Vendee Globe - Go Tommo!

[Chris Stott]

There's some coverage on BT sport, but it's a bit behind.

I think AT will struggle to catch up unless he gets ideal conditions for his boat - ie; Stbd, reaching, big winds.

Amazing they are still so close after 65 days of racing.

[Ayahuasca]

Shame the bastaque broke but I am glad he changed the saffron.

[Simpo Two]

Ayahuasca said:

Shame the bastaque broke but I am glad he changed the saffron.

Cabbage crates over the briny I'd say.

[Huntsman]

I'm biting my nails!

[Ayahuasca]

He is currently 3 knots faster VMG... they appear to be on the same course, at this rate will close in 30 or so hours, the Frenchman is 70 odd hours from the finish... Might come down to match racing tactics!

[Ayahuasca]

Looks like a port tack across Biscay, not Alex' best side iirc.

[ou sont les biscuits]

Paddy_N_Murphy said:

So four days to go - a 100miles to claw back.


Liklihood ?

If it's true that AT's boat is quicker with the wind on starboard (because the foil is bust on that side) then I'd have thought there's a reasonable chance that he'll continue to claw back a bit of distance. Looking at the link in the first post that shows where the boats are and the winds, the worry must be that anti cyclone straight ahead of them. I think it's forecast to move north a bit, but if it doesn't, then the leading pair will have the wind on the port side on the run in to the finish line, which will hand the advantage back to the frenchman.

It's exciting!

[Steve_D]

Where is the finish?

Steve

[ou sont les biscuits]

Steve_D said:

Where is the finish?

Steve

Somewhere just off Les Sables d’Olonne. About 20 minutes outside the harbour according to this:

http://www.vendeeglobe.org/en/village-for-the-fini...

[Ayahuasca]

Down to 88 miles behind. Alex is making 2 knots better VMG.

Could catch up in 44 hours at this rate.

Armel is 60 hours from the line at his current speed.


Run out the bow-chaser!

[Flying Phil]

To have such a close finish after such a long race is fantastic - but where is the mainstream media information???

[Huntsman]

He either needs a shorter route or to sail 9% faster for the remaining distance, its going to be very close.

[MBBlat]

Flying Phil said:

To have such a close finish after such a long race is fantastic - but where is the mainstream media information???

The same place as the rest of the sailing coverage - filled in the round cabinet

TV in particular seems to like sports that are easy & cheap to film - hence wall to wall coverage of Darts & Snooker, or happen in London.

[Steve_D]

Must be a logical reason but they seem to be tracking a long way out in the Atlantic.

Without knowing the finer points of sailing I would have expected them to be cutting close across the top of Spain to run into the finish.

Steve

[Huntsman]

Steve_D said:

Must be a logical reason but they seem to be tracking a long way out in the Atlantic.

Without knowing the finer points of sailing I would have expected them to be cutting close across the top of Spain to run into the finish.

Steve

Wind.

75 miles to go and ALC only has 550 to go, Tommo no chance of winning now.

[Chris Stott]

Steve_D said:

Must be a logical reason but they seem to be tracking a long way out in the Atlantic.

Without knowing the finer points of sailing I would have expected them to be cutting close across the top of Spain to run into the finish.

Steve

These boats only work down wind/reaching - they don't work up wind. So they are having to sail more west/north to keep the wind.

Look at this, and use the +2hr button to see how they are following the weather system...

https://gis.ee/vg/

Alex has zero chance now unless something breaks on Armel's boat. He's sailed amazingly well, but losing his stbd foil was a big hurt, and Armel just sailed better in the Pacific.

[Ayahuasca]

Armel has 435 miles to go.

Alex has 477.

Armel is making 6 knots VMG - projected to finish in 72 hours

Alex is making 10 knots VMG - projected to finish in 48 hours

Lots of caveats, but..

It is still very much on!!!

[Ayahuasca]

Looks like Armel has a header coming up, will Alex tack on the header or stay with Armel and try to cover him?

[micky metro]

According to vendee globe website alex is 42.2 nm behind doing 13knots to armel,s 8 knots, it,s a cliffhanger now, only ever been won by french sailors,

[Huntsman]

Talk about a nail biter!