Loïck Peyron extends lead in the Vendée Globe

[Source: Vendée Globe] Jean Le Cam (VM Matériaux) is feeling the pain going west. He has gybed twice in 20 miles and has dropped to fifth, theoretically losing 77 miles as he goes.

In contrast, as he sails east of south for the moment, Loïck Peyron on Gitana Eighty is winning miles, but – as we have said before – this stage is about lining up to go through the Doldrums and at the moment that is still about getting west on the best strands of breeze. Hence as Gitana Eighty continues on this 'making' gybe which has already stretched for 85 miles, he will continue to gain on any of his pursuants who are making west for position.

Seb Josse (BT), 'Mr Consistent' over recent days, holds second 54.8 miles on Gitana Eighty, with Jean-Pierre Dick (Paprec-Virbac 2) in third, gaining a measure of leverage some 22 miles directly to his west.

Review of the 9th day of the Vendée Globe. 18 November 2008. Video copyright Vendée Globe

The losses suffered by those going west should be temporary. Mike Golding has ‘lost’ more than 50 miles since lunch time, but such is the anomaly produced by a theoretical rhumb line which does not account for meteorological roadblocks such as the Doldrums where the easiest border crossing reckoned to be around 26 deg west.

Behind in 10th place, Roland Jourdain (Veolia Environnement) is making a big play to get west, losing 40 miles in the last four hours, but is 70 miles or so further west than the leading group, and it will be interesting to see if he gains here.

On the evening’s rankings Armel Le Cléac’h has gained to fifth on Brit Air, while Vincent Riou (PRB) is seventh, Yann Elies (Generali) gaining to sixth in a little reshuffle of the pack.

Arnaud Boissieres (Akena Vérandas) holds 11th place, making a gain of two places yesterday after re-positioning himself steadily from his extreme easterly position, although he is the next ‘victim’ for Dominique Wavre, SUI, (Temenos II) who as well as passing Sam Davies, GBR, (ROXY) today, has now accounted for Brian Thompson, GBR, (Bahrain Team Pindar) who drops to 13th, as he also tastes the bitter pill of moving west.