The Doldrums did not give up the Vendée Globe leaders as easily as was initially predicted but first placed Charlie Dalin (Apivia) appears to have skirted round the worst of a dynamic cloud system and emerged this afternoon with his margin intact.

Dalin’s more easterly position and his timing seems to have kept him away from a nasty zone of cloud and light winds which slowed Germany’s Boris Herrmann for a period today, conceding third place on the leaderboard to Thomas Ruyant (LinkedOut). 

The top five boats are emerging from what – even so – seems a relatively painless passage across The Doldrums and the two yellow hulled IMOCAs Bureau Vallée 2 and Apivia remain head to head in a speed match as they start the five day long climb up the North Easterly trade winds.

Herrmann’s seems to have lost 40 miles or so in the cloudy mess but his demeanour remains totally even, confirming today that he feels no additional stress from his position in the vanguard of this Vendée Globe, challenging well to finish on the podium.

“To be honest I feel good, I try on this Vendée Globe each day one day at a time. I try not to think about the past or the future too much. I am sticking to that same pattern, I don’t even realise that we are racing for the Vendée Globe here. For me it is race to the next sked, almost. That keeps my heart a bit lighter, it is more playful.  I am not feeling any stress, any pressure. I hope that is not a bad thing.” Herrmann smiled today on the link with the Vendée Live show.

Guest today Pete Goss, the British skipper and adventurer who raced on the 1996 race and was awarded the MBE and French Legion d’Honneur for his rescue of fellow competitor Raphael Dinelli after turning his boat and sailing two days back upwind in stormy winds and seas, observed: “I think that (Boris’ view) is a very positive way to go about things generally. There is no point in pondering over the past or worrying about what might happen in the future. Being able to be positive 24 hours a day, seven days a week is a very strong thing on this race. I think Boris has it just right.”  Goss said.

Herrmann explained to the French audience: “I didn't sleep much last night, with squalls in the doldrums. The sea and the sky are a mess, you can feel that we are entering the North Atlantic. There's a huge swell and a chop in all directions, it slows the boat down a lot. Tonight, I should be in a stable trade wind. We're going through the stages one after the other, quite quickly, which is good.  At the latitude of Recife, I've started to go west, to foil. For a while I lost quite a few miles because I was a bit low, a bit slow. I had been looking at the satellite imagery of the doldrums that it went better in the West. Today this is not really the case anymore... We'll see tonight.”

Miranda Merron at Cape Horn
British racer Miranda Merron passed Cape Horn in 22nd place, exhausted but elated after a fast, but challenging run in to the famous landmark she first passed on Amer Sports Too in the Volvo Ocean Race in 2002, sailing as navigator on the all-women crew skippered. Her accomplished race so far is a major success for her and her partner Halvard Mabire who do the majority of the preparation and project management themselves.

In 17th Pip Hare today had to deal with a problem with her keel canting system when one of the control lines snapped and she had to replace it. The British skipper has been trying to avoid the worst of a nasty low pressure system 520 miles SE of Uruguay.

"I passed Point Nemo yesterday and around 2,000 miles from Cape Horn. Sam (Davies) and I exchange and talk about the weather. She is very brave to be doing the course outside of the race and having her close to me really gives you a boost to the morale because it is not the nicest of places to be."

Alexia Barrier – TSE 4myplanet - briefly on LIVE

"We chat quite a lot with Alexia and discuss how things are going on board and it is just so nice to feel that there is someone who is not that far away when all the others are so far ahead. It is so nice to have someone to share the trip with."

Sam Davies – Initiaitves Coeur - briefly on LIVE

“I am on course and now positioned where I am and that I can’t change. The weather can change a lot and in just five hours the ranking can completely change. I am just hanging on and looking to hook into the trades to get the smell of home!

I have looked after my boat and it is in great condition now, I can sail it well. I think I have the smallest tips in the fleet of foiling boats, but for me it is my first Vendée, and my first trip around the world, so I think it was good like this. After this race I can think about it for future boats. Right now, I foil after the others, that is for sure.

I have discovered a lot about myself on the race, on land you realise that there are a lot of things that can make you happy and here you get confined for some time and it will make you really appreciate getting back on land, despite the health situation not being all that simple for the coming months. My family and my children are on shore and thanks to this experience I think I will appreciate each moment I spend with them more. As a result of this I will be much more present in the moment and it will really improve quality of life.” 

Giancarlo Pedote, Prysmian Group on LIVE

"It's going well: I've taken this most obvious option. A more "classic" route to the East meant that I had to do two or three days of upwind sailing in strong winds: it wasn't very motivating. But now I have to manage to get back to the East! But it's looking pretty good since I managed to get around the first centre of low pressure, and the second one is for tomorrow... The night was superb, starry, magnificent but with very little wind because I'm in between the two areas.

I have a few hours like this at around ten knots all the same. Yesterday was great with twenty knots of downwind wind, flat seas and great sunshine! A little corner of paradise after the South Seas... And I was making up miles and the temperatures were also going up. I am still sailing with my friend Didac Costa but I have managed to get a bit ahead of him... And Pip Hare is not very far to the East: it's getting tighter. It is really satisfying to catch up with them.

Yesterday I felt a bit of a knock and when I went out, it was an incredible pile of seaweed, fortunately rather soft. But for now, I have the opportunity to go up with downwind conditions towards Brazil and I will be able to reach Cabo Frio quickly. I must take advantage of this breeze to move back to the East and then get the trade winds after. But I'll have to tack upwind..."

Stéphane Le Diraison / Time for Oceans
 

Ranking 17:00 UTC          
 
1. Charlie Dalin Burton [Apivia ]—> 3,039.01 nm from the finish
2. Louis Burton [ Bureau Vallée 2 ] —> 7.29 nm from the lead
3. Thomas Ruyant [ LinkedOut ] —> 46.49 nm to leader
4. Boris Herrmann [ SeaExplorer - Yacht Club de Monaco ]—> 66.32 nm to leader
5. Yannick Bestaven [ Maître CoQ IV ] —> 78 nm to leader

Click here for current ranking

Image: Charlie Dalin Burton  Apivia