While some have already crossed the equator after only 10 days of racing, the back of the fleet is beginning to find more favorable winds.
After spending more than three days waiting to escape the doldrums southwest of the Canaries, the sailors are smiling, the sails are filling, and the appendages are singing. Finally, some wind! The gauges finally show double-digit speeds. Alexia is finally gliding into the trade winds, those northeast tradewinds that are sometimes unstable but allow for a longer stride.
However, the arrival of these much-desired winds means efforts must be made to take advantage of them. Last night aboard “TSE-4myplanet” was one of the most intense to prepare for these favorable climatic conditions. “I think I’ve earned a good breakfast,” Alexia Barrier rejoiced, visibly happy to have completed her maneuvers of lowering the spinnaker without light, in the dark, and hoisting the gennaker.
In any case, this nighttime activity allowed her to gain a bit more speed, reaching an average of 20 km/h. The standings are extremely tight as only eight nautical miles separate Alexia’s IMOCA from Miranda Merron’s just ahead. Perhaps a chance for a little hello upon waking tomorrow morning, just to share a brief moment between sailors!
There are still 42,000 kilometers left for Alexia Barrier in her quest to complete the Vendée Globe.
