Latest news and media
Dalin, Beyou Ruyant pass the Iceland gate to safety. Cousin abandons.
With the three leading skippers having passed the Iceland gate and so ‘neutralising’ their races, effectively now waiting until the bad weather clears sufficiently for them to restart, the remainder of the fleet are dealing with the big, developing low pressure system which forced the race…
Vendée Arctique – Les Sables d’Olonne: the race course is shortened, stopped at the Iceland gate
The strong low pressure system in the North Atlantic near Iceland which is hitting the fleet still racing on the Vendée Arctique Les Sables d’Olonne has proven to be more dangerous than first forecast. The race direction has decided to make the Iceland Gate – to the east of Iceland – the finish…
Beyou through too
Jérémie Beyou, the solo skipper of Charal passed through the Iceland gate this Friday morning at 6h 04 min HF. He completed the first part of the course in 4 days, 13 hours and 4 minutes, 3 hours 43 minutes and 34 seconds after the leader, Charlie Dalin. Jérémie Beyou had said he "was always…
Dalin is first to gate and his race goes on hold
Charlie Dalin, the solo skipper of APIVIA was the first to pass the gate set in the south-east of Iceland overnight from Thursday to Friday at 02:23:20hrs HF, 00:23:20 UTC. He completed this first part of the course in 4 days, 9 hours, 23 minutes and 20 seconds. After taking a very western option…
Dalin First, Safety First.
Charlie Dalin led through the Iceland gate at 02:23:20hrs HF (00:23:20 UTC) and puts his race on hold following last night’s decision by the organisation of the Vendée-Arctique-Les Sables d’Olonne for solo skippers to suspend racing when they pass this gate. The decision was taken because of a…
An explanation for the decision to put racing on hold
The decision by the Organization is because of a low pressure system which is threatening the fleet. The skippers are likely to face tough conditions and the back of the fleet already have more than 40kts at times and gusts to 60kts. Christian Dumard, the race meteorologist and Yoann Richomme,…
News from Pip Hare on board Medallia
Pip Hare is moving again and heading north in good spirits on board Medallia, but she has had a few problems.......
Conrad Colman finding the double dose of calms tough
Stuck in two calm zones one after the other and having suffered several techncial breakdowns including the loss of a spinnaker, Kiwi Conrad Colman is finding the going tough psychologically, especially with an IMOCA which has had litle work done to it since finished tenth in the last Vendee Globe…
Rookie Kings For A Day?
As the leaders of the Vendée Arctique Les Sables d’Olonne race start to escape a wide band of very light airs to the SW of Ireland, it is two of the IMOCA rookie skippers on older style non-foiling IMOCA boats who are holding the lead thanks to their position in the east of the fleet. But 100 miles…
Hard times for the head in the calm zone
Tales from the calm zone. Skippers report this morning.
Dalin leads by 100 miles. Zen and art of staying calm in the calm.
With a few exceptions the 24 sailors on the Vendée Arctique – Les Sables d’Olonne race around Iceland now have downwind conditions. After the main body of the fleet spent more than 24 hours snared in a wide band of calm most have escaped and are making decent speeds northwards in valiant pursuit of…
Vendée Arctique Les Sables d’Olonne Course Is Altered, The Fleet Won’t Pass North of Iceland
In the face of a forecast for deep low pressure system set to bring strong gales in the area of Iceland, the organisation of the Vendée Arctique Les Sables d’Olonne race this morning took the decision to change the scheduled course to eliminate the passage round to the north of Iceland for the 24…
Always an adventure. Iceland no more.
Race direction of the Vendée Arctique Les Sables d’Olonne took the decision on Thursday morning to cut out the westwards passage around the top of Iceland because of the threat of northerly gales gusting to 50 knots between Friday and Saturday. In the strong, gusty winds along with big, confused…
For safety reasons the Vendée Arctique Les Sables d’Olonne race is neutralized
The deterioration of the weather conditions in the North Atlantic have forced the organisation on the Vendée Arctique Les Sables d’Olonne race to make a difficult decision. The race will be neutralized after passing through the virtual gate located in the southeast of Iceland. The leading skipper…
From the fleet this morning
A few overnight messages from the fleet including race leader Benjamin Ferre
Amused leader Ferré resists in the east, Iceland on Friday
As the Vendée Arctique Les Sables d’Olonne race rolls into the third day, the older generation daggerboard IMOCA boats and their skippers who positioned themselves in the east, closer to the Irish coast, continue to profit with more wind and are resisting the sporadic advances of Charlie Dalin …
Fast Ferré Gliding North With Race Lead
Racing about 110 miles SW of Ireland’s Fastnet rock, trying to escape zone of light winds caused by a ridge of high pressure, on the second morning of the Vendée Arctique Les Sables d’Olonne race, it is IMOCA rookie Benjamin Ferré who is credited with the race lead thanks to his position to the…
Update from Pip Hare on Medallia
British skipper Pip Hare reports this afternoon:
