Situation: almost normal
The 33 IMOCA race boats are primed and ready for 8 November when the start gun will sound for the 2020 Vendée Globe.
29 October 2020
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Anticipation is growing for the 2020 Vendée Globe among the fleet as the countdown continues to one of the toughest single-handed yacht races in the world.
British skipper Sam Davies on the IMOCA Initiatives-Coeur commented on the pre-race hype: “I do enjoy this pre-start phase. It’s the first real feeling of accomplishment to be here on the start line with your project ready, and there is always a special atmosphere with the skippers here. I am relieved to be here. It is maybe a little more subdued, but that is to be expected.”
Technical Director of Alex Thomson Racing Team, Ross Daniel, reported: “Alex sailed the boat for the last time before he went home to England after the last mandatory checks. We had a few sails come back and checked them; there are just a few final detail jobs to do.
“The boat is ready to do the Vendée Globe – that is the position we wanted to be in and are in.”
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“We were a bit concerned about how productive this period would be with the restrictions here, but in fact, we have got more done. We are in good shape. Alex is isolating at home now with his family. They will not be able to come over for the start, so this is valuable time for them together.
“He will return on the 31st to start the final isolation before the start. We agreed on a strict COVID-19 policy with all our team and stakeholders from Day 1, and have had our plans and processes in place for a long time.”
Behind the scenes, there are still jobs to do on the boats and time is taken to go out on to the water and make final checks. Seventeen trips have been made in total. There will be a lot more checking of sails, electronics, keel hydraulics and foil checks. These final sail tests are allowed until the end of next week. Sébastien Simon received his second foil on Thursday for his Arkea Paprec.
At the same time, security checks to Offshore Special Regs Cat 0, a verification that all the required safety equipment is in place, up to date and working, has been underway.
Race Director of the Vendée Globe, Jacques Caraës, confirmed: “Overall, apart from a few small teams that still have some odds and ends to complete, the boats are very much ready.”
The skippers are preparing to isolate themselves in the company of their chosen bubble, most often their nearest and dearest. Skipper confinement is mandatory from 1 November but many French skippers will be stricter than the minimum and will return home.
Next on the official agenda for the skippers is the announcement on 30 October of the second version of the Antarctic exclusion zone – the positions that will draw the line marking the ice zone that the solo skippers must not cross, but which can be updated during the race in the event of new data – based on the latest observations made by CLS.
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