No truce, no, on this Christmas Eve. At the head of the race, the battle rages between Yannick Bestaven (Maître CoQ IV), leader of the Northern Way, contested by the revolutionary of the Ice Zone, Charlie Dalin (Apivia). The two men are less separated by the miles than by the drawing of the trajectories in which they have ventured.

Rather a dash or a circumflex accent?

We could thus sum up the strategic match between Yannick Bestaven, fan of the pointy hat, and Charlie Dalin, who draws the line along the Antarctic Exclusion Zone. If everyone reacted to the circumstances that were proposed to them – the east of the high pressure for the skipper of Maître CoQ, the south for the navigator of Apivia – the first two to pass below the symbolic bar of the 10,000 mark. miles to go also have a choice.

The optimal routing allows Yannick Bestaven to pass through the low which is proposing in its North-East, with entry upwind in 20 to 25 knots of wind, and a descent, from the top of the low, on reaching. The road will be quick, but long.

In contrast, Charlie Dalin chose to go knitting along the AEZ. “My decision is taken on and confirmed by my initial positioning in the South. To go north was to draw a “huge circumflex accent” in the Pacific and my southern route was more likely to find a favorable outcome in my opinion. At the time of my reflection, it only cost me 30 miles to try and turn back if it didn’t pass. But I decided to dare, to try and to believe it. Every mile gained east is a victory, but it is still too early to draw any conclusions. »(Source Apivia).

Having entered the negotiating table with the high pressure a bit late, Thomas Ruyant suffered a bit from the streak. The LinkedOut skipper has been heading north since this morning to prepare for the next shot, and hurtle down south-east at the best possible angle and on the right tack (port tack) probably next night.

For the “hunters”, Boris Herrmann, Jean le Cam, Benjamin Dutreux, Damien Seguin, Isabelle Joschke and Giancarlo Pedote, two options are open, depending on the next changes to the files, but also the performance of each of the boats. East on a direct route? From the north?

The performers

Served by weather conditions conducive to speed, Maxime Sorel (V and B – Mayenne) and Louis Burton (Bureau Vallée 2) also took advantage of the slowdown of the group placed in front of them to perform and strengthen their ambitions of Top 10. Louis Burton did strong by betting on its ability to pass under the depression which is currently obstructing the road of Clarisse Crémer (Banque Populaire X), Romain Attanasio (Pure – Best Western ©, author of the best Christmas videos) and Armel Tripon (L’Occitane in Provence). Upwind in thirty knots of wind, the adopted Malouin showed a great deal of commitment just days after slaving along Macquarie Island to rework some of her rig …

It’s just a bad memory

Four years ago, Stéphane Le Diraison had given up there, at the longitude of Melbourne, Australia. 18th, by his own admission a little below his sporting ambitions, the skipper of Time for Oceans has just passed this point of the globe. Here he is at peace: “When I returned to Melbourne under makeshift rigging, I told myself that – through the door, through the window – I would come back to this Vendée Globe to finish this round the world trip, to experience the adventure until ‘at the end. I just passed this longitude. And it’s Christmas so that’s kind of my gift! I’ve been working like crazy for that for 4 years ”.

22 at Cape Leeuwin

Jérémie Beyou (Charal), who overtook Kojiro Shiraishi a little over 48 hours ago, is about to blow Didac Costa (One Planet One Ocean) his 20th place. Although anxious to spare his formidable foiler until Cape Horn, the three-time winner of the Solitaire du Figaro has gone one step further: the bull has been speeding at over 19 knots on average for almost 36 hours. At the last check, he had swallowed 462 miles in 24 hours. The weather files at the time suggest that Beyou could have another three good days of speed, before having to rub against a fine but solid low with northerly winds of over thirty knots between Sunday and Monday.

Kojiro Shiraishi (DMG Mori Global One) was the 22nd to cross the longitude of Cape Leeuwin, the second of the three capes of this Vendée Globe. Her next symbolic stop will be entering the Pacific Ocean off Tasmania.

24th, Clément Giraud (Compagnie du Lit – Jiliti) has also been fueled by super since a good day. Gaining confidence on a boat and the seas he is getting to know, the Toulonnais enjoys speed as much as he worries about it. The prospect of opening his Christmas presents at sea does not scare him: his gift is racing in the Vendée Globe, and his unwavering joviality hides nothing of his happiness at sea.

