The fleet has raced an incredible 1,500 miles since the start on Saturday and is currently lying off the Straits of Gibraltar en route to the Canary Islands. In just four days, the competitors have raced out of the cold and damp Bay of Biscay and into the milder northeast Trade Winds, and while foul weather gear is still de rigueur, it won’t be for much longer; the sailors will soon be in shorts and t-shirts!
“Compared to past Vendée Globe races, we are very fast out of the blocks this time,” said Dominique. “And we can look forward to warmer weather, more moderate wind and a better seaway. Having said that, the wind has dropped in the last few hours and I was quite enjoying surfing the waves with the gennaker up!” he added.
As is often the case, a decrease in wind speed influenced the back of the fleet first and Team Plastique, Energa, Votre Nom Autour du Monde and Initiatives Coeur slowed down. Sam Davies, Dominique Wavre and Arnaud Boissières were affected at the beginning of the evening last night while the leaders slowed down this morning, which has widened the gap.
With easing conditions ahead, Dominique and his competitors can look forward to a bit of a break (relatively speaking!) after three hectic weeks in Les Sables d’Olonne, followed by the start – always a stressful time for skippers – and the Bay of Biscay.
“We will definitely make the most of the mild conditions ahead as they never last for long!” said Dominique. And he is spot on, as a storm is due to pass through the fleet tomorrow.
