Since leaving Le Sables d’Olonne, Charlie Dalin has led the group of the fleet that made the decision to gain the maximum west longitude and then begin the ascent towards Iceland with favorable winds from the low pressures coming from the American continent over the waters. of the North Atlantic Ocean.
A tactical decision that has had its whites and darks during the transitions of the fronts that were arriving from the west, which initially greatly favored the group of IMOCAS with straight drifts (older OPEN60) over the modern ones with their hydrofoils. Getting to produce a lateral separation between the leaders of the groups in more than one hundred miles to the west of Ireland.
It is well known that in sailing regattas the distance between two points does not have to be covered in a straight line, which are the least, “a good curve” just as a parabolic resolves to arrive before the others.
So we have seen how Dalin maintained this tactic since last Sunday, June 12, 2022, when the second edition of the Vendée Arctique began.
In the report at 7:49 p.m. last Wednesday, Dalin is in first position with the «Apivia», 460 miles from the eastern crossing point of Iceland and with an advantage of 32 miles over the «Monnoyeur – Duo for a Job » by Benjamin Ferré, 86 miles over Guirec Soudée’s «Frelance.com» third, 94 miles over Beyou’s «Charal» and 123 miles over Thomas Ruyant’s fifth «Linkedout».
At 01:51 today, Thursday, Dalin gybes the «Apivia» to starboard, gybing again to port at 06:10 this morning to approach the vertical that will take him to the East Iceland Passage and sailing further speed of 19 knots, which will drop in the next few hours when arriving at the stern but will clearly recover when it gybes again.
The footsteps of the “Apivia” are followed by the “Charal”, at more than 100 miles, the “Linkedout” at 138 miles, the “Monnoyeur – Duo for a Job” and “Frelance.com” at 160 miles from the leader. With a second group that is more than 200 miles away with Antoine Cornic at the helm aboard the “EBAC Literie”; a third group over 300 miles led by Isabelle Joschke in 17th place overall with the «MACSF».
In the last few hours, the light wind was wearing down even the most experienced and mentally strong sailors. “Breaking a cable does not change things. You learn to maintain a firm psychology and do your best to go for the new wind. We have no other option,” said Giancarlo Pedote (Prysmian Group). Damien Seguin (APICIL Group) is along the same lines: “I’m not someone who gets nervous on my boat, I’m quite zen, but I hate calm. I try to stay calm, even if it’s nervously complicated. A casualty coming from the west will reorganize the flow and will allow us to climb towards Iceland quite quickly.”
