Simon has his say

And Simon, who last led the race under the Cape of Good Hope overnight between 29th and 30th of November, wonders this morning if his two closest rivals might have some sail damage….

 “It's good to wake up and realize that you're in the lead, first by receiving Whatsapp messages and then by updating the tracker chart! It's huge, I think I had some wind from behind which allowed me to catch up with the first two, and then I think I have a tighter trajectory than my competitors, and I suspect they have some small sail issues, for having made such angular trajectories, we'll see! I don't think they communicate about that! In any case it's good for morale, it's good to be on starboard tack too because now I have my foil and I can use my boat 100%.” 

He adds, “ I'm really enjoying it, the sea has settled down nicely, the conditions too, so now the wind has just dropped off suddenly but it feels good when it stops a bit! I dread the moment when I'm going to find myself back on the port tack, of course, I'm going to see the pursuers catch up with me, it could be very hard mentally.” 

“ For the moment there is still an anticyclone between us, I'm going to try to enjoy the moment, it's pretty incredible to be in the lead in the Vendée Globe again and it's a pleasure. I came here to finish a Vendée Globe, today my ambitions are completely different! With the breakage of a foil it's going to be much more complicated, but I'm still hopeful, and I want to believe in it fully and today it confirms that I have my place in this Vendée Globe!”

For all that Simon has the lead this morning the margin of less than three miles between the top trio is more akin to an overnight training mission out of the Pôle Finistère, the elite French centre  than the other side of the world after nearly six weeks of racing. 

In sync

In 20th this morning Italian Giancarlo Pedote (Prysmian) is pushing hard, making more than 20 knots and always on the lookout for any chance to come back at the group in front of him. He is sounding much more at one with himself, 

“After 38 days at sea I feel good. Of course I am tired but like everybody, but everything is good I am in the rhythm of the race also thanks to my memories of the previous Vendée Globe I am doing a good job. Of course my strategy at the Canaries was not so good and I pay the price of that but I hope the race will open for me again and in any case I hope, I am pushing and pushing to be ready for my occasion if the god of the Southern Ocean would like to give me another one. And so Cape Leeuwin is behind me. The Indian Ocean was strong, not easy because the sea state was complicated with the high waves with a short frequency. What is not so easy is to go fast with the foils because you accelerate and crash in the waves in front of you. And so that was complicated exercise to find the best tuning. And so we have now to stay in front of this low pressure to make the maximum gain that we can and then it will be complicated after Tasmania because of the position of the ridge which will be in the south of New Zealand.”

Looking forwards to having the indian behind him

And Switzerland’s Ollie Heer (Tut gut) remains on top form, sticking to his strict limits on his first Vendée Globe to give himself the best chance of finishing, “I am feeling good, I think I am managing myself and the boat quite well. It is not like we are getting lower and lower on energy, the boat is in good nick with no major issues. What could I have done a little bit better? Hard to say…push a little harder? But with that comes the risk of damaging the boat. So that is the only thing. Maybe I could has had some bigger sails up a bit longer here and there. The conditions were quite brutal but I think I managed it quite well in that I am in good nick and I still feel good and the boat is in good shape. The conditions have not been easy but if you adjust your style of sailing anything is manageable and you just have to try and stay out the eye of the storm. Quite often I put in a maximum of 40 knots which means I might see 50. I have a couple of days of big breeze ahead of me, but then just after Cape Leeuwin I have a front coming through but after that it looks very nice. The other thing is the sea state. The last five days I have had an average wave height over six metres, so that will drop down which will be nice. I am definitely looking forwards to leaving the Indian Ocean.”