Week 13 of the Vendée Globe has thrown more challenges Ollie’s way, testing his patience while also rewarding him with moments of glorious sailing conditions.
Seaweed and Setbacks
The week kicked off with three tough days of upwind sailing—an uncomfortable heel, and bone-jarring moments on board as the boat slammed into the oncoming waves.
With his trademark pragmatism, Ollie took it in his stride:
“It’s really difficult to sleep and move around the boat with this sea state. But I’m going quite fast, and that’s life for the next few days—I’ll get through it!”
By Day 87 (Tuesday, 4th February), another obstacle appeared: seaweed. Sailing through a dense patch meant clearing his rudder every 30 minutes—an exhausting effort that kept him on high alert throughout the night.
But by Day 89 (Thursday, 6th February), conditions had eased, and Ollie was finally enjoying fantastic sailing. He knew it wouldn’t last—the forecast showed a tricky transition zone ahead, where lighter winds would replace the steady Trade Winds.
Under A Cloud
Even with that expectation, nothing could have prepared him for the strange lull that hit on Day 90 (Friday, 7th February).
One moment, he was sailing in a steady 18 knots of wind—the next, it had dropped to below 8 knots, and he found himself sailing upwind. A passing cloud often causes a brief shift, but this one didn’t pass.
For more than 5 hours, it clung to him and the boat, disrupting his progress and causing frustration. Eventually, Ollie had to act. In the pitch dark, he changed to his largest headsail, shook out a reef, and set the boat up for light-wind sailing.
He waited on edge, hoping the wind would return. In the early hours of the morning, finally, the cloud moved on, and Ollie could reset the boat back to full pace. A frustrating delay—but a lesson in staying adaptable.
The Power of Now
By Saturday, Ollie had shaken off the frustration and chose instead to focus on the present.
With warm temperatures and perfect conditions, he knew these moments wouldn’t last as he sailed north into more unpredictable weather. He reminded himself of his mental training mantra:
“Regrets belong to yesterday, worries to tomorrow. Happiness is in the Here and Now.”
A powerful perspective—not just for sailing, but for life.
LOOKING AHEAD
With just one week left in the race, the finish line feels close—but with 1,900 miles still to go, anything can happen. Ollie is tired, the boat is getting tired - but determination remains at 100%.
Ollie will need to navigate a tricky transition zone early in the week, work through some complex routing round the Azores, and keep a close eye on developing weather systems in the North Atlantic. The final stretch won’t be easy, but one thing is certain—he’ll be taking it one moment at a time and staying focussed right up until he crosses the finish line.
The current ETA from the onboard routings is to finish on Sunday 16th February. The team, partners, family and friends are starting to make their journeys to Les Sables d'Olonne this week. Everyone is waiting with baited breath for Ollie and Tut gut. to cross the finish line and become the first Swiss German sailor to ever finish the Vendée Globe.
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