At the start of the weekend, there was a change at the head of the field on the 12th Route du Rhum. Will it last? François Gabart ("SVR-Lazartigue") has overtaken top favourite Charles Caudrelier on "Maxi Edmond de Rothschild". The lead was initially less than a quarter of a nautical mile, but by Saturday morning it was almost ten nautical miles.
Charlie Dalin: "It's not easy, this Transat"
Imoca dominator Charlie Dalin on "Apivia" also saw his previously large lead in this 12th Route du Rhum melt away overnight. In the lighter winds, rivals Kevin Escoffier ("Holcim-PRB") and Jérémie Beyou ("Charal 2") moved closer to the high-flyer with the remnants of the front breeze and speeds of still 15 to 17 knots. Dalin only managed less than three knots at times.
"It's not easy, this Transat. You have to make the right decisions, and that's not easy," Dalin admitted on the morning of 12 November. "Since the starting gun went off, things have gone pretty well for me. I'm happy with my pace and my course. Now the whole challenge is to reach the trade winds."
Boris Herrmann: "Wish me sleep!"
Boris Herrmann also has his sights set on reaching the trade winds as quickly as possible, having made up considerable ground on his third night at sea. From 17th place the previous evening, the "Malizia - Seaexplorer" skipper moved up to 9th place. On Saturday morning, both Herrmann and Sam Davies ("Initiatives Cœur"), who was sailing behind him, had overtaken the German-French "MACSF" skipper Isabelle Joschka. Things are looking up for the Hamburg native, who is competing in his first solo race with his new build.
In a video from on board, Herrmann shows how rough it is below deck, even during the short recovery phases. He reported how difficult it is to recover on board: "My mission is to sleep. I just couldn't fall asleep today. I think it's also due to the tension and stress. It's not very normal for me." As Herrmann talks, the boat shakes violently again and again. "Wish me sleep," says Boris Herrmann, who, like all the skippers in the race, is still struggling to get into the racing rhythm.
Sick and exhausted: Abandonment with torn genoa and broken autopilot
Jonas Gerckens is extremely exhausted and disappointed. The Belgian Class 40 ace was forced to retire on Friday, saying: "My safety was no longer guaranteed." The background: just a few hours after the start, Gerckens began to suffer from flu-like symptoms. In particular, a constant cough, loss of voice and severe fatigue paralysed the "Volvo" skipper. His condition continued to deteriorate. The sleep deprivation of the first few days did not make it any better.
The 42-year-old from Liège, who had started with a top ten finish in the field of 55 Class 40 yachts, had started the race well. But when his J/1 broke on Friday afternoon and he had to reel it in to secure the boat, his problem manifested itself: with his health severely affected, he had to make several attempts to complete the manoeuvre. "I was exhausted afterwards, although it's not exceptional. I have no more resources. I'm at the end of my tether," Gerckens confided to his manager Delphine Simon.
Jonas Gerckens: "I no longer feel safe"
Although the Atlantic crossing would have been possible without the broken genoa, the chances of a top result were gone. After a long rest and the first warm meal since the start, Gerckens fell into a short sleep. Only to be woken up again by the alarm for a malfunction of the autopilot. The bad news after a brief analysis: Gerckens can only repair the autopilot by climbing into the mast. However, in his state of health, he does not feel able to do this.
The exhaustion, the torn J/1 and the failed autopilot are too much for the 2021 Transat Jacques Vabre fourth-place finisher, who decides to retire from the race on 11 November. "I could have gone beyond my dwindling strength, but I no longer feel safe," said Gerckens, who is heading for the port of Lorient and is expected there this weekend.
Tatjana Pokorny
Sports reporter
