASIL from FREE DOM. Needless to say, the knives will be sharpened on the water, as will the true cohesion that has been established on land since the start in Lorient, all happy with the privilege of experiencing this adventure.

Unprecedented public and media enthusiasm

With at least 100,000 people in the village in Cadiz, a farewell party with a rock concert crowd, the GLOBE40 adventure is a hit with the public. The media are not to be outdone, with 400 press coverage, articles or photos (1/3 French - 2/3 international) recorded since the start of the prologue in Lorient on August 25th and nearly 3 million views on social media in the last month (419,000 on the website / 2,121,000 on the Facebook page / 441,000 on Instagram; broadcasters' statements on these figures will be published in the reports). Whether it's Jean-Marie Liot's photo albums or the video coverage of Thomas Fournier's team (Imagine In France), the passion for travel and racing is evident. The first 13-minute report, Episode 1, Cadiz, has been broadcast, as it will be for each leg, organized as a meeting between a crew and the destination.

Episode 1:

And let's have no doubt about the excitement and welcome brewing on Reunion Island, organized by our partner, the TCO (Territoire de la Côte Ouest) urban community, under the presidency of Emmanuel Seraphin. And Thibaut Lefevere's Reunion Island crew, FREE DOM, is expected, that's for sure...

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