As the fleet leaders finally angle southwards and line up with the breeze looking more established again, Briton Sam Goodchild (VULNERABLE) has gained a useful lead at the front of the Vendée Globe fleet. As the race runs into its second week, some 300 nautical miles NWW of the Cape Verde Islands, Goodchild is nearly 40 miles ahead of Sébastien Simon (Groupe Dubreuil) who is some 65 miles to his east and 70 miles ahead of his racing stable mate Thomas Ruyant who is converging from the west on the newer VULNERABLE.
The leaders now look like they might have another 100 miles of lighter airs to cross before the NE’ly trade wind is better established but Goodchild is making a decent 13 or 14 knots boatspeed this morning. Simon, being closer to the high pressure zone of light winds to his east, remains slower.
Otherwise the usual suspects, the posse of pre-race favourites such as Charlie Dalin (MACIF Santé Prévoyance), Jérémie Beyou (Charal), Yoann Richomme (Paprec Arkéa) are all close – within 20 miles of each other – some 130 miles to the north behind Goodchild who now has the added pressure of opening the route down towards the doldrums.
But, surveying the fleet last night Jacques Caraës, from Race Direction cautions. “The fleet probably won’t not find a proper wind before tomorrow noon for those who are furthest to the West, There, it is still very light, their release will likely be in 24 hours.”
The two skippers furthest to the East, Jean Le Cam (Tout commence en Finistère – Armor-lux) and Conrad Colman (MS Amlin), are trying to make their way down the African coast. “The positive is now that they are finding a wind flow from the North,” deciphers Caraës. “On the other hand, they will have to reposition themselves to the west some time and gybe to reach the Doldrums.”
And looking at Goodchild’s lead the former round the world record holder and racer says “Even if the wind is irregular, he managed to take advantage of the local effects to make the elastic stretch”.
And Justine Mettraux (TeamWork-Team Snef) explains: “The files didn’t necessarily correspond to reality and Sam managed that very well. He was able to exploit the wind shifts at the right time rather than waiting for a wind shift in the longer term. Several of us waited for a wind shift that took a long time to come. And I’m only just starting to have that since yesterday evening”.
As might be expected the race leader remains low key and focused, last night he sent his daily video, filming himself in front of the sunset. He talks about the weather – “we had squalls, wind, rain” -, talks of the the little things of everyday life – “I was able to take my first shower and change my t-shirt” – and what’s next (“we’re heading south”). There is not a word about his position as leader. We hear him repeat “everything is fine” and assure that he “is happy to be here”. A humble leader, even in increasingly he is admired by his peers on the race course.
Éric Bellion (STAND AS ONE) competed in a Transat Jacques Vabre with Sam in 2015, finishing 7th. He is a fan who is not surprised by the skill and tenacity of the VULNERABLE skipper:
“Sam Goodchild is Sam Goodchild. In my predictions, I said that he would become the first foreigner to win the Vendée Globe. I believe in that wholeheartedly. I saw him in training, I sailed with him. He makes the right choices, he goes fast. He is an extraordinary person, an outstanding sailor. He will go very far in this Vendée Globe.”
Such warm accolades will feel massively premature to Goodchild who has built up patiently to his first Vendée Globe, sailing all classes and races and records, from Ultim giants to La Solitaire which he returned to with sponsor Leyton and came close to winning in 2020. He is only too aware that his lead might well be transient. He will have to fight tooth and nail to keep it. In their sights this week, the skippers will have to negotiate the Doldrums before continuing their descent towards the South Atlantic.
While the sailors are all getting used to the idea that this race is really, really long, the last few days have helped them get their sea legs, get used to the open sea and also deal with being away from their loved ones. “It took me a while to get into the race,” Damien Seguin (APICIL Group) confided yesterday morning. Bellion, as ever, was just as frank. His words have an almost far-reaching impact: most of the skippers have undoubtedly been affected by the same feelings, between the pain of saying goodbye and their little joys of the open sea.
Bellion said, “The sadness I felt when I left my family took up a lot of space and prevented me from being completely who I was. I had to be extra vigilant and do things very simply because a part of me wasn’t there. Now, it’s behind me. I am happy, I am where I want to be. I feel like I am extremely privileged… And I am having a blast!”
