Thanks to the good weather conditions over the past three days, Alexia Barrier should cross the finish line this weekend if all goes well.
After 108 days of racing, Isabelle Joschke has successfully arrived at Les Sables d’Olonne. She, who had set off again outside the competition just a few miles from Alexia Barrier, quickly took the lead thanks to her much more efficient boat. Now, the next expected arrival, also outside of the competition, is none other than the British sailor Sam Davies. Then, it will be time for our local skipper to taste the relief of concluding this round-the-world journey.
Since Sunday, the Azuréenne has been sailing at high speed thanks to favorable winds, which allowed her to bring forward her arrival date. However, the upwind conditions are expected to be less generous, slowing down the “Pingouin” in its great progress. “The front has passed so I executed a jibe last night (Tuesday) and I should normally take in a reef but I am waiting a bit longer. I’m spacing out the maneuvers to have time to breathe in between and to recover, but it works this way. I just cannot use the coffee grinder, so I’m turning the handles on the winches,” explains Alexia, who seems to have adapted well to her handicap over the past week.
While her voice is more cheerful due to the imminent arrival, the challenges remain present, and anticipation is essential: “I am less than 700 miles from the arrival (even less than 600 last night), so that’s motivating. The pain is always there, but I still manage to maneuver; I just need to take my time and not overdo it.” Now, she has to sail along the Portuguese coast before heading back towards Vendée in a part of the ocean she knows like the back of her hand but which can hold surprises until the last moments of the race. Caution is advised until this weekend.
