 |
11:04 AM Sun 25 Jan 2009 GMT
Almost everyone in the Vend?e Globe is enjoying pleasing conditions allowing speeds between nine and thirteen knots in decent seas and in warmer temperatures. The big winner this weekend is Armel Le Cl?ac'h (Brit Air) who appears to have left the Doldrums behind him without having been slowed down.
In so doing, he has closed the gap by 200 miles to Roland Jourdain (Veolia Environnement), although the latter now seems to be taking advantage of the easterly trade winds off Cape Verde to avoid losing miles to Michel Desjoyeaux.
For the skipper of Foncia, the easterly wind should ease off and veer southerly later today, but these lighter winds are only set to last for a day. As he makes gains in latitude, Michel Desjoyeaux will be able to slowly come around to set his course for Les Sables d'Olonne. There is a potential sting in the tale as this coming week a series of lows are forecast to hit the Bay of Biscay causing westerly gales.
Marc Guillemot (Safran) has gradually escaped from the clutches of the thundery zone and is set to pass Salvador de Bahia today now some 65 miles from the coast in a moderate easterly trade wind, while further out to sea, Samantha Davies (Roxy) is also moving along steadily again.
Davies, 266 miles ahead, is no longer losing miles to Brian Thompson (Bahrain Team Pindar) who spent a two hour period around 2100hrs GMT last night severely slowed - to just 2-3 knots - and may well have had to carry our repairs Dee Caffari's repairs to Aviva's mainsail appear still to be working as she has been averaging 14 knots during the night and has pulled back to within 75 miles of Thompson.
Steve White, GBR, (Toe in the Water) continues his steady 11 knots ascent in upwind conditions, again, and is no longer making ground on eighth placed Arnaud Boissi?res who was moving well again this morning.
Rich Wilson, USA, (Great American III) is making tidy progress towards Cape Horn. He will need to keep his speeds up to avoid the worst of a depression which is due to hit the Horn on Monday, but with 320 miles to go this morning, the American skipper should be passed before the worst of it arrives. He passed within 30 miles of the spot where he was capsized in a huge storm around Thanksgiving 1990, whilst on a record attempt from San Francisco to Boston.
Making better speeds now, with around 250 miles to the last ice gate, Raphael Dinelli is some 75 miles ahead of Norbert Sedlacek, AUT, (Nauticsport-Kapsch), but just 40 miles separates them NW to SE.
Sam Davies (Roxy) in her daily message.'Today I have had a whole 24 hours without stopping for the first time in 6 days! Yippee! At last Roxy is happy to be doing speeds of over ten knots. She's skipping over the waves. No more slowing down until we're in the channel in Les Sables d'Olonne, I hope! Everything is in maximum stacked positions, the rig and sails are just perfect and we're 'on Fire.' When I download my weather information, morning and evening, I take a sneaky look at the messages page on my website. It is so amazing and encouraging to see so many people who are supporting me in this race from all over the world. It is a moment in my day that I look forward to now and afterwards I am motivated than ever.'
Rich Wilson (Great American III) in his daily log,'Solent and 2 reefs. Gray, gray, gray. Albatross flying around. Barograph steady at 993mb. Heading south as a bit more favorable within the parameters of wind shifts in the next few days, bit awkward wind shifts that will make it longer to get to Cape Horn. Not planned, tried to stay away in fact, but had to gybe this morning because of our lift, and now find ourselves eerily in the lat/long of our capsize in 1990 (55s/79w). Did not want this reminder, did not want to think about it if not necessary. A bit unsettling.'
0400 HRS GMT. Rankings, Sunday 25th January 2009
(FRA unless stated)
1 . Michel Desjoyeaux (Foncia) at 2139.7 miles to finish
2 . Roland Jourdain (Veolia Environnement) at 503.7 miles from first place
3 . Armel Le Cl?ac'h (Brit Air) at 1028.9 miles from first place
4 . Marc Guillemot (Safran) at 2045.2 miles from first place
5 . Sam Davies (Roxy) at 2168.7 miles from first place
6 . Brian Thompson (Bahrain Team Pindar) at 2432.6 miles from first place
7 . Dee Caffari (Aviva) at 2499.6 miles from first place
8 . Arnaud Boissi?res (Akena V?randas) at 2951.4 miles from first place
9 . Steve White (Toe in the water) at 3656.8 miles from first place
10 . Rich Wilson (Great American III) at 5277 miles from first place
11 . Rapha?l Dinelli (Fondation Oc?an Vital) at 6977.8 miles from first place
12 . Norbert Sedlacek (Nauticsport - Kapsch) at 7051.9 miles from first place
RDG . Vincent Riou (PRB). 3rd equal. 30 boats started.
www.vendeeglobe.org
by Vendee Globe media
|
|
