Passing Cape Finisterre off the NW corner of Spain this afternoon Germany’s Boris Herrmann (Malizia Seaexplorer) remains in prudent, safe mode as he closes the finish line of the Vendée Globe which he should cross tomorrow (Wednesday) afternoon to take 12th place. Briton Sam Davies (Initiatives Coeur) is about 78 miles behind and, like Herrmann, is moderating her pace in the face of strong winds and big waves, seeking to avoid the worst of a big Biscay storm whilst timing her final run into the finish line off Les Sables d’Olonne.
Finishing will be a blessed relief for both super experienced skippers who share the highest number of racing circumnavigations of the fleet. With waves over 10-12 metres on the Bay of Biscay today Davies had to make a U-turn four days ago to avoid arriving in the midst of this malicious system. Even so she and Herrmann have seen periods of winds of more than 50 knots and eight to nine metres waves.
“Depending on how the weather develops, we will see if we activate the ‘storm line’ again (a finish gate four miles out from the main line which becomes the line in the event of severe conditions)”, explains Hubert Lemonnier, the race director. The storm line was in force most recently for Clarisse Crémer (L’Occitane en Provence) and Benjamin Dutreux (Guyot Environnement – Water Family)
Meanwhile the top finishing IMOCAs MACIF Santé Prévoyance and Paprec Arkéa could take advantage of this to leave Port Olona on Thursday and return to their home ports (Concarneau and Lorient respectively). In addition race management is in discussions with Guyot Environnement – Water Family and L’Occitane en Provence to plan the timing when Benjamin Dutreux and Clarisse Crémer will be welcomed back into the famous passage up the channel.
Some 1800 nautical miles to their SW the next big group, from 15th placed Damien Seguin (Groupe Apicil) to 26th placed Violette Dorange (Devenir) all now face the prospect of having to take a much longer route – well to the west of the Azores – because of a growing area of high pressure bringing light winds.
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