If anyone thought the racing between these foiling monohulls in The America's Cup would be boring, today showed how wrong they were. It was the most exciting race we have seen yet. There were nine lead changes between Luna Rossa and Ineos Team UK, which kept everyone on the edge of their seats. It was an epic race. In the end Ineos won by 33 seconds, but most of that lead came in the last few metres of the race. So team Ineos go through to the semifinals with a record of five wins from five races. It's been a brilliant showing by the British team and a complete reversal of their performance before Christmas.
With between four and five days to the finish of the Vendée Globe in Les Sables, as so often it is the movement of the Azores High Pressure system, currently centred over Madeira, which will have the final say in this incredibly close Vendée Globe race.
Apivia and Bureau Vallée were neck and neck out in front last night, but Bureau Vallée has now headed more north and slowed at the moment although she has stronger SW’ly winds whereas the others still have southerlies. He has obviously decided that the winds will be stronger further north, unless he has developed a problem. There are five boats close behind, within 230 miles of the lead which have also to get north out of the southerly winds. There won’t be much sleep amongst that leading group.
With boats finishing so close to each other, the redress granted by the International Jury for time lost by competitors who assisted with the rescue of Kevin Escoffier, takes on huge importance. In fact it could be decisive. It is a straight blast for the finish line for the two leaders who were not involved in that rescue so did not receive redress. But three of the leading group do have redress. This is time that will be deducted from their finishing times, and, with the boats so close, could change final positions.
Seaexplorer-Yacht Club de Monaco, Boris Herrmann - 6 hours redress
Maître CoQ, Yannick Bestaven - 10 hours, 15 minutes redress
Yes We Cam, Jean Le Cam - 16 hours, 15 minutes redress
Boris Herrmann is only 88 miles behind the lead and has covered 72 miles in the last 4 hours. If he can maintain the same speed as the two leading boats, he will win but it is incredibly close. The gap for Yannick Bestaven is 167 miles and Jean Le Cam is 402 miles back in 8th place. In theory, once redress is applied any of these three could still win.
Pip Hare has found the easterlies at last, whilst Miranda was getting a pummeling but the wind has now eased as they approach Cape Horn
The Maxi Trimaran Edmond de Rothschild, which was a holding a lead of 860 miles on the target for the Jules Verne trophy, has sustained irreparable damage to her starboard float rudder stock and has had to retire. A bitter disappointment to the crew.