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A 13-hour repair campaign prevented the race from ending prematurely. Now the yacht is no longer fully efficient for the last 17,000 kilometers.
Unattainable goal: After several incidents, Alan Roura is in 16th place. The top 10 are far behind.
Photo: Instagram @alan_roura
There are still more than 17,000 kilometers between Alan Roura and Les Sables-d’Olonne, the starting port and destination of the Vendée Globe, the toughest regatta. It started there more than eight weeks ago, so more than half of it is finished. But the end will not be easy because the Roura “La Fabrique” yacht is no longer completely efficient. You definitely can’t fix problems with keel lifters. “I’m not 100 percent in the race anymore,” said the sole Swiss participant. “It is difficult to accept, but I want to finish this trip around the world.” It will continue as long as your safety is not in danger.
The race was not without incident for Roura. On Christmas days there was even a threat of demolition. But after consulting with his crew on land and a 13-hour repair campaign at sea, he was able to prevent his voyage from ending prematurely.
Leading past Cape Horn
But he will not achieve his goal of finishing the Vendée in the top 10 and in less than 80 days. It currently ranks 16th, more than 4,000 kilometers from French leader Yannick Bestaven, who recently passed Cape Horn. He arrived at the famous monument in the extreme south of Chile on Saturday after 55 days and 22 minutes at sea. His second rival, Charlie Dalin, followed 14 hours and 56 minutes later on Sunday.
Alan Roura (the orange boat bottom left) is far behind the leader.
Photo: Screenshot vendeeglobe.org
The slowness of the 9th edition of the Vendée Globe due to the often unusual conditions in its first two-thirds can be measured by the first steps of Cape Horn: Bestaven’s best time in the current race is behind the record set by the last winner of the Vendée Globe, Armel Le Cléac About eight days later. Initial storms, less pronounced trade winds in the Atlantic and looser sections in the Pacific did not allow the field to move as fast as expected.
The arrival of the best at Les Sables-d’Olonne is expected at the end of January. Until then, the long final stretch will run with the next ascent to the Atlantic. Of the 33 participants who started, only 27 will tackle it. Six have already had to give up the toughest regatta in the world.
