Monday update
Image: Photo sent from the boat VULNERABLE SG during the Vendee Globe sailing race on January 19, 2025. (Photo by skipper Sam Goodchild)
Getting into it
Some 150 miles south of the Azores Jérémie Beyou (Charal) and Sam Goodchild (VULNERABLE) are now getting into the low pressure area and the progressively strengthening winds. The French skipper has taken a few miles of a lead. As they pass the island archipelago today the winds look set to be around 30 to 40 knots so already they will be down to small sails and set up for this final assault into the Les Sables d’Olonne finish line. They have opened distance on the two skippers behind Paul Meilhat (Biotherm) and Nico Lunven (HOLCIM PRB) who are now also pointing slightly more to the east.
For almost everyone in this group, whether their boats are closer to 100% of potential or handicapped with a sail down or foil damage at 60 to 85% right now they just want to get finished, through the system and safely across the line.
Thomas Ruyant (VULNERABLE) is in ninth and races without his J2 headsail, “Since Cape Horn we have not had it good at all, we are having more of what we did a lot of in the South Atlantic, sailing close-hauled, in medium winds, crossing a ridge of high pressure all day. It is complicated! My sail problems are handicapping me 15-20%. Normally most of the time we should always be under J2, even in the depression that we are negotiating, it is J2! I am biting my nails but that's how it is, I have to make do with what I have, and it is a little hard to see the speeds of the other boats next to us, that's how it is, Paul (Meilhat) has the same problem. I went to the other side of the ridge and now th front associated with the depression that will take us to Cape Finisterre! So I'm reaching, in 15-20 knots of wind, with a few squalls, a wind that moves quite a bit, under J3.”
Talking of his physical shape, Ruyant says, “
Physically, I've built a set of shoulders thanks to grinding the pedestal so much. Conversely the legs, I already don't have big thighs, but it's true that the legs just melt, we sit a lot, lie down. When we're standing we don't stay up for long! The hands also take a beating, they're swollen, I have small carpal tunnel problems so my hands are damaged, they hurt a little. But otherwise I don't have any particular injuries, so I'm happy, a little back pain but the body is holding up well and I'm in pretty good shape!
Thomas Ruyant VULNERABLE
Ruyant explains, “This depression we're going to have strong seas and winds, especially it's going to end up close at Cape Finisterre. Tomorrow night we could have a pretty serious sea, 7 meters with strong wind, we will have to keep our heads down and watch out for the boat, we can feel that the boats are worn out, it is time to bring them back to the stable, the noises are not the same, the ropes are rougher, the fittings no longer make the same noise, we can feel the wear and tear over time...”
And he finishes, “I was scared several times during this round the world trip, when I was in the heart of the storm, even on land I find it scary so when you come at 20 knots with your boat in the middle of all that, it is a bit like the apocalypse... And then there was a blackout in the Pacific, where I gave myself a good scare.”
Ruyant is ninth, Germany’s Boris Herrmann (Malizia Seaexplorer) in his very compromised state, after losing the use of the port foil, has now dropped to 13th and is heading NW in prudent mode likely trying to avoid the worst of the system.
Le Turquais moves clear
In the daggerboard grouping Tanguy Le Turquais (Lazaire) has extended again away from Benjamin Ferré (Monoyeur-Duo For A Job) as they transition into the Doldrums in a light SE’ly breeze. Guirec Soudée is 23rd, “Today, I passed not far from a Brazilian island, about thirty miles away, I could see the island clearly, it was great because often in the Vendée Globe you pass at full speed and you're not out here for tourism, and here I was still able to see land three times, between the Kerguelen, Cape Horn, and the island of Trindade there! It's always cool to be in the sun, unlike in the South it's really hot, I even got sunburn, my back is getting a bit hot! This weekend I climbed my mast for the 7th time if I'm not mistaken! So I can tell you that I'm starting to understand how to make a quick and efficient climb! I took care of my J2, I stuck on several patches, that was the mission because with the heat the sika was drying so quickly! I started with the highest one, I got it all over my hands, all over. The first two patches, it worked, I took the third one out and it fell on the deck, I went down, I went back up, and the last two they didn't even want to stick anymore because the sika had already dried so much, that's the game... The boats in front are quite far away, it seems complicated to catch up with them. Those behind, they seem far away but they have wind and they are going very fast, Kojiro he did 300 miles in 24 hours when I did 120, so he will have to calm down quickly otherwise I will see him again soon! I really don't want to! I Can't wait to get home, even if I am happy
Now expected to finish into the Les Sables d’Olonne late on Wednesday British skipper Sam Goodchild (VULNERABLE) is on course for fourth place but needs to hold out through one final storm, whilst at the same time contain his nearest rivals, including Jérémie Beyou (Charal) who he has been close with since the South Atlantic. A week ago when they crossed the Equator together the pair were only 3 minutes 39 seconds apart and this afternoon they are one mile apart.
