Thomas Ruyant (Vulnerable), the "B" boat of the TS Racing Team continues to lead the 39 boat Vendee Globe race fleet as they head for the Brazil coast, where they will bounce off the corner and head for the entry to the Southern Ocean section of the 24,500nm course.
Ten of the fleet have now crossed the Equator, and are now enjoying their first day Down Under.
Race favorite Charlie Dalin is in second place, sailing faster than Ruyant, with the "A" boat of TS Racing, also named Vulnerable, is in third place on the water. The second and third boats have VMG's 2kts faster than Ruyant and there will be a lead change if that situation continued for two more hours.
All boats in the lead bunch and peloton are on a heading within 10° of each other. It's a drag race, without too many tactical options.
Once they bounce off Brazil the tactical, or rather the meteorological puddle jumping begins as the sailors try to avoid the many light wind holes in the Southern Ocean, while trying to stay clear of the approaching fronts and low pressure cells with their over strength winds.
The onboard weather routing systems will be treading the fine line between taking advantage of the safety of the light winds, while skimming along the edge of the fronts to keep up speed. It becomes a Velocity Made Good game as the sailors try and pick a route which will get them to the Ice Gate, where they have to turn to port and head through to the Kerguelen Islands.
Proportionately the womens sailors in the 39 boat fleet are outperforming the men, with all six women in the top 21 boats on the water.
No comments:
Post a Comment