The latest forecast is for a few squalls, cloudy skies and a
10-15 knot NNW’ly for the 29 solo sailors starting the 8th Vendée Globe
on Sunday at 1202hrs UTC. The IMOCAs will quickly be heading towards the
SW pushed along by a 15-20 knot northerly until they round Cape
Finisterre.
The first foilers should be in that area on Monday morning. “It’s
not as worrying as when a front passes over. You can feel that on the
pontoons, where the atmosphere is not as stressed. It’s going to be fast
and very intense, particularly with all the shipping and fishing boats
and around Cape Finisterre, where there are often objects floating
around,” said Jérémie Beyou (Maître CoQ).
Alex Thomson, the British skipper of Hugo Boss commented this morning: “They
are saying North, North Westerlies. It not clear how much wind there
will be at the start. Then it looks straight line to Finisterre. And
then if we can straight line to get under the Azores High is not really
fully confirmed yet. For us, the foilers, it could not be better. If I
could as for the weather this is what I would ask for.”
The
wind will strengthen as they make their way down the coast of Portugal,
with some gybes required. In short, we can look forward to a quick
start, but one that is going to be very technical. “Those who have
done a lot of training will be up there at the front. There will be an
advantage for the foilers. But we’re going to have to wait and see
whether people get 100% out of their boats or not.”
There will be a
ridge of high pressure developing between Gibraltar and the Canaries
around midday on the 8th November, which could shut the door on those
who are left behind. From the outset, the skippers will want to put
their foot down to get away from this area of light winds associated
with the high. (www.vendeeglobe.org)
Nessun commento:
Posta un commento