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News – Wind in the Indian Ocean – Monday 05 December 2016, 17h37 Vendée Globe 2016-2017

The two leaders are sailing at high speeds ahead of a front  – article by Vendée Globe website


weather datas©Great Circle

The two leaders are sailing at high speeds ahead of a front. Sébastien Josse who had to slow down because of technical problems has decided to sail South in a less windy zone for Tuesday along the Antarctic Exlusion Zone. It is SMA (Paul Meilhat) today who is sailing in the toughest conditions at the back of this low pressure system with heavy seas and more than 30 knots of wind.

Jean-Pierre Dick and Yann Eliès are in the same system. They have a nice trajectory in a steady Northwesterly flow which should accompany them for a few more hours. Behind, Jean Le Cam and Thomas Ruyant are downwind and have to jibe. The gap should thus increase between the two groups.

We see on the second chart that the depression which concerns the head of the fleet will move on Tuesday to the South of the ice limit. Boats will therefore remain in westerly winds between 30 and 40 knots. The second depression is forming to the east of the first one. The four leading boats are going to continue to deal with this system until the end of the week.

For Kito de Pavant (the most easterly boat on the third chart), conditions  remain tough while for the rest of the fleet Monday is a rather quiet day before the next depression hits the back of the fleet. It should allow some of them to carry out repairs and to get ready for the days ahead which will be windy.

© Great Circle CD / BS – Great Circle