I am talking about Samantha who was the only one to achieve, without a new boat, an average of more than 20 knots (20.4) during the last 4 hours, on the Vendée Globe !!!
The ones that came closer were Boris, who is trying not to let her go away, (19.9), Burton (19.0), Escoffier (18.3), Bestaven (18.4), all on boats of the same generation as Sam's, older boats with modern foils, and all making a hell of a race.
In previous generation boats, without modern foils (with daggerboards), the fastest on the last 4 hours were Dutreux (18.2), Seguin (18.1) and Le Cam (17.9).
In the new and faster boats Ruyant and Dalin, who are in pursuit of Thomson, were on the last 12 hours faster than the British and are gaining on him slowly. Ruyant and Dalin made an average of 21.3 knots in the last 4 hours while Thomson made 20.2 knots.
Previously Ruyant and Dalin lost a lot of mileage on a route to the West that proved to be a bad option and gave a big advantage to Thomson, who chose a faster route and his leading the race. On the first stages Le Cam, on an older boat without modern foils dominated the race before wind conditions became favorable to the new boats. Under those conditions, that will be prevalent during the race, the new boats can be 3 or 4 kts faster than older boats without modern foils.
Further back, the other modern boat that was among the fastest of the previous generation, Corum sailed by Troussel lost the mast and abandoned the race.
Unless they break the boats, one of those three, racing on the fastest new boats, Thomson, Ruyant or Dalin will win this Vendee. A pity the problems on Beyou’s boat otherwise it would be four and not three fighting for the victory.
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