Yannick Bestaven (Maître CoQ IV ) retakes the Vendee Globe lead from Charlie Dalin (Apivia).
“It’s crazy.” Confirmed Thomas Ruyant from fourth placed LinkedOut this morning, not only are there just 26 miles separating Ruyant in fourth from the leader again.
But Louis Burton (Bureau Vallée 2) has squeezed into third, to complete his fairytale return to the podium after stopping to make repairs to his mast track at Macquarie Island and restarting with an 830 miles deficit on the lead.
And between Bestaven – who also carries his 10hrs 15mins time redress – and Jean Le Cam (Yes We Cam) in ninth there are 121 miles and Le Cam has 16hrs 15mins in credit.
And in between the two is sixth placed Boris Herrmann (Seaexplorer-Yacht Club de Monaco) who is 63 miles behind Bestaven and has six hours of recompense.
Bestaven has picked up wind to the west of his rivals, closer to the Brasilian coast, and is heading NNE in the ENE’ly wind and gradually reducing his separation from the chasing trio which are compacted into a postage stamp of about 20 miles by 20 miles.
Vendée Globe Leaders – Day 67 – Wed 13 Jan – 08:00 hrs UK
1st FRA Yannick Bestaven – Maître CoQ IV – 4505 nm to finish – sailing at 10+ knots
2nd FRA Charlie Dalin – APIVIA – 6 nm
3rd FRA Louis Burton – BUREAU VALLEE 2 – 23 nm
4th FRA Thomas Ruyant – LinkedOut – 26 nm
5th FRA Damien Seguin – GROUPE APICIL – 40 nm
6th FRA Boris Herrmann – SEAEXPLORER – 63 nm
7th FRA Benjamin DUTREUX – OMIA – WATER FAMILY –91 nm
8th FRA Giancarlo Pedote – PRYSMIAN GROUP – 115 nm
9th FRA Jean Le Cam – Yes we Cam! – 121 nm
10th FRA Maxime SOREL – V and B-MAYENNE – 297 nm
GBR:
17th GBR Pip Hare – Medallia – 2176 nm
22nd GBR Miranda Merron – Campagne de France – 3960 nm
Retired:
Nicolas Troussel, Alex Thomson, Kevin Escoffier, Alex Thomson, Sebastien Simon, Sam Davies, Fabrice Amedo, Isabelle Joschke