His primary focus now is managing himself and the boat, making sure he stays rested but all the time staying alert to any possible dangers as he closes the coast. Dalin well knows the way into Les Sables d’Olonne of course and knows what it is to return first down the channel, not least after winning the New York Vendée Les Sables d’Olonne in the early summer. He started the 2024 Vendée Globe quadrennial with a victory in the Vendée Arctique race, which although the course was shortened near Iceland, he still lead the fleet on the parade back into the Channel. And of course four years ago on January 27th he was first across the finish line but lost the victory to Yannick Bestaven on a time compensation. All this adds to the sense of anticipation that he will be suppressing as best he can, focusing on the mechanics of doing his job.
Meantime the incredible duel for fourth and fifth between Brit Sam Goodchild (VULNERABLE) and Jérémie Beyou (Charal) continues across the Equator and in the Doldrums. Goodchild crossed the Equator at 23:19:16hrs UTC last night only 3 mins and 39 seconds before Beyou. Paul Meilhat (Biotherm) crossed at 02:01:39hrs this morning and so there are only 2hrs 41mins between fourth and sixth.
Beyou who said he had seen between five and 20 knots in the doldrums reported, “That’s it, back in the northern hemisphere and heading in the direction of home. The weather ahead is not clear we have a high pressure ridge to deal with then it looks like a low coming in, it looks complicated, it looks fully engaged, like it has been since the start of this race. We have not had the flying carpet the leaders have had.”
Goodchild and Beyou look like they have another 100 miles or so to make to get into the more consistent NE’ly breeze which will have them sailing on a tighter wind angle which might finally see the boat speed advantage swing back to Beyou with his newer, more powerful design. With about 400 miles between the group between fourth and tenth, this engaging race within the race, will certainly go all the way to the finish line and sees the prospect of very busy day or two in Les Sables d’Olonne.
And there are just 72 miles separating Clarisse Crémer (L’Occitaine en Provence) in 11th Benjamin Dutreux (Guyot Environnement) in 12th and Sam Davies (Initiaitives Coeur) in 13th as they escape into the better breeze after negotiating the cold front. As yet Dutreux’s strategy offshore – going out to the east has not paid definitively but he is quicker this morning than both women and should progressively benefit from his position.
Behind them the different strategies for getting through this infamous weather hurdle are playing out. Alan Roura (HUBLOT) and Damien Seguin (Groupe Apicil) are following conventional wisdom and heading east for the long term gain whilst in 14th Romain Attanasio (FORTINET BEST WESTERN) is making best speed, over 16 knots, and may yet find a mouse hole to escape.
In 22nd Kiwi Conrad Colman (MS Amlin) has made a very good job of getting north of the high pressure, on to the other side of the system from those chasing him, and now has good SE’ly winds to pursue Benjamin Ferré (Monnoyeur Duo for a Job) and Tanguy le Turquais (Lazaire) who are over 250 miles ahead of him
