Big Seas, Big Skies, Big Decisions
The Southern Ocean is an environment of extremes — towering waves, powerful winds, and breathtaking beauty. In Week 5, Ollie has focused on finding the safest course while keeping his performance competitive. As a series of powerful low-pressure systems rolled across the route, Ollie’s carefully considered strategy has proved its worth.
Playing it safe paying off
On Monday, 9th December (Day 30), Ollie announced his decision to take a more northerly route. This choice meant sailing a slightly longer distance, but it also avoided the worst of the storms forecast to hit the fleet. He still braced for sustained winds of 30 knots throughout the week ahead.
By midweek, Ollie had made solid progress eastward, averaging 14-15 knots boat speed while climbing from 42°S to 40°S. On Wednesday night into Thursday morning (Day 33), a massive storm swept south of his position, delivering gusts of over 50 knots—a mere taste of the conditions he would have faced if he’d stayed further south.
The Trade-Off: Speed vs. Safety
Ollie’s conservative strategy stood in contrast to that of Antoine Cornic (Human Immobilier), who opted for the faster, more direct southerly route. Initially, Antoine’s decision paid dividends as his lead over Ollie extended to nearly 350 nautical miles.
However, by staying in the storm’s path, unfortunately Antoine was battered by 60-knot winds and 8-9 metre waves, suffering damage to his mainsail track.
Forced to head north for repairs, Antoine fell back, enabling Ollie to move into 31st place by Friday. Antoine’s speed picked up again after repairs, and the competition intensified. By Sunday (Day 36), Ollie, Antoine, and Kojiro Shiraishi (DMG Mori Global One) were barely separable on the tracker view.
Kojiro, who last week experienced mainsail damage forcing to him to pause racing, was back to full foiling speed, reclaimed 31st place on Monday morning (Day 37). But Ollie’s focus remained clear:
“At this stage of the race, if I ever have to make a trade-off between speed or safety, I choose safety. There’s still a long way to go.”
Appreciating The Southern Ocean’s Beauty
During a respite after the storm on Thursday, 12th December, Ollie took a moment to step on deck. While checking the rigging before a sail change, he was struck by the raw beauty of his surroundings.
“Everything is bigger here—the waves, the wind, even the wildlife. I’ve seen some huge whales and the albatross birds with their 2-metre wingspans glide effortlessly just above the waves. I could sit and watch them for hours”
The awe-inspiring power of nature underscores the stakes of his race and reinforces Ollie’s resolve to sail with caution.
What Lies Ahead
Former Vendée Globe skipper Dee Caffari praised Ollie’s consistency during an interview on Vendée Globe Live. Ollie agreed:
“There’s a long way to go, but I’m in a great position, I’m in the middle of the daggerboard fleet. Once I’m through this area of depressions and past the halfway mark, I might feel comfortable to dial it up a bit. But right now – I’m in good shape, the boat is in good shape. This is a good place to be in.”
By Monday 16th December, Ollie admitted fatigue is beginning to take its toll. Over the next 5 days, he expects winds of 30-40 knots to persist as he approaches the race’s second major milestone: Cape Leeuwin, on the southwest tip of Australia.
Through careful route selection, Ollie has avoided damage whilst remaining competitive. This is a testament to his preparation, instinct, and resilience.
Both Ollie and his boat are holding up well, but the relentless conditions demand every ounce of his energy.
This week Ollie is consciously taking steps to manage himself, to avoid becoming overly fatigued and to maintain his strength, endurance and decision making.
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