Fifty days already and soon halfway for Alexia Barrier. Slowly but surely, the azure sailor’s monohull is accumulating miles.
After having struggled past Cape Leeuwin last night, TSE-4myplanet is now confidently continuing its sixth Vendée Globe. Despite the fatigue that is beginning to set in, Alexia Barrier celebrated with champagne early this morning to mark her passage past the second of the race’s three capes. This important milestone now signifies that half of her race is completed in fifty days.
By comparison, this is 20 days more than the record set four years ago by Armel Le Cléac’h. This significant gap is explained by the meteorological challenges the competitors have faced since the start. The weather is also disrupting the plans of the Maralpine, particularly her goal to complete this world tour in 97 days. To achieve this objective, it will be necessary to be clever in gaining speed without overdoing it and risking damage to the 23-year-old boat.
Given the conditions at the front of the race, the coming days are not going to be easy. Even today, it’s Stéphane Le Diraison’s turn to put his IMOCA on standby to try to repair his mainsail hook carriage.
To hell with records and other goals, it’s important to enjoy the present moment and go as far as possible in the best possible conditions. See you in another half-century?
