Still leading the Vendee fleet, Yannick Bestaven has put on the turbo – 21+ knots – in the last few hours in preparation for his passage of Cape Horn expected this weekend.
The frontrunners (Yannick Bestaven, Charlie Dalin) will need to avoid getting a hammering in 45 knots and 7 metre high waves, as they approach the Horn.
Both will have to adjust their course and speeds to avoid finding themselves in the worst place at the worst time, when the second low-pressure system crosses their path.
Bestaven reports . . . Twenty knots on average is a lot, especially as our “little” foilers are not very pleasant in these conditions. But it’s nice to be covering the miles!
It would be good to build a little bit of a cushion ahead of the slower climb back up the Atlantic. The foils are really the boat’s turbo.
Vendée Globe Leaders – Day 54 – Thu 31 Dec – Updated at 14:00 hrs UK
1st FRA Yannick Bestaven – Maître CoQ IV – 7,907 nm to finish – sailing at 19+ knots
2nd FRA Charlie Dalin – APIVIA – 136 nm
3rd FRA Damien Seguin – GROUPE APICIL – 367 nm
4th FRA Thomas Ruyant – LinkedOut – 417 nm
5th FRA Benjamin DUTREUX – OMIA – WATER FAMILY – 498 nm
6th FRA Boris Herrmann – SEAEXPLORER – 499 nm
7th FRA Jean Le Cam – Yes we Cam! – 511 nm
8th FRA Isabelle JOSCHKE – MACSF – 560 nm
9th FRA Maxime SOREL – V and B-MAYENNE – 590 nm
10th FRA Louis Burton – BUREAU VALLEE 2 – 647 nm
11th FRA Giancarlo Pedote – PRYSMIAN GROUP – 678 nm
GBR:
16th GBR Pip Hare – Medallia – 2240 nm
23rd GBR Miranda Merron – Campagne de France – 3836 nm
Retired:
Nicolas Troussel, Alex Thomson, Kevin Escoffier, Alex Thomson, Sebastien Simon, Sam Davies, Fabrice Amedo