"The conditions are tough. There are 45 knots of wind over me right now, it's hard to find a safe course for the boat. I only have the triple reefed main and no headsail up...", reported second-placed Thomas Ruyant from his "LinkedOut" yesterday, who is sailing 285 nautical miles behind Charlie Dalin's "Apivia". With a boat speed of only 12 or 13 knots, he tried to save his ship from further damage.
The leader Charlie Dalin, who was caught up in the worst part of the storm last night, also seems to be doing well. "I've completely caught up with my foils, I'm just trying to conserve the boat," he reported, but remained almost dead straight on an easterly course and thus defended his lead, even extending it slightly. The Vendée rookie, who has never sailed in the Southern Ocean before, has delivered a very strong performance so far, does not appear to have any major technical problems and is currently in commanding control of the field in the Indian Ocean.
Frenchman Louis Burton, on the other hand, seems to have worked through his long list of repairs. After having serious problems with his failing autopilot for days, and even being on the verge of giving up, he managed to repair it. His boat is now back on course, but yesterday he sent a video showing him repairing damage to one of his foresails on the foredeck. But now the work finally seems to be complete, "Bureau Vallée 2" is back on course and travelling faster, having regained third place. And Burton is sticking to his extreme southerly course, which no other skipper dares to take.
Boris Herrmann also seems to be coming through the storm quite well, he is in seventh place and was by far the fastest in the last 24 hours in the five-man chasing group of "Seaexplorer", "Yes we Cam" (Jean Le Cam), "Maître Coq" (Yannick Bestaven), "Omia Water Family" (Benjamin Dutreux) and "Groupe Apicil" (Damien Seguin") - he sailed 379 miles.
After a brief respite this morning, the field will be caught up again by the next storm, with winds of 30 to 44 knots coming from astern again tonight and tomorrow, as "Team Malizia" member Will Harris shows in his weather analysis.
Will Harris weather analysis
French-German Isabelle Joschke is also doing excellently, slowly but surely working her way into the chasing group around Boris Herrmann - she was only just under 80 nautical miles behind this morning. She sent a video from on board that impressively shows how her "MACSF" flies over the waves.
Live from aboard the "MACSF"
Andreas Fritsch
Editor Travel
