Vendée Globe Race - Conrad Colman - Life onboard MS Amlin : Day 72

Conrad Colman (NZL) - MS Amlin - parked in the Atlantic off Recife - January 20, 2025 © Conrad Colman

The Crazy Kiwi Conrad Colman is pulling in the margin on the two daggerboarders ahead of him, and is up to 21st overall.

Now nearing the end of his 4th race around the world, Colman sailing MS Amlin is off Recife on the horn of Brazil. He is only 70nm behind the 20th placed competitor. He is now third overall of the daggerboarders in the fleet.

However his good gains of the last few days have come to an end - and like several others he has run into a hole in the Atlantic - maybe the edge of the Doldrums. He is predicted to be 13 days out from the finish at Les Sables d'Olonne, on the Atlantic coast of France. Interestingly if he were sailing a foiling boat, accordig to Predictwind's weather routing he would finish almost two days earlier.

Conrad Colman (MS Amlin) - 3rd daggerboarder about to pass through the Doldrums which stretch all the way to the Horn of Africa. - 2200hrs January 20, 2025 - photo © Predictwind

The routing shows that he is about to get into stronger winds, of around 12kts and it will be interesting to see if he can make any real gains on the next daggerboarder Tanguy Le Turquais (FRA) (18th overall) a couple of hundred miles dead ahead. Behind six time race veteran Jan Le Camp is storming up at 15kts compared to Colman's 7kts at the last sked (2200hrs UTC on Jan 20).

The leading daggerboarder Benjamin Ferré (FRA) is in 17th place on the water only about 20nm ahead of Le Turquais.

Colman's support team reports: At the start of the 11th week of racing, the expression "combining business with pleasure" is taking on its full meaning for Conrad. The New Zealander has taken advantage of the extremely calm conditions off Brazil to take a short dip and inspect the hull of his boat

After 72 days at sea, more than 20,276 nautical miles covered, 3 oceans crossed, a tried and tested boat and a few depressions later, the slightest suspicious noise on board can become worrying and turn the tables. But fortunately: "Everything that was down below is still down below. That's good!"

Zero Fossil Fuels: As well as competing in the 24,400nm non-stop solo around the world race, Colman is attempting to compete in the race carrying the same 20litre of fuel at the end of the race, that he was required to carry at the start.

His boat has been modified for solar and other electricity generation - which so far are generating almost double his daily power requirements.

He has been the most prolific posters of video, including drone footage - and his contributions have been one of the outstanding features of the race.

Social medias: Youtube: www.youtube.com/@colmanoceanracing/videos Facebook : conradcolmanoceanracing Instagram : conradcolman