Leg 3: updates

16.09.20 10:30 CEST: position 11th / speed 3.8 knots / distance from leader 1.5 nautical miles

Unbelievable. Bunched up next to each other edging ever closer to the finish..

Light winds are expected right until the crossing line with an ETA of late this afternoon. As at 10:30 CEST the top ten boats were all within 1.5 nautical miles of the leader, including Phil. We can only imagine how exhausted the skippers are fighting to catch every breath of breeze, with speeds averaging at just 3 knots!

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15.09.20 11:30 CEST: position 10th / speed 3.5 knots / distance from leader 1.6 nautical miles

Seaweed, mist and light winds sums up last night with the front group covering as little as 15 nautical miles over 7 hours. The absence of winds has forced the skippers to depend on the current only, which will continue until midday. Seaweed has been reported by the race director as a significant problem with 250 motor reverse requests from the skippers.

As at 11:30 CEST Phil was positioned in the front pack in 10th, 1.6 nautical miles behind the leader, and 100 metres behind 9th place. He has passed Ushant and is heading for the next mark rounding at Ilse de Sein.

Updated ETA: Wednesday afternoon.

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14.09.20 09:30 CEST: position 21st  / speed 6.8 knots / distance from leader 9.9 nautical miles

A tricky night

Light winds have once again shaken up the fleet as they race through the Channel to the tip of Brittany where the next big tidal trap is at Ushant. At 09:30 CEST this morning Phil was 10 nm behind the leader, 4 nm ahead of the previous stage winner, and Vendee Globe star Armel Le Cleach’h.

With 260 nm to go and multiple traps to pass, we can expect the position rankings to continue shuffling…

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