Vendee Globe race leader Charlie Dalin (MACIF Santé Prévoyance) has less than a day left in the Indian Ocean and probably one more gybe to make before the Pacific.
Dalin’s lead over Seb Simon (Groupe Dubreuil) staying quite steady as the second placed skipper still maintains equable speeds even without a functioning starboard foil.
Ten skippers have now passed Cape Leeuwin, the most recent being Paul Meilhat (Biotherm) at 22:13hrs UTC, the winner of the 2020-21 Vendée Globe Yannick Bestaven (Maître CoQ V) 23:22hrs UTC last night.
as they pass successively under Australia towards the longitude of Tasmania and the exit door out of an Indian Ocean which has been mean and merciless.
Looking at the passage times is a reminder how much closer this race is than anything we have seen before on the Vendée Globe, just 51 minutes between 5th placed Jérémie Beyou (Charal) and 6th placed Nicolas Lunven (HOLCIM PRB) after 32 days racing for example.
The little posse of three, Benjamin Dutreux (Guyot Environnement- Water Family), Romain Attanasio (FORTINET Best Western) and Pip Hare (Medallia) remain in stronger winds with unruly, messed up seas which are still making it hard to press the boats hard and go faster. Dutreux has a 100 miles advance on the chasing duo.
Meantime after reporting cracking to the forward bulkhead of Medallia Tuesday morning, Briton Pip Hare has completed her programme of composite repairs and allowed the repair to cure whilst at the same time not losing too many hard earned miles to 15th placed Romain Attanasio (Fortinet-Best Western).
Vendee Globe Leaders at 10:00 hrs GMT Friday 13 December 2024
1st FRA Charlie Dalin MACIF Santé Prévoyance
2nd FRA Sébastien Simon GROUPE Dubreuil – 182 nm to leader
3rd FRA Yoann Richomme PAPREC ARKÉA
4th FRA Thomas Ruyant VULNERABLE
5th FRA Jérémie Beyou CHARAL
6th FRA Nicolas Lunven HOLCIM – PRB
7th GBR Sam Goodchild VULNERABLE – 853 nm to leader
8th FRA Yannick Bestaven MAÎTRE COQ V
8th FRA Paul Meilhat Biotherm
10th GER Boris Herrmann MALIZIA – SEAEXPLORER
11th SUI Justine Mettraux Teamwork-Team Snef
12th GBR Samantha Davies Initiatives-Cœur – 1361 nm to leader
13th FRA Clarisse Crémer L’OCCITANE en Provence
14th FRA Benjamin Dutreux GUYOT ENVIRONNEMENT – WATER FAMILY
15th GBR Pip Hare MEDALLIA – 1900 nm to leader
16th FRA Romain Attanasio FORTINET – BEST WESTERN
17th FRA Damien Seguin GROUPE APICIL
18th FRA Jean Le Cam TOUT COMMENCE EN FINISTERE – ARMOR-LUX
19th FRA/GER Isabelle Joschke MACSF
20th SUI Alan Roura HUBLOT
