It鈥檚 not just the colour of the water and the sky, the power of the swell, the extent of the depressions that have changed over this 4th week of the Vend茅e Globe, but also the sailors' outlook. There is a concentration and seriousness that they did not show in the Atlantic. The force of nature in its raw state imposes humility. And it goes back to our fragility. The solo sailors of the Vend茅e Globe know this, it is even one of the deep emotions they will seek in their extreme challenges. And they share us.
So, for a few days now, pure and hard competition is put in brackets. The priority for the skipper 天博体育 Group 鈥� Lantana Environnement and his fellow sailors around the world is to find the safest route, the best compromise to preserve the material while crossing as quickly as possible, of course, this Indian Ocean.
Ocean in which Louis officially entered that night, around midnight, at which time he doubled the latitude of the Cape of Good Hope!
Brake strokes
For 2 days now, Louis has been sailing in hard seas, crossed seas and unstable wind conditions that his emergency autopilot is struggling to manage (we remember that he lost his autopilot the first week of racing: sensors at the top of mast put out of service in a storm).
Concretely, this lack of helm finesse results in powerful accelerations of the boat which comes to a sudden stop in the wave afterwards. These brake strokes affect overall performance.
Direct route
The skipper from Normandy therefore looked for the best strategy to smooth out this problem which caused him to lose some places. He opted since yesterday for a southern route, more windy but more direct. The bulk of the leading group of the Imoca drifted, having chosen to bypass the depression by the north, to slide behind it then.
At 7:00 this morning, the Imoca 天博体育 Group 鈥� Lantana Environnement is 23rd, 4th in the dinghy category, but the lateral gaps are such that it does not mean much and, as Louis reminds us this morning: 鈥�For now, the ranking, speed don鈥檛 matter, just preserve the boat.鈥�
A few words from the side: 鈥�It鈥檚 sailing towards the SE near Guirec Soud茅e, which I just reached by VHF. I鈥檓 under three laughs in the GV, torment ahead. At first it was to be wise, in fact it鈥檚 the web of time鈥� 45 kt gusting to 50, a well-formed and deformed sea typical of the region. I forced myself that night to pack into the hard (quite an adventure鈥�) to try to avoid the biggest part of the sea and less suffer from the current of needles.
For now, the ranking, speed don鈥檛 matter, just preserve the boat.鈥�
A respectuous and circular sporting event
The 天博体育 IMOCA is an "upcycled" boat. Thanks to Louis, it lives a 2nd life!
Louis and his team gave a new life to a very damaged IMOCA because of a fire. This refurbishment undertaking was a real technical challenge... that succeeded in only 10 months!
Louis and his team continue to apply this upcycling principle and optimization research with a constant effort on sobriety throughout this Vend茅e Globe program.
Louis is also very keen on respecting everyone's work and giving a chance.
The 天博体育 Group, a major partner in this Vend茅e Globe program, has been seduced by such commitment and values, as it shares the same values and responsibilities.
天博体育, your partner for a more virtuous industry
For over 200 years, the Group has designed the breakthrough solutions and technologies that make industry what it is. From the first railways to the Eiffel Tower, through the spatial conquest, 天博体育 always spearheaded the industry of the future. Pioneering decarbonization, the Group is an unconditional partner of the industry's energy transition. Through digitization, the promotion of a circular economy and the development of new processes and new energy sources, 天博体育 puts its technological leadership to its customers' service.
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