Vendee Globe 2020

Just a quick update. Alex seems to be back underway now averaging over 7 knots which is good news. More good news for Alex but bad news for Thomas Ruyant who was upfront with Charly Dalin. The port foil on LinkedOut is badly damaged which is going to cause major issues with performance when on the starboard tack – of which there will be a lot especially coming back up the Atlantic.

The leaders still having issues with the South Atlantic high so the distance that Alex could potentially lose has been mitigated to a certain degree.

Interesting race is probably an understatement.
Nope said:
Just a quick update. Alex seems to be back underway now averaging over 7 knots which is good news. More good news for Alex but bad news for Thomas Ruyant who was upfront with Charly Dalin. The port foil on LinkedOut is badly damaged which is going to cause major issues with performance when on the starboard tack – of which there will be a lot especially coming back up the Atlantic.

The leaders still having issues with the South Atlantic high so the distance that Alex could potentially lose has been mitigated to a certain degree.

Interesting race is probably an understatement.
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the Boss is back!
 
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Sam and Alex a bit behind but could be first to profit on skirting the edge of the high pressure system.
Vendée Globe: Leader's patience tried & tested as Sam Davies profits from her southbound initiative
Life is not getting any easier for Charlie Dalin, the Vendée Globe leader, as he is still struggling in light breezes as he tries to wriggle free from the sticky clutches of the Saint Helena high pressure which now spans most of the South Atlantic.

In the last 24 hours to 0400hrs UTC this morning Dalin on the yellow hulled Apivia had only made 130 nautical miles, averaging 5.4kts. In an area in which he might normally hope to be on a sleighride south averaging four times this speed, this will be frustrating. And according to the weather models this morning Dalin's patience is going to be tested for at least another 24-36 hours.

His lead over second placed Thomas Ruyant (LinkedOut), at 88 miles, and to Jean Le Cam (Yes We Cam!) at 350 miles behind, remains steady as both are mostly following his wake. That said the position of the veteran Le Cam, in the north and east, is looking vulnerable as evidenced by his slow speeds and many manoeuvres during the night.

But the group lead by Britain's Sam Davies (Initiatives Coeur) in ninth and Alex Thomson (HIGO BOSS) in eighth look set to make ongoing inroads as they are in downwind and reaching conditions on the west side of the high with a clear pathway in building breezes that should
Davies in particular seems to have the timing of her trajectory just right and continues to gain with good breeze and a profitable angle south, unlike fourth placed Kevin Escoffier (PRB) who this time yesterday morning admitted he could not decide which way to go. His procrastination seems to have cost him as he is angled on a south westerly course this morning, sailing away from the theoretical best course to the south east.

Speaking this morning from ninth placed Arkea Paprec Sébastien Simon said " As soon as we get to the south of the high pressure area we'll have a good ride in the southern depressions which will take us far, perhaps as far as the Kerguelen Islands. Meantime we will have to stay focused so as not to miss this train. If we miss it, we will catch a high pressure system which leave us behind."

Simon is just one skipper among a few, no doubt, who are regretting being too conservative in their strategic choices, opting for a middle route between Davies and Burton who dived south in his west and Le Cam and Escoffier who are paying a price for their easterly choice. He noted, " Sam and Louis will pass in front of me but I hope I get on the train in front of group to my east. "
Another spot of trouble for Alex!!!

At approximately 19:00 UTC this evening (Friday 27th November) – 19 days into the Vendée Globe round-the-world yacht race – Alex Thomson notified his technical team on shore of damage to the starboard rudder of his HUGO BOSS boat.

The team immediately advised Thomson to disconnect the rudder to regain steerage. He now has control of the yacht with one rudder, and is safe and in no danger onboard.

The team is working to assess the extent of the damage. A further update will be released on Saturday 28th November.
 
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DearRatBoy said:
Alex has abandoned, heading to Cape Town now.
Gutting for him.after all the issues he had this week.
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ah, FFS! gutted for him. As Blanco y Tinto alluded to earlier, there are some questions to be asked about how the boat suffered so much damage so early into the race.
The race is still on though so ha'way the lasses and Boris Herrmann.
 
Nope said:
ah, FFS! gutted for him. As Blanco y Tinto alluded to earlier, there are some questions to be asked about how the boat suffered so much damage so early into the race.
The race is still on though so ha'way the lasses and Boris Herrmann.
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Think I read that there was fishing gear involved, a trawl board is a big thing to smash into at speed.
 
