While Yannick Bestaven savors his victory with just a narrow three-hour lead, after applying his time bonus, Alexia Barrier takes advantage of a moment of calm to care for her boat, far from the photographers’ flashes at the finish line.
If the atmosphere is joyful at the finish line, it is also pleasant off the coast of Argentina. So far, eight IMOCA boats have crossed the finish line within 24 hours. This represents incredibly close gaps never before seen in a race of this magnitude, all after more than 80 days of racing.
Still far from these considerations, Alexia Barrier continues her steady journey at an average speed of around ten knots: “The plan involves adjustments and reading. Keeping the boat moving remains the number one objective. The weather conditions are quite variable, so I have to keep up… Finding inspiration in reading to stay motivated. Telling myself that women, fighters, are embarking on essential and far more challenging races than the Vendée Globe,” she reflects while reading Carola Rackete’s “It’s time to act.”
Indeed, it’s a time for rest but also for repairs, as the great south has taken its toll, starting with the hydrogenerator, which has broken down again: “It ripped off once more… and I don’t have much diesel left, which is my biggest concern. My main satellite antenna no longer works, my desalination system is leaking, so I have a lot of repairs to do. If I could spend a week at anchor, I’d have plenty to keep me busy, but that’s not my goal.”
Because the objective is indeed to return home before the end of February. For that, she will have to rely on fairly favorable weather, which hasn’t really been the case so far!