Quotes

Stéphane Le Diraison, Time for Oceans

The skipper is not quite the same compared to 2016 either. As much on the Route du Rhum, I did not hesitate to go into the hard, as there I manage the race completely differently, with a certain maturity . I feel like I’m getting back into the race where I left off. Today, I realize more what I am going through, the enormity of this challenge as well as the pleasure and the chance to take on this challenge. I enjoy it, even if it is not easy every day. I’ve been a new man since I crossed that longitude of the 2016 dismasting!

Arnaud Boissières, La Mie Câline – Artisans Artipôle

Yesterday it wasn’t terrible, but today it’s okay: the sea is askew but I will jibe to head east, even northeast at first. It’s pretty peaceful to set up the Christmas tree! In fact, a secondary depression is widening and will bring us strong winds, a little unfavorable at the beginning. There I am going to have thirty knots from the North-West with gusts, and I must get out of here as quickly as possible to avoid this new, less attractive phenomenon! It was not long before I was maneuvering: I put on my “disguise”, not Santa Claus but sailor… I anticipate the strong wind to come a little. There is going to be a bit of “animation” on the waterfront. But a priori with Pip Hare, I should be able to slide in front. However, on December 26-27, it will be a bit tonic! I have regular contact with the land and I have a young person from Kathmandu with whom I interact in English. It allows me to hear from the streets of Nepal! I had met him before the start of the Vendée Globe and suddenly people are following the Kathmandu race… This gives a certain utility to what we do on the water: it makes young and old Nepalese dream. have been left in the streets, but who do not complain. I also know that we have found a vaccine for Covid 19: we will be able to have a big banquet on arrival!

Clément Giraud, Compagnie du Lit / Jiliti

It oats, as they say! I take miles. Since 4 o’clock in the afternoon, I have had between 28 and 35 knots. The boat is going very fast, for me anyway. I surfed at 27.5 knots! It’s energetic. It’s a little stressful, but it’s okay. I found a sail configuration that looks really good, the boat goes fast, but it’s very balanced. The waves allow it too, even if it’s starting to cross a bit. You have to accept the surf, the speed. I have a tribute to pay, because it’s always when they’re not doing well that we talk about them… I mean the autopilot! He does wonders, he manages the surfs, he keeps the boat on the edge until the next surf. I want to make a big dedication to the pilots that work! We have a weird week: it’s going to be windy, and I feel like we have to ‘get out of here’ quickly. I can’t wait to get back to the Pacific. Everyone has said it from the start. I would have done well over Cape Leeuwin on the 25th, I had that little goal. My 40 years in the Cape of Good Hope and Christmas in Leeuwin! For me Christmas is always the 25th in the morning. I don’t have a Christmas decoration, but I know I have a bag with little gifts and a great meal. I know my team did it right, they are lovely. There is a little foie gras, red wine … I have enough to celebrate Christmas! But I am very focused. I miss my family. I’m celebrating Christmas but … It’s really for the date. We are so out of step …

Jean Le Cam, Yes We Cam!

What’s Christmas! Of course Christmas is Coluche, it is the “Restos du coeur”, it is solidarity. Today we are in a time that is not easy for anyone. I find that you have to express yourself in these moments. “Saying too much makes you laugh, silencing well”: Coluche, he did! The Restos du cœur is a helping hand.

There is Boris Herrmann there, downwind, but he has no AIS: it’s ‘boring’. And there is my friend Benjamin (Dutreux) in the wind, but I’m going faster than him so it’s okay, I can go to sleep! I haven’t looked too far ahead. I’m already looking next to me… Boris (Herrmann) has been next door since yesterday. When it eases, I come back, and when it gets stronger, he comes back, obviously because he has foils. In three or four hours, the case is in the bag!

We’re not in the same situation as the guys up front. They have a ‘bulldozer in their ass’. You had to go faster than him because if he rolls over you, you’re bad! This is the case for Charlie Dalin, but it’s okay: it’s still running at 12 knots. Thomas Ruyant, he had no choice because he was already behind. Apivia’s option is super risky: if it softens, it will be stuck for two days. While we are advancing with the high pressure. At the moment we’re doing East so all is well! Merry Christmas to everyone !

Rankings at 3pm French Time

CLASSEMENT à 15h00 Heure Française

1. Yannick Bestaven, Maître CoQ IV, at 9880,4 milles from finish

2. Charlie Dalin, Apivia, at 16,1 milles from leader

3. Thomas Ruyant, LinkedOut, at 282,4 milles from leader

4. Boris Herrmann Seaexplorer – Yacht Club de Monaco, at 358,6 milles from leader

5. Jean Le Cam, Yes We Cam!, at 363,2 milles from leader

Photo Credit: S. Le Diraison

Tags on NauticNews : Vendée Globe, VG2020

– PR –