But for all that, Goodchild is determined to retain fourth he will not compromise on the low risk, safety first attack which has served him so well all the way round the world so far, a strategy which has been augmented by excellent tactical choices in key areas – notably on the descent of the Atlantic when he led the race - and more recently at Cab Frio on the climb up the South Atlantic where he got up to fourth with some smart choices.
Now, with about 1500 miles to the finish Goodchild said today,
“I have had a hard enough time looking to see what I should do and so I have not really looked to see what the others might do. That is part of the race I don’t want to get dragged into, racing to the end, I want to just keep it safe and sail sensibly and not take any risks to try and make things happen. If the others catch up then so be it, and if we can stay ahead then great.
I can’t see Jeremie now he bore away changing sails I changed to the FR0 earlier than him and so he caught me up. He will lose again. But he was a mile behind me an hour ago.”
After spending a lot of yesterday checking his boat and making sure he and it are in the best possible shape for the big last push. He was already into brisker winds this afternoon, having emerged out of a high pressure ridge of light breeze,
“I had a big day yesterday and so I am little bit tired and at night the wind has built from five knots to 25 knots so I have gone up through the sail wardrobe a little bit, I have stacked up and got everything sorted for the storm so it has been a busy 24 hours. On the forecast we are seeing 45kts on the weather file and over 50 so it is fairly short lived but it is going to be fairly wild I think and quite a big sea state, 7 metre waves on the weather files There is an option to go south to get around it into a little less wind and a little less sea state but then you will end up with a bit of upwind in 30 and 35kts and you really don’t want that. We are kind of between a rock and hard place. So I will go this way and be careful.
I saw 50-55 at the beginning of the Pacific and I had three reefs and storm jib and so I have been through that.”
low on options
The strategic options are a limited, as Nico Lunven (HOLCIM PRB) who is poised two places behind Goodchild, notes, “The situation is extremely complicated, because there are not many escape routes. By making a few adjustments, I could limit the winds to 40-45 knots, but this will be with short seas of 7 to 8 metres, which is not great. If I choose to head east, towards Madeira, I will find myself tacking close-hauled in 35-40 knots, which is not ideal either. And if I slow down, I will be caught up by the next depression coming up behind, in the Bay of Biscay. In short, we are facing a problem without a real solution.
The priority will clearly be safety. The idea is going to be to follow the route while being careful, adapting the sail plan and finding a route that still allows you to slow down
Nicolas Lunven HOLCIM - PRB
Some routes see a small advantage to Sam Goodchild and Jérémie at the head of the group, these two skippers are best placed to try to get in past the centre of the depression. The key question, then, is how far they will be prepared to push the boundaries: will they decide to face the strongest winds and then benefit from the best route to towards the finish?
Pushing Ferré hard….
For his part, Benjamin Ferré, the skipper of Monnoyeur – Duo for a Job, is taking a determined approach despite the technical hazards that have challenged him recently. After overcoming a new hook problem yesterday he is still side by side with Tanguy Le Turquais (Lazaire) in the battle for supremacy among the daggerboard boats.
“In the last few hours, I managed to make up my 15-mile deficit on Tanguy (Le Turquais) and that’s good news. Today, we’re sailing side by side. So close that if I shout, he can hear me!”, said the sailor, who nevertheless only has one spare hook left, “It’s always a bit strange to sail with a sort of sword of Damocles hanging over your head. The slightest noise stresses me out,” he admitted. Nevertheless, he’s not sparing any effort in his fight for first place in this group.
The closer we get to the finish, the more we think about it. We hope to engage in the same mano a mano as Charlie (Dalin) and Yoann (Richomme) until the end. We’re still missing Jean (Le Cam) in this battle. The Doldrums could still generate a regrouping with him.
