This Thursday morning, after almost 3 weeks of racing, the skipper Fives Group – Lantana Environnement is in the leading group of the Imoca dinghies. This great performance is the result of an option that Louis Duc has been working on for more than a week. “I am very happy to be in the leading group of the drifters, on a well-worked positioning,” smiles the Norman who is preparing, with desire and for the first time ever, to sail in the South Seas: “we will be there on Sunday or Monday.”
The Vendée Globe’s solo sailors will soon have three weeks of racing in their wake. One third of the time, a big quarter of the distance was covered. Already. And if the foilers and their skippers, in single file and straight in the slope, impress by their unprecedented speeds, the drifting boats engage themselves in an exciting game of fine strategy at the oceanic scale.
I am so happy!
Between the supporters of the East, the centrists and the West option of the skipper Fives Group – Lantana Environnement, the fleet of Imoca dinghies has been making up for 10 days, each on its way, with the whims of the trade winds of the northern hemisphere, then the vagaries of the doldrums and, Now, the high of Saint Helena. It was necessary to anticipate and hold on to his option, until the end: what Louis Duc knew how to do: “I’ve been struggling for several days to get the boat moving, make a good trajectory, to be well positioned in relation to clouds and fluctuations of the front and I’m happy: it finally paid off. Jean Le Cam was 200 miles ahead of us on goal, we are now at the same level.”
Faster
For several days now, the Imoca with its big flower, despite unstable conditions, has been the fastest of its group: «my West offset allows me to have a better angle compared to the wind than the others. And the more you’re in front, the more wind should come back. ” That was part of the strength of this western strategy.
meager fare
In the next three days, however, Louis should lose ground: “we will have a phase at the bearing where, without spi, I could not keep pace, but it is not very serious, I will not be too far. I position myself to keep an angle and not get left behind.” Always anticipate and be positive, to perform and see far.
Boat and sailor in shape
After his troubles of the first days of racing, Louis no longer had to regret and repair: «Everything is fine on board, I manage to sleep well, I am in shape. I will do a full boat check before the South Seas.”
Dive into the unknown
In 4-5 days, Louis will enter areas unknown to him. And so long awaited, dreamed. “We should be at the level of the archipelago of Tristan da Cunha on Sunday afternoon, it is by 35° South… There, it will start to change the atmosphere: we return to low pressure systems,” comments the Norman with greed!
Message from Louis received this morning:
Good morning, everyone,
This morning, I’m happy! Even almost proud, to find myself a few miles away at the goal of Jean Le Cam, and in front of the entire fleet of drifting boats.
For several days I’ve been ruminating, exploiting the laughs, looking for a trajectory to find wind, a good angle to go fast, shifted more than 200 miles from the head of the fleet at a time with 100 miles behind in distance on goal, here I am back in the game.
Also happy to see that the boat is in the game in terms of performance, which highlights the work done by the whole team for 4 years to modify it.
I can see that we are focused on foilers which are driving the counters crazy, with extraordinary averages: more than 600 miles in 24 hours on a monohull alone, it’s scary and it fascinates me too, but things also happen higher in latitude…
The loss of sails (my spis 3 days after departure), which has already penalized me a lot in the light winds at Cape Verde, may cause me harm in the coming days (as well as Clarisse and Justine) and make me lose what I just won, The Commission has not yet adopted a proposal for a directive on the protection of the environment.
In general, a loss of sail is often linked to human error: bad maneuver, inattention, lack of control, accompanied by a small part of bad luck...
In short there is nothing to complain about, we have to deal with what remains of us, all the boats will have troubles at a time, the race has just started the hardest awaits us!
Have a good day
Louis
A respectuous and circular sporting event
The Fives 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 Vendée Globe program.
Louis is also very keen on respecting everyone's work and giving a chance.
The Fives Group, a major partner in this Vendée Globe program, has been seduced by such commitment and values, as it shares the same values and responsibilities.
Fives, 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, Fives 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, Fives puts its technological leadership to its customers' service.
www.fivesgroup.com