The Crazy Week of the Globe40

Belgium Ocean Racing breaks the Class 40 24 hours record © Jean-Marie LIOT / Globe40

This has been a week we won't soon forget in the story of this second edition of the GLOBE40. After two weeks at sea since the start from Cape Verde in this high-coefficient (3) leg 2, the competitors continued their descent of the South Atlantic, bypassing the Saint Helena High and heading for the southern tip of Africa. But the proximity of a low pressure system and the opportunity to open up the angles a little allowed the leading group, favored by the weather conditions, to put in incredible performances.

457.72 miles (847.6 km) is the figure we will remember from the week; by beating the 24-hour speed record in Class40, the BELGIUM OCEAN RACING - CURIUM crew, at an average speed of 19.07 knots, once again demonstrated the capabilities of the new generation Class40 (scows). Beaten during the night of Monday 13 to Tuesday 14 October, first at 452 miles, then at 456 during the day, the record stabilized at 457.72 miles the next day; this is 17 miles more than the previous record dating from July 2024 (Guillaume Pirouelle on SOGESTRAN-SEAFRIGO). The Belgian team with Benoit Hanztperg and Renaud Dehareng on board, under the leadership of project manager Jonas Gerckens, demonstrated great offensive talent during these days. Life on board suffered, with no way of heating water for food, for example, but the skippers were more in commando mode at this point in the race. Especially since their raincoats were back on after the tropical temperatures of the previous week.

But let's not think that these Belgian performances have sealed this incredible battle with their rival, CREDIT MUTUEL, of Ian Lipinski and Amélie Grassi; at the end of the week, and after no fewer than 19 leadership changes since Cape Verde, the duellists are still very close, with a gap of around thirty miles, in favor of the Belgian team. This morning, they are approaching Gough Island before dropping towards the fortieth and the 42° South barrier imposed by the race organization. And while CREDIT MUTUEL may have appeared more restrained, they also broke the previous record on October 15th by 442.07 miles. In which race have we ever seen two competitors most often stay within 10 miles of each other for 4,000 miles? It's true that the GLOBE40 is a pioneer, as scow-type Class40s have never competed in a race at a distance greater than that of a transatlantic race.

The halfway mark for Leg 2 will also be reached this week; this morning, 4,298 miles covered on the surface at an average speed of 12.33 knots ( including the doldrums... ) and 3,340 miles covered on the direct route at an average speed of 9.58 knots; that is, just over 48% of the course and 3,563 miles to go on the direct route (competitors are on average covering 10% more on the surface than on the direct route). The Cape of Good Hope and the entrance to the Indian Ocean are 1,300 miles away, and routing currently predicts the competitors will arrive in Reunion Island around October 29 or 30.

But while the spotlight has been on the leading group's performance this week, the rest of the race has been no less active; the young Germans of NEXT GENERATION BOATING AROUND THE WORLD have experienced mainsail problems and are now nearly 600 miles behind the leaders. The sharps have experienced more adverse weather conditions from the start of this second leg: a very laborious passage through the Doldrums, a much less favorable weather system on the descent of the South Atlantic; "The rich get richer and the poor get poorer," according to the well-known tactical adage in ocean racing. Their gap to the leaders, around 1,000 miles for the first-placed BARCO BRÉSIL, is therefore due as much to the weather conditions as to the difference in pure speed of the boats. The competition remains intense among the pursuers, who follow each other in groups about a hundred miles apart. It was a difficult period for everyone, with a fairly uncomfortable upwind sail, but by the end of the week, the angles were able to open up, speeds accelerated, and comfort returned somewhat to everyday life.

In any case, everyone is taking on the immense sporting challenge that this legendary leg of the 2nd edition of the GLOBE40 represents.

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