Vendée Globe: fleet toward Point Nemo, Bestaven tries to escape

Point Nemo is the geographic point on our planet farthest from any landmass. Toward him is the Vendée Globe fleet, which is currently sailing southeast of New Zealand in the 55 degrees south. We have now come, then, to one of the decisive junctions of this round-the-world voyage, the Pacific Ocean: whoever succeeds in crossing it will earn the chance of the Cape Horn approach to return to the Atlantic and begin to smell, albeit very far away, the scent of home.

The skippers’ thoughts, however, are focused in the present, and the present tells us that the solid Vendée Globe leader is Yannick Bestaven on Maitre Coq, a first-generation foiler very similar to Giancarlo Pedote’s boat. Bestaven is the author of a great race so far; in fact, he has been the skipper who has been most daring in the Indian Ocean, attacking the two new leading foilers, Apivia and Linkedout, and taking advantage of their frailties. Bestaven is proving to be a stout skipper, a fighter, and from a possible outsider in the last few days he has become an undisputed protagonist of the regatta. In his wake the younger Charlie Dalin and Thomas Ruyant, detached by 136 and 166 miles respectively, seem to be trudging along, but this Vendée has proven too many times to be intolerant of early verdicts, so the race remains wide open and as uncertain as ever.

Giancarlo Pedote on Prysmian Group is in ninth position, having overtaken Louis Burton momentarily halted for a flying repair, and his daily routine seems to be punctuated, in addition to the ordinary and extraordinary management of the boat, by the duel against the very tough Franco-German Isabelle Joschke. The two exchanged positions a couple of times in recent days, but in the end the MACSF skipper came back ahead after a better southern option.

Medium-light wind conditions are expected to persist in the coming hours, so the approach to Point Nemo will be by gybes and repositioning in the wind. The weather thus gives a temporary reprieve, at least partial, to the skippers. Good news for the leader who will be able to dose his energy after undoubtedly wasting a lot of it in the attack launched at the head of the race throughout the Indian Ocean.

TRACKING