Vendee Globe 2028 (Brit bias)

[matt1]

Holy smoke! Just looked at the tracker and Sam G is doing just shy of 17knts to windward and “windy” is suggesting it’s 28knots just north of the Cherbourg peninsula. Add in that it’s been blowing hard for days and that has got to be unbelievably brutal. That they can make IMOCAs that can withstand that (& humans!) is pretty incredible and shows how far we have come

 

[dunedin]

Holy smoke! Just looked at the tracker and Sam G is doing just shy of 17knts to windward and “windy” is suggesting it’s 28knots just north of the Cherbourg peninsula. Add in that it’s been blowing hard for days and that has got to be unbelievably brutal. That they can make IMOCAs that can withstand that (& humans!) is pretty incredible and shows how far we have come

And the Ultims doing an incredible 27 knots upwind in these conditions - upwind VMG 16 knots. As you say, must be brutal.
Let’s hope the breakage rate is less than the 50 foot tris, when 3 out of 10 flipped in the first few hours!

 

[John_Silver]

Tanguy's Ocean Fifty is in Cherbourg, according to his FB. Off the ferry dock, by the looks of things. for everyone still out there



There's another Fifty under tow off the Abers and one still loose (I think) off the CIs. All crews safely accounted for.

 

[John_Silver]

Footage from a Fifty that’s the right way up and making 30 knots….

.......and from Thomas Coville's Ultim. Where life looks smoother, drier and faster still:

Hopefully some IMOCA footage once the sun rises. Bet that's bouncy!

 

[John_Silver]

Good night's work for Sam G. Who is leading the IMOCA fleet, this morning. In big breeze.



Yoann has damaged starboard deck spreader (not sure if he says foil too) in his collision with the buoy.(0-3mins explanation. 3-6 mins camera pan of damage). Parts on their way, to Le Havre, from Lorient. Restart planned. Race rules allow him 72 hours

The Fifty adrift off the CI’s is now ashore on the W coast of Guernsey according to the BBC.

 

[flaming]

It was a transatlantic race with a bunch of capsizes in Biscay that killed off the 60 foot tris... Hopefully not history repeating itself...

 

[John_Silver]

Word from Will:

 

[Laser310]

Is there a button to overlay the wind forecast on the race tracker?

I can't find it

never mind - i found the "expert" mode button which made the wind appear

 

[Laser310]

It was a transatlantic race with a bunch of capsizes in Biscay that killed off the 60 foot tris... Hopefully not history repeating itself..

definitely not a good look for the class, and they got a bit lucky with everyone being okay

 

[John_Silver]

Compression time coming up, for the IMOCA's, by the looks of that wind overlay. Stand by for a restart? Testing times for Sam G - although he did a pretty good job threading his way through the light stuff, in the last VG. And his boat needs less breeze than others to get up onto the foils, as Yoann knows to his cost, again from the last VG.

EDIT Andi reports that Yoann's boat is fixed. Tracker has him a bit south of St Vaast la Hougue

 

[John_Silver]

Day 1 onboard footage from across the fleet, with English subtitles, from the IMOCA class association on their YouTube Channel. Some analysis of the meteo / tactics. Appearances from both Sams and Will et al. Quote of the video, delivered completely dead pan, by Frankie; "43 knots, its quite sporty." Worth sticking the alerts on for, if this standard of reportage is maintained......

If you like to listen to the French, with English subtitles (like me!) try opening in your own browser. Viewed from on here, I'm getting some dodgy (AI?) American interpretation of what has been said overdubbing all speech. With the original sound and the auto-translate subtitles I find it easier to understand what's going on. EDIT In settings, on here, you can switch 'soundtrack' from American (which it seems to default to on here) back to 'French Original.'

 

[John_Silver]

Is a breakaway in the making for Sam G & Lois?



Frankie & Will have closed right up, in the light airs. Impressive for a heavy weather optimised / older design.

Sam D & Violette still in the ridge. Closing up to Louis Burton's Bureau Vallee - whose hull mould their IMOCA shared.

 

[John_Silver]

Leading pack separating? Sam G & Lois still dicing with Charal (Jeremie Beyou); Frankie & Will hanging on to the leading group; Sam D & Violette now up with sistership Bureau Vallee (Louis Burton)

 

[John_Silver]

Day 2 from the fleets - English subtitles:

 

[John_Silver]

Day 4 IMOCA insights from Alan Roberts.( According to taste, soundtrack can be restored from American English to French Original & subtitles enabled, in your language of choice, from ‘settings.’)

Get’s the crystal ball out, for weather & tactics ahead. Outlines a few scenarios. Plus footage from the boats.

 

[John_Silver]

Sam G & Lois lead (by a nose) Jeremie Beyou coming into the Canaries. Battle royal! Frankie & Will in the mix too. Fierce competition in the following pack: Sam D & Violette v's Bureau Vallee et al. Big tactical decisions ahead today..... (see Alan Roberts above).

 

[John_Silver]

Word from Frankie & Will, off Madeira (in English)

 

[John_Silver]

Yoann smokin’ south, after his repairs

 

[John_Silver]

Frustrating times, for the IMOCAs. Hunting for hour to hour breeze, whilst trying to set themselves up for long term tactical gain. Sam G and Charal still locked together, breaking east. Frankie & Will on a more southerly course. And leading, on the latest sched. Sam D capitalising on the compression. Fascinating to see how this is all going to shake out…..

From the Transat Cafe l’Or website, plaudits for Will:



Jeremie’s view of Sam G (shot yesterday morning, I think)

 

[John_Silver]

The SailorZ (nee Tip & Shaft) take on Transat Cafe l'Or week one. Plus predictions for what happens next. [In the link] And an update from Sam G, via the team MACIF FB feed [screenshots]:



Plus, on board with Sam D & Violette for a fast forward through their race so far. (Restore original voiceover in settings, to fully catch their mood)