The Pacific is anything but calm for the fleet in this 9th edition of the Vendée Globe. The battle is fierce both at the front and in the middle of the pack, while at the back they’re recharging their batteries whenever they can.
For several days now, the sailors have been dealing with successive and active Pacific fronts. It’s not easy to tend to the boats’ wounds under these conditions. With the repair of the hydrogenerator completed, Alexia Barrier can set sail again. At least with the sails she has left… Because the Maralpine has only six sails out of seven, after the tearing of her small gennaker. An old sail recovered at the last minute, which lasted until halfway through the course. It’s not easy to manage without this element, supposed to be used in mixed conditions like those currently experienced in the Pacific, south of New Zealand. “I don’t feel at home in the southern seas. I feel like a visitor; they are truly impressive. The birds have accepted me, but it’s quite a hostile place for humans I find,” notes the Azuréenne, who had very little experience navigating there before.
Regarding the race situation, Alexia Barrier remains firmly in 25th place. Overtaken yesterday morning by Sam Davis, who continues her Vendée Globe out of the rankings, the goal is now to catch up mile by mile with Miranda Meron and Clément Giraud, her two adventure companions who took off at the moment when TSE-4myplanet needed care! “I am going to try to catch up with the others, but I had to take care of my boat and it took a lot of energy. Now we’re back on track, I think we can compete with them in the Atlantic, but they are a bit ahead of me in front of Miranda and Clément,” she explains without losing hope of catching up with them before the end of the race.
Nonetheless, she still has quite a bit of time to make up her delay and perhaps break into the top 20, which would be a real feat considering the difference in equipment available to her compared to the other skippers.
