Skippers and observers had looked forward to last night with more than a little respect. However, the majority of the Imoca fleet avoided the eye of storm Thêta on its western side at the cost of losing miles. Leader Alex "The Boss" Thomson ("Hugo Boss") and his tough pursuer "King Jean" Le Cam in particular chose a more direct line. The new intermediate results from Saturday morning show it clearly: Le Cam is clinging to the stern of the top favourite more than ever, just three nautical miles behind. Third-placed Benjamin Dutreux ("Omia - Water Family") is already 60 nautical miles behind the leading Thomson. Lurking behind them are Thomas Ruyant ("LinkedOut") and Kevin Ecoffier ("PRB"), two further chasers from the extended circle of favourites in the battle for victory and podium places in this ninth edition of the solo circumnavigation. Like most boats, "Seaexplorer - Yacht Club de Monaco" skipper Boris Herrmann mastered the low with a defensive strategy: "I lost a few miles with my safety positioning, but that's okay. I can live with that tonight." Nevertheless, Herrmann continued to make up ground and was in eleventh place on Saturday morning.
That's how it sounded on board Boris Herrmann's "Seaexplorer - Yacht Club de Monaco" on a stormy night. Cosy is different...
On the sixth day at sea, the exhausted skippers are struggling for breath after a brutal night of storms and longing for sleep. Alex Thomson reported early on Saturday morning on what the ride through the deep felt like:
"It certainly wasn't very pleasant. I can say that the forecasts materialised: It was very windy with high waves, very gusty, not a pleasant place to be. The wave height? I didn't look that closely. But on the way out of the low they were still about six, six and a half metres. We can measure that on board. I've seen squalls of up to 60 knots and winds of 50 knots for several minutes. You go through this low pressure area because you want to be efficient. But as soon as you approach conditions like that, it's all about surviving and not getting into trouble.
Jean Le Cam, Jean Le Cam is coming for me!
Dear God, Jean Le Cam is incredible. Unbelievable. To be where he is right now with his boat and at his age, it's incredible. Brilliant!"
And today? At some point, a jibe is on the programme to set the course south. Dinner at some point and then catching up on sleep. I was looking forward to that. I currently have 15 to 20 knots of wind from the NNW. The waves are about two metres high. It's a nice night under a few stars."
Jean Le Cam, also known as "King Jean" as a wild and curly record participant with an eventful Vendée Globe history, surprises not only Alex Thomson with his current position. The 61-year-old's boat, which was launched in 2007 and has since been modified several times, has already won the 2008/2009 Vendée Globe in the hands of double winner Michel "Le Professeur" Desjoyeaux and the 2014 Barcelona World Race with Jean Le Cam himself and the Swiss Bernard Stamm, but was considered to have no chance in the battle with the modern foiling boats from the outset. However, a week after the start, the captivating storyteller and brilliant strategist Le Cam continues to shake up the field as a tenacious second with compelling positioning and all his experience at the front, taking advantage of the moment when the younger foilers are not yet favoured by the winds.
In the meantime, 24th-placed Medallia skipper Pip Hare, who is almost 400 nautical miles behind the leading duo on Saturday morning, has earned a medal for bravery. The 46-year-old British professional skipper, who only discovered solo sailing at the age of 35 and was encouraged to do so by ocean icon Isabelle Autissier and her books, could not put off repairing the torn rubber sleeves on the second pair of spreaders on the mast of the boat, which has sailed around the world four times and once carried Bernard Stamm to victories in the Around Alone and Barcelona World Race, and took heart:
"That pissed me off because it didn't seem right to keep ignoring it after a week in the race. But I didn't want to climb to the top if I could somehow avoid it. I then spoke to Joff via WhatsApp and decided that it would be good to get it done. In the light winds and calm seas that were still prevailing at the time, it was clear that I wouldn't get such a good opportunity again so quickly.
I hate climbing up the mast at sea. It's absolutely awful and I suppose I secretly wished I'd never have to do that during the Vendée Globe. Certainly not in the first week. But I pulled myself together and made a deal with myself: if I was overcome with fear halfway through, I could come back down and not have to worry about it. I sent Joff a message that I was now on my way up and climbed off. Quickly.
By the time I got to the second pair of salines, my hands were shaking. My breathing was fast, my mouth was dry, but for the hell of it, I made it. All the while, 'Medaillia' sailed gently ahead. I talked to her, begging her to stay upright, to envy as little as possible and just sail. The descent went better than expected. I had done some exercises with my climbing equipment beforehand. As a result, the shock when I released the stopper and started to fall wasn't quite as big. Nevertheless, I was glad when I was back on deck.
I was still shaking for about half an hour afterwards."
Tatjana Pokorny
Sports reporter
