The Vendée Arctique immediately started with one of the most typical and insidious conditions of ocean sailing: light wind and many decisions to make.

In the first hours of the race, the fleet sailed slowly northwest under a high-pressure ridge, caught between the lack of wind and the arrival of the first Atlantic low-pressure system. A delicate phase, where positioning often counts more than speed.

Ambrogio progressively built his maneuver. After leaving Île de Yeu to port — a far from trivial passage, between shallow waters and numerous fishing nets — he chose a different route from his opponents, leaving the Yeu wind farm to port. A decision that led him to stay further north and further upwind than the rest of the fleet.

Throughout the evening, the IMOCAs sailed in light air on starboard tack with J0, following a gradual wind shift to the left and waiting for the right moment to tack towards the approaching front. "Allagrande Mapei" was the last to remain in the left shift and one of the most decisive in seeking the new westerly wind.

Shortly after midnight, Ambrogio made the tack that brought him to the right side of the fleet. From that moment, the speed quickly increased: "Allagrande Mapei" is sailing northwest with about 15 knots of crosswind, conditions expected to strengthen in the coming hours with the arrival of the front.

Ahead, only MACIF and MACSF managed to gain a few miles on the rest of the fleet. Thanks to a more advanced position relative to the front, they were the first to intercept the strengthening wind, entering their optimal operating range earlier. With more pressure available, they were able to fully exploit the potential of the foils, stabilizing at over 20 knots of speed and progressively pulling away from their pursuers.

The next few hours will see the arrival of the front, with increasing wind, rising seas, and cloudier skies. But the challenge will not only be to manage these new conditions: it will also be to prepare for the subsequent transition, when behind the front the wind will decrease again and a new tactical phase will once again test Bogi's choices. Go "Allagrande Mapei"!