DearRatBoy said:
I'd be surprised if he doesn't try for it in 4 years
If Le Cam can go out there at 61 ....
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I hope he does
Vendée Globe Day 23 morning update: The big chill

The leaders of the Vendée Globe fleet are now in a strong south-westerly flow approaching the Cape of Good Hope. Leader Charlie Dalin, is expected to cross the first great Cape this afternoon. The weather for the pacemakers is much colder and this passage under South Africa promises to be quite tough with a breeze contrary to the Agulhas current which flows down the east side of the African continent, marking the western edge of the warmer waters of the Indian Ocean.

For the leaders who are now mostly in the SW'ly air flow the temperatures are much colder, around 7 deg C, unstable winds 25kts gusting to 35kts on big, unruly seas which sluice over the deck, water temperature no more than 8 dec C. They are racing behind the front and dropping south-eastwards towards the Antarctic Exclusion Zone. After the first three weeks of racing this is a first cold, wet wake up call to the joys of the big south. The sun cannot break through the cloud cover and the first big southern storm is on its way, and of course the colder air is much more dense and so each gust feels much more powerful than the recorded windspeed.

Dalin has had to route more to the north, to 38 degrees, where the race leader will have to negotiate the gyres, the circulation of the Agulhas current which will cause big, crossed seas with the wind blowing against the current. Behind him the chasing pack of six, riding the wheel of second placed Thomas Ruyant (LinkedOut) who is a little slower at times because of his chopped port foil. That said in the big seas the foilers will not be drawing on all their power and righting moment right now and so Ruyant and Jean Le Cam on his trusty daggerboard Yes We Cam will scarcely be disadvantaged.

As the Saint Helena high pressure slips to the south east after his hydraulic oil problems of the weekend Alan Roura (La Fabrique) has been caught by it again and has a hard time off Tristan da Cunha. Clarisse Crémer (Banque Populaire X) was down during the night passing the island of Gough and with Romain Attanasio (PURE-Best Western Hotels & Resorts) in her east Cremer will do well to dive quickly towards the south east so as not to be swallowed up by the high pressure and light winds again.

Stéphane Le Diraison (Time for Oceans) finally sees the end of his own light winds tunnel with a welcome northerly breeze after the calm he has suffered over recent days and he begins to slant more to the south east. Arnaud Boissières (La Mie Câline-Artisans Artipôle) was the first to go south and look to bypass the high pressure cell at 35 degrees North. In his wake now, the three amigos (Cousin-Costa-Hare) have a foiler on their hips in Armel Tripon (L'Occitane en Provence) who is now certainly going faster in these more active conditions. Tripon will still find it difficult to follow the new big southern depression which is moving very quickly and will reach the leaders, and maybe force them to slow right down or climb out of its way in some three days time, between Cape Town and the Kerguelens.

At the back Japanese skipper Kojiro Shiraishi (DMG MORI Global One) is outpacing Sébastien Destremau (Merci) in the Brazilian trade winds which are quite easterly. These conditions also suit Jérémie Beyou (Charal) who can lengthen his stride off Recife and who should come back verystrongly in the coming days in ideal conditions to cut miles back on the leaders.
Alex latest
 
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Blimey! Escoffier triggered his emergency beacon stating there was water in the boat. Le Cam is now in the area and has found the liferaft
 
DearRatBoy said:
Blimey! Escoffier triggered his emergency beacon stating there was water in the boat. Le Cam is now in the area and has found the liferaft
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Wow!, just seen this. Seem to remember that Kevin (Escoffier) had some water intake issues with the boat last week as well. Some boy is Jean le Cam mind, illuminted the first week with his racing, carried it through strongly into the second week and now rescuing his compatriot - give the bloke a medal or a hearty round of applause at least 👏

Wonder what happens to Jeans' race now. Obviously he is under engine and will have Kevin on board soon (hopefully) so tehnically the single-handed, no engine power' rules are broken. Rendezvous with Alex who can take Kevin on board and head to Cape Town so Jean can carry on? Perhaps @Blanco y Tinto knows more on what happens now?
 
Not all together sure what is happening at this time but I am not sure things are going well. Very heavy seas. Kevin Escoffier is in the life raft apparently and Jean le Cam was in the area, got eyes on the raft and was under engine power to effect a rescue. However at 19.40 hrs tonight the race direction team have put out news that Boris Hermann, Yannick Bestaven and Sebastian Simon have all been requested to alter course and head to the zone to help.
 
Thoughts go out to Kevin tonight. Please let him make it.

