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(June 19, 2023; Day 5) – The Ocean Race is being led by the VO65s that lead the charge south, towards Cape Finisterre and the coast of Portugal. However, boat speeds are often under 10 knots and the choice for the decision-makers on board is bleak – push south into lighter winds, or further west, away from the target.
“It’s looking very quiet, not so much wind… very slow,” was the succinct summary from Nico Lunven on Team Malizia.
While Yoann Richomme, leading the navigation duties on the IMOCA furthest to the south – Team Holcim-PRB – offered up a more vivid description, even if the ultimate conclusion is the same.
“We are in the middle of the Bay of Biscay, going west – west – to get away from some light winds between France and Spain,” he said. “Then we are going to try to go down south along the coast of Portugal. it will be light this afternoon, then a little bit windier as we turn south to go down but then Portugal looks very, very light.”
The story is similar no matter which of the five VO65s or three IMOCAs you are racing on. It’s a challenge to pick a route south that has enough wind to keep the boat moving consistently. Today, gambling on a spot further west seems to be paying…
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