Vendee Race leaders Charlie Dalin (Apivia) and Thomas Ruyant (LinkedOut) are finally finding a fast route east on the leading face of a fast moving low pressure system.
They have maintained high averages since Sunday night, more than 20kts and so that means often surfing at 28 to 30kts.
Also Ruyant has been on port gybe and so not missing the foil he had to cut away.
With flat water and strong North Westerly winds they are in ideal conditions and we might see Alex Thomson’s world 24 hours record run of 536 miles – set on the last race – fall.
If they can continue to keep pace with the front which is moving at around 25kts eastwards, they could then catch a moderate wind flow from a high pressure at Cape Leeuwin, to complete a dream sequence that could open them a massive lead on their pursuers.
“The weather is almost sunny, it’s rather a good day” commented a relatively relaxed Charlie Dalin during the Vendée Live this Monday afternoon.
No such luck for fourth placed Damien Seguin who reported . . . “We have 45 knots and horizontal rain”
The nine boats sailing in Dalin and Ruyant’s wake were overtaken by the front which had 50 knots in squally gusts.
With huge confused seas racing is on hold and self preservation become the most important challenge.
Vendée Globe Leaders – Day 30 – Mon 7 Dec – Updated at 21:00 hrs UK
1st FRA Charlie Dalin – APIVIA – 15,215 nm to finish – sailing at 18.5 knots
2nd FRA Thomas Ruyant – LinkedOut – 199 nm
3rd FRA Louis Burton – BUREAU VALLEE 2 – 268 nm
4th FRA Yannick Bestaven – Maître CoQ IV – 337 nm
5th FRA Jean Le Cam – Yes we Cam! – 352 nm
6th FRA Damien Seguin – GROUPE APICIL – 372 nm
7th FRA Benjamin DUTREUX – OMIA – WATER FAMILY – 431 nm
8th FRA Boris Herrmann – SEAEXPLORER – 511 nm
9th FRA Isabelle JOSCHKE – MACSF – 605 nm
10th FRA Giancarlo Pedote – PRYSMIAN GROUP – 681 nm
GBR:
20th GBR Pip Hare – Medallia – 2478 nm
22nd GBR Miranda Merron – Campagne de France – 3254 nm
Retired:
Nicolas Troussel, Alex Thomson, Kevin Escoffier, Alex Thomson, Sebastien Simon, Sam Davies
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