Still upwind, still in discomfort

After launching into a first change of tack early afternoon yesterday, then another early this morning at around 04:00 hours, Giancarlo Pedote is continuing along, close-hauled, in a bid to get around a low-pressure system which is shifting across to the south-east. As a result, conditions remain very uncomfortable for the skipper of Prysmian Group, who is still contending with a light fifteen knots or so of NW’ly wind and a 2.5-metre swell, which is causing the boat to slam constantly. In such conditions, the Italian sailor has no other choice than to just grin and bear in, since it’s only once he makes it into the northern quadrant of this system that he’ll find more favourable conditions. In terms of the ranking, this Saturday he’s still lying in 8th place some 690 miles shy of the leader, Yannick Bestaven. However, the latter is now stumbling against a zone of light winds offshore of Brazil. As such, it’s highly likely that the leading group in this Vendée Globe will squeeze together again in the next 48 hours. This is sure to encourage Giancarlo, who is digging deep and certainly hasn’t had his final say, even if the fatigue is beginning to weigh heavily after two months of racing.