Transat Jacques Vabray

[DeepFrz]

They are all looking at the same weather pattern its just a matter of interpretation and strategy. Getting pushed farther and farther away from the great circle route is dangerous strategy. Its a gamble that may or may not pay off.

[Flagman101]

I think AT will tack west again tu get on the western side of that depression has it moves south
He will be flying

[DeepFrz]

Alex posted a video and they have torn a sail. He is still hopeful that the western route will work out when the leaders hit a high pressure ridge. It looks like he and a few others have committed to the western edge of the low.

[psk125]

Seems that the guys who headed towards Portugal are coming out ahead now. Will see what the weather does.

[DeepFrz]

Alex and Neal have gained 9 positions in the last day. Incredible.

[mglonnro]

"It's a bit of a shame that this western option doesn't look very nice any more, but c'est la vie. I'm glad we've got a little group here to play with. We're on good form and enjoying ourselves. Yesterday it didn't look too bad to be able to get through the ridge, but now it doesn't look quite so positive. But it's not our focus; our focus is to get to the finish and to try and learn as much as we can. Everything is still working onboard pretty much, so we are in fine fettle."

https://twitter.com/ATRacing99/statu...784126465?s=20

[DeepFrz]

Yeah, I saw that too but it looked like they were almost stopped for a while yesterday and they certainly aren't going much faster than any of the others around them most of the time. I wonder how they are making out with the sail repair?

[DeepFrz]

Alex and Neal have hit something and the keel of Hugo Boss is just hanging on by the hydraulic ram. They have retired from the race and will try to make it to shore.

[marty9876]

Originally Posted by DeepFrz

Alex and Neal have hit something and the keel of Hugo Boss is just hanging on by the hydraulic ram. They have retired from the race and will try to make it to shore.

Yikes, I don’t follow ocean racing much at all but Alex seems to have a lot of bad luck.

Looks like the guys are ok, hopefully they can make it into port with no further issues.

[DeepFrz]

They said it happened this morning but I had suspected they were having other problems yesterday as they had slowed dramatically. However, they did also say they had been sailing at around 25 knots when they hit the object.

I wonder if this will effect Alex's bid to enter the Vendee Globe?

[mglonnro]

Originally Posted by DeepFrz

They said it happened this morning but I had suspected they were having other problems yesterday as they had slowed dramatically. However, they did also say they had been sailing at around 25 knots when they hit the object.

I wonder if this will effect Alex's bid to enter the Vendee Globe?

How does it work? On the Vendee site they say he needs a 2000 mile solo race with the new boat to qualify, so completing this double-handed one wouldn't have made a difference in that respect?

Hopefully they will get the boat sorted out quickly, though

[DeepFrz]

Originally Posted by mglonnro

How does it work? On the Vendee site they say he needs a 2000 mile solo race with the new boat to qualify, so completing this double-handed one wouldn't have made a difference in that respect?

Hopefully they will get the boat sorted out quickly, though

I do believe that skippers who have completed a previous Vendee Globe already qualify.

[mglonnro]

Originally Posted by DeepFrz

I do believe that skippers who have completed a previous Vendee Globe already qualify.

Yes, but with a new boat he needs 2000 new solo miles. Don’t know if it has to be during a competition or not. See: https://www.vendeeglobe.org/en/news/...e-vendee-globe

EDIT: Just checked that it doesn’t have to be a race.

[DeepFrz]

I do know that he had over 4,000 miles on the boat before the race but I don't know how many of those were solo and not sure what they mean by "make an approved solo passage of 2000 miles". It would be a shame if he couldn't qualify after all that time, money and effort put into the new boat.

[DeepFrz]

Update on their situation here:
https://www.alexthomsonracing.com/bl...xYqCUHSPNdGLNc