Benjamin Ferré MONNOYEUR - DUO FOR A JOB
Sunday review
The Last Waltz, One final big storm for the next group
Now expected to finish into the Les Sables d’Olonne late on Wednesday British skipper Sam Goodchild (VULNERABLE) is on course for fourth place but needs to hold out through one final storm, whilst at the same time contain his nearest rivals, including Jérémie Beyou (Charal) who he has been close with since the South Atlantic. A week ago when they crossed the Equator together the pair were only 3 minutes 39 seconds apart and this afternoon they are one mile apart.
But for all that, Goodchild is determined to retain fourth he will not compromise on the low risk, safety first attack which has served him so well all the way round the world so far, a strategy which has been augmented by excellent tactical choices in key areas – notably on the descent of the Atlantic when he led the race - and more recently at Cab Frio on the climb up the South Atlantic where he got up to fourth with some smart choices.
Now, with about 1500 miles to the finish Goodchild said today,
“I have had a hard enough time looking to see what I should do and so I have not really looked to see what the others might do. That is part of the race I don’t want to get dragged into, racing to the end, I want to just keep it safe and sail sensibly and not take any risks to try and make things happen. If the others catch up then so be it, and if we can stay ahead then great.
I can’t see Jeremie now he bore away changing sails I changed to the FR0 earlier than him and so he caught me up. He will lose again. But he was a mile behind me an hour ago.”
After spending a lot of yesterday checking his boat and making sure he and it are in the best possible shape for the big last push. He was already into brisker winds this afternoon, having emerged out of a high pressure ridge of light breeze,
“I had a big day yesterday and so I am little bit tired and at night the wind has built from five knots to 25 knots so I have gone up through the sail wardrobe a little bit, I have stacked up and got everything sorted for the storm so it has been a busy 24 hours. On the forecast we are seeing 45kts on the weather file and over 50 so it is fairly short lived but it is going to be fairly wild I think and quite a big sea state, 7 metre waves on the weather files There is an option to go south to get around it into a little less wind and a little less sea state but then you will end up with a bit of upwind in 30 and 35kts and you really don’t want that. We are kind of between a rock and hard place. So I will go this way and be careful.
I saw 50-55 at the beginning of the Pacific and I had three reefs and storm jib and so I have been through that.”
low on options
The strategic options are a limited, as Nico Lunven (HOLCIM PRB) who is poised two places behind Goodchild, notes, “The situation is extremely complicated, because there are not many escape routes. By making a few adjustments, I could limit the winds to 40-45 knots, but this will be with short seas of 7 to 8 metres, which is not great. If I choose to head east, towards Madeira, I will find myself tacking close-hauled in 35-40 knots, which is not ideal either. And if I slow down, I will be caught up by the next depression coming up behind, in the Bay of Biscay. In short, we are facing a problem without a real solution.
The priority will clearly be safety. The idea is going to be to follow the route while being careful, adapting the sail plan and finding a route that still allows you to slow down
Nicolas Lunven HOLCIM - PRB
Some routes see a small advantage to Sam Goodchild and Jérémie at the head of the group, these two skippers are best placed to try to get in past the centre of the depression. The key question, then, is how far they will be prepared to push the boundaries: will they decide to face the strongest winds and then benefit from the best route to towards the finish?
Pushing Ferré hard….
For his part, Benjamin Ferré, the skipper of Monnoyeur – Duo for a Job, is taking a determined approach despite the technical hazards that have challenged him recently. After overcoming a new hook problem yesterday he is still side by side with Tanguy Le Turquais (Lazaire) in the battle for supremacy among the daggerboard boats.
“In the last few hours, I managed to make up my 15-mile deficit on Tanguy (Le Turquais) and that’s good news. Today, we’re sailing side by side. So close that if I shout, he can hear me!”, said the sailor, who nevertheless only has one spare hook left, “It’s always a bit strange to sail with a sort of sword of Damocles hanging over your head. The slightest noise stresses me out,” he admitted. Nevertheless, he’s not sparing any effort in his fight for first place in this group.
The closer we get to the finish, the more we think about it. We hope to engage in the same mano a mano as Charlie (Dalin) and Yoann (Richomme) until the end. We’re still missing Jean (Le Cam) in this battle. The Doldrums could still generate a regrouping with him.
Benjamin Ferré MONNOYEUR - DUO FOR A JOB