The Vendee Globe Race Directors have decided to drop the Antarctic Exclusion Zone south by almost 100 miles.
The Antarctic Exclusion Zone (AEZ) is an imaginary ring fence drawn around the Antarctic continent (drawn by 72 GPS points separated by 5° each) prohibited to skippers for their safety.
The adjustment – at least to the Crozet archipelago – will allow them to now sail a shorter route, at the same time being able to better exploit the depressions which are running further to the south,
Race leader Charlie Dalin (MACIF Santé Prévoyance) and his closest rivals will continue to race in sustained winds before gybing south to work the AEZ.
What motivated this decision?
At the time of the start and during the first days of the race, CLS which provides the Vendée Globe with its expertise in processing radar and altimetric satellite data and in modelling ocean currents to detect the presence and predict the drift of icebergs, had reported echoes close to the zone.
Since then, new satellite images have made it possible to identify these echoes are fishing boats and in fact the icebergs and growlers are located quite far away.
Therefore the Race Direction team, decided to reduce the AEZ by almost 100 miles to the Crozets archipelago, and could decided in time, to also change this zone after the Kerguelen Islands.
Pip Hare in 17th on Medallia found the conditions tough Monday night, dropping suddenly out of the wind band to be caught under a cloud.
Hare also has a winch to rebuild in daylight hours when the boat is doing 22.5kts and so is prioritising that.
Now she has Damien Seguin two miles ahead of her and so not only is she trying to fix this winch but is trying to maintain a bit of pressure on him too!
Vendee Globe Leaders at 18:00 hrs GMT Monday 26 November 2024
1st FRA Charlie Dalin MACIF Santé Prévoyance
2nd FRA Thomas Ruyant VULNERABLE
3rd FRA Yoann Richomme PAPREC ARKÉA
4th FRA Sébastien Simon Groupe Dubreuil
5th FRA Nicolas Lunven HOLCIM – PRB
6th FRA Jérémie Beyou CHARAL
7th GBR Sam Goodchild VULNERABLE
8th FRA Yannick Bestaven MAÎTRE COQ V
9th FRA Paul Meilhat Biotherm
10th GBR/FRA Samantha Davies Initiatives-Cœur
Other GBR
16th GBR Pip Hare MEDALLIA
