Passing at a reasonable speed later today will be the top peloton, with new race leader Yoann Richomme (Paprec Arkéa) in charge ahead of Charlie Dalin (MACIF Santé Prévoyance) and Britain’s Sam Goodchild (VULNERABLE).
Hard charging Nico Lunven (Holcim-PRB) is up to fourth after an impressive sprint down the west wing of the fleet at a speed which should give him the solo monohull 24hrs distance record at 546,6 nautical miles (1012.30 km) on the speedy boat which also narrowly holds the WSSRC ratified crewed monohull record at 640,48 miles set in May 2023 on The Ocean Race. Lunven’s mark needs to be officially ratified by the WSSRC.
Problems, problems
But at the same time problems in the fleet are increasing, especially for Maxime Sorel (V and B - Monbana - Mayenne), Clarisse Crémer (L’Occitane en Provence) and Szabolcs Weöres (New Europe).
Speaking this morning the new race leader Richomme said, “In the Bay of Biscay I missed a few shifts and had some seaweed on the keel so at some point I ended up mid pack but when the wind came in I managed to get away and I managed to do a good rounding of Cape Finisterre I was really fast and I took a bit of risk, I was a but overpowered but I did gain a few places and since then it has been quite nice as the boat is quick downwind in the seaway as you know and I have bee quite fast. I was not expecting to get into the lead, that was a bit of a surprise this morning. I thought Sam and Charlie would be ahead. I have not looked really at the tracking but it does mean we are fast I think everyone was tired after these first couple of days of intense racing.”
Strategy needed
The winds have eased progressively for the leading group, “They have a fairly straight route, with stable conditions and fewer manoeuvres to perform", explained Basile Rochut, weather consultant for the Vendée Globe. “Around Madeira, they will nevertheless have to watch out for the big lee behind the islands. The frontrunners might even be slowed down by an anticyclonic ridge from tomorrow, with weak conditions between the Canaries and Cape Verde.
"The wind will ease, it won't be easy strategically.” Is the analysis of Switzerland’s Alan Roura (Hublot). We'll have to be opportunistic and intelligent". Thomas Ruyant in sixth and dealing with a constant ingress of water to his forwards sail locker also notes "There are choices, differences in wind speed and small shifts and in this case I rather like to be the hunter.