Email message from Robin Knox-Johnston to Titouan Lamazou and Loïck Peyron (January 20, 2016) regarding the outstanding evolution of boats these last decades.
Robin Knox-Johnston: Do you realise that both Armel [Le Cléac’h] and Alex [Thomson] finished their circumnavigations faster by hours than Peter Blake and I did on Enza when we won the Jules Verne Trophee in 1994 ? It just shows how boats have developed in 23 years.
Loïck Peyron: Yes indeed. Impressive as what Thomas Coville did few weeks ago.
“We have one of the most exciting finishes to an ocean race since Ariel and Taeping in 1866, or Mike Birch and Malinovsky in the first Route de Rhum in 1978. Alex’s VMG indicates he will win as it stands at the moment, and he is closing in every new report (I will be glad when it is over so I can get some sleep). […]
The Biscay High Pressure system is the Joker. Is Armel right to head more for the finish line, and lose out on VMG now but rely on being closer when the wind comes on the nose, or is Alex right to maintain a much better speed but give himself more ground to cover, perhaps with a better wind. It depends on when he has to make the final tack for the finish line. This is going to be the decider, and if he holds course, Alex will have a greater distance to sail, but maybe at faster speed. It will all depend on what the winds do tomorrow evening.
Utterly fascinating.
One thing is for certain, the Fat Lady ain’t sung yet!”
Joyon’s progress and speeds are fantastic. In Enza we averaged 448 miles per day between Africa and Australia, or about 18 1/2 knots and we thought we were fast, (it certainly felt fast!) but here we are, 23 years later, and the speeds are around 30 knots.
Would not you love to be on that boat right now ? I would love it. I know the Vendee has a wonderful competition right now, but Joyon’s race against time is phenomenal. What is next ? A larger trimaran with foils?
