Spare a thought…

The eleven skippers still racing are dealing with more and more fatigue, constant work, still dealing with each day’s small problems as well as the vagaries of the weather. Guirec Soudée (Freelance.com, 23rd) is well used to long periods at sea but wants to be finished his first Vendée Globe, he is expected on the line during the night from Friday to Saturday, Louis Duc (Fives Group – Lantana Environnement, 24th) intends to win the “match within the match” that he is up against this race's ‘golden girl’ with Violette Dorange (Devenir, 25th) whilst Jingkun Xu (Singchain Team Haikou, 30th) says these last few days have been particularly hard for the body and his boat. 

At the back of the fleet, Fabrice Amedeo (Newans – Wewise, 32nd) reminds us that he still has “three weeks at sea” until the finish.
 
Louis Duc (Fives Group – Lantana Environnement, 24th) maybe sounds blunt sometimes, speaking in a matter-of-fact tone. Although he has been at sea for 87 days, his words are always down-to-earth, 

Dorange Monday 

Set for a massive finish on Monday – the local organisation are predicting tens of thousands descending on Les Sables d’Olonne, closing roads and planning traffic routes – Violette Dorange says, “I just really want to see my loved ones again I miss my family and friends a lot". So, echoes Jingkun Xu (Singchain Team Haikou, 30th). 
"My children have grown up, they are teenagers but I miss them. I think it is for me that it feels longest", smiles Fabrice Amedeo (Newans – Wewise, 32nd). Everyone also thinks of the little things which on land are taken for granted but which are so appreciated for those coming back after 90 or 100 days at sea.  "Fresh food and a good shower" for Manu Cousin (Coup de Pouce, 31st), "seeing green spaces and playing golf" chuckles Kojiro Shiraishi (DMB Global One, 26th). 

Guirec in next 

Guirec Soudée, the skipper of Freelance.com should complete his round the world trip in the second part of the night between Friday and Saturday. Today he passed Cape Finisterre and is now sailing on the Bay of Biscay. "He is making headway upwind or tight reaching with strong winds of 20 to 25 knots" explains Christian Dumard, the Vendée Globe weather consultant.

Nearly 500 miles further south and west is the group of four with Louis Duc (Five Group – Lantana Environnement, 24th), Violette Dorange (Devenir, 25th), Kojiro Shiraishi (DMG Mori Global One, 26th) and Sébastien Marsset (FOUSSIER, 27th). 
After his engine and power generation issues Marsset missed the train and will be forced to pass to the South of the depression ahead of hm. Duc seems to be pulling out all the stops but he will lead this group the long way round. Nothing is decided yet but they have to go very north, probably to the south of Ireland to find the shift in wind direction which will allow them to head SE to Les Sables d'Olonne.

Eight hundred miles away, Éric Bellion (Stand as One - Altavia, out of the race) and Antoine Cornic (Human Immobilier, 28th) have to deal with a tough depression. "By passing south of the Azores, they will avoid the worst of the phenomenon," assures Christian Dumard. Behind, the duo Oliver Heer (Tut Gut., 29th) and Jingkun Xu (Singchain Team Haikou, 30th) continue to make progress in the trade winds, which are slightly less powerful. The Chinese skipper talks of the tricky conditions recently: 

"The last few days have not been easy, particularly because of the high temperatures. For four days now, we have to sail upwind which adds an element of risk. It slams a lot and is very uncomfortable. There is also a lot of weed. The fact that Oliver is here helps us stay motivated. I am in a very good frame of mind and I am happy to be getting closer to the line.” 

And his Swiss rival Ollie Heer reports from Tut gut. 

In the Southern Hemisphere, the trio Manuel Cousin (Coup de Pouce, 31st) – Fabrice Amedeo (Nexans – Wewise, 32nd) – Denis Van Weynbergh (D’Ieteren Group, 33rd) continue to follow the Brazilian coast at average speeds between 10 and 15 knots. 

Amedeo explains, “We have a stormy depression with wind blowing in all directions and then there are areas of calm not very well defined  in the Saint Helena high but now I am in the trade winds, finally on the motorway, to the Canaries or even to the Azores. It's a bit tedious but these are miles that do you good. 87 days at sea is a long time. But it's been a long time since I've been in the long time of the earth, since I stopped counting the days. What matters is above all not to project yourself despite the arrivals. There are still three weeks to go: it’s nothing on the scale of a Vendée Globe, nothing on the scale of a lifetime, but it’s still a lot of days at sea with past and future pitfalls!”