2200hrs UTC NEWS UPDATE
Race Direction of the Vendée Globe requested the assistance of three competing skippers, Germany’s Boris Herrmann (Seaexplorer-Yacht Club de Monaco), Yannick Bestaven (Maître CoQ IV) and Sébastien Simon (ARKEA PAPREC) to help Jean Le Cam (Yes We Cam!) in the mission to retrieve solo skipper Kevin Escoffier from his life raft after the 40 year old from Saint Malo had to abandon his IMOCA 60 PRB this Monday afternoon after activating his distress beacon.
Escoffier was racing in third place on the 22nd day of the solo non stop around the world race, at some 840 nautical miles SW of Cape Town, when his PRB got into difficulties and he was forced to take to his liferaft.
He alerted his technical team at 1346hrs UTC this afternoon, telling them he had significant amounts of water coming into the boat and immediately triggered his yacht's distress beacon. PRB was positioned at 40deg55S 9deg16E at the time the distress beacon was activated.
Race Direction of the Vendée Globe alerted MRCC Cape Town and CROSS Griz Nez who have been collaborating in a rescue operation. The skipper closest to Escoffier’s position, Jean Le Cam, who is competing on his fifth Vendée Globe, immediately responded to the request to divert to Escoffier’s position.
Guided by Race Direction Le Cam arrived on zone around 1615hrs UTC and quickly established visual and voice contact with Escoffier who was in his liferaft but he was unable to retrieve him in the big, 5m, seas and 20-25 knot winds.
As he was manoeuvring to prepare to get closer to the liferaft Le Cam lost sight of the liferaft and could not establish radio contact nor to pick up the signal from the AIS the range of which was reduced by the heavy seas.
He lost sight of Escoffier in the dying light but has continued to try and locate him, Le Cam is communicating regularly with Race Direction and the rescue authorities. The three other skippers are now in, or are approaching the search area. The positioning of Kevin Escoffier's personal beacon (AIS MOB Man Over Board) emits HF radiowaves and will only be detected in the local zone.
The four skippers will follow a protocol established by Race Direction in coordination with Jean Le Cam. They will approach with three reefs in the mainsail and the engine idling. A grid search area for the zone has been established and will be carried out by the four IMOCAs who are set to provide assistance.
The PRB shore crew said that besides his AIS Mob, Kevin Escoffier also means to signal his presence in the liferaft. Daybreak tomorrow morning is around 0340hrs UTC in this zone and the search will be ongoing.
This press release has been drawn up jointly with the Vendée Globe and Team PRB.
 
Blanco y Tinto said:
Thoughts go out to Kevin tonight. Please let him make it.

2200hrs UTC NEWS UPDATE
Race Direction of the Vendée Globe requested the assistance of three competing skippers, Germany’s Boris Herrmann (Seaexplorer-Yacht Club de Monaco), Yannick Bestaven (Maître CoQ IV) and Sébastien Simon (ARKEA PAPREC) to help Jean Le Cam (Yes We Cam!) in the mission to retrieve solo skipper Kevin Escoffier from his life raft after the 40 year old from Saint Malo had to abandon his IMOCA 60 PRB this Monday afternoon after activating his distress beacon.
Escoffier was racing in third place on the 22nd day of the solo non stop around the world race, at some 840 nautical miles SW of Cape Town, when his PRB got into difficulties and he was forced to take to his liferaft.
He alerted his technical team at 1346hrs UTC this afternoon, telling them he had significant amounts of water coming into the boat and immediately triggered his yacht's distress beacon. PRB was positioned at 40deg55S 9deg16E at the time the distress beacon was activated.
Race Direction of the Vendée Globe alerted MRCC Cape Town and CROSS Griz Nez who have been collaborating in a rescue operation. The skipper closest to Escoffier’s position, Jean Le Cam, who is competing on his fifth Vendée Globe, immediately responded to the request to divert to Escoffier’s position.
Guided by Race Direction Le Cam arrived on zone around 1615hrs UTC and quickly established visual and voice contact with Escoffier who was in his liferaft but he was unable to retrieve him in the big, 5m, seas and 20-25 knot winds.
As he was manoeuvring to prepare to get closer to the liferaft Le Cam lost sight of the liferaft and could not establish radio contact nor to pick up the signal from the AIS the range of which was reduced by the heavy seas.
He lost sight of Escoffier in the dying light but has continued to try and locate him, Le Cam is communicating regularly with Race Direction and the rescue authorities. The three other skippers are now in, or are approaching the search area. The positioning of Kevin Escoffier's personal beacon (AIS MOB Man Over Board) emits HF radiowaves and will only be detected in the local zone.
The four skippers will follow a protocol established by Race Direction in coordination with Jean Le Cam. They will approach with three reefs in the mainsail and the engine idling. A grid search area for the zone has been established and will be carried out by the four IMOCAs who are set to provide assistance.
The PRB shore crew said that besides his AIS Mob, Kevin Escoffier also means to signal his presence in the liferaft. Daybreak tomorrow morning is around 0340hrs UTC in this zone and the search will be ongoing.
This press release has been drawn up jointly with the Vendée Globe and Team PRB.
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Fingers crossed. Horrific situation that.
 

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