As the leaders approach Cape Horn, the tactical battle at the front of the Vendée Globe is every bit as engaging as any Christmas TV thriller except in this instance there is no bad guy, no evil villain to hiss at. Indeed the leader on this Sunday night before Christmas is Yoann Richomme (PAPREC ARKÉA) who regained first position this morning ahead of Charlie Dalin (MACIF Santé Prévoyance).
Richomme has gybed back on a NE’ly course and has opened ten or so miles on his rival. The pair are now more than 200 miles ahead of third placed Seb Simon (Groupe Dubreuil) and 1000 ahead of fourth positioned Thomas Ruyant (VULNERABLE).
Richomme’s move is a ‘banker’ whilst Dalin is pushing further south a few more miles towards the ice exclusion zone hoping for a better, faster angle back after he gybes. But it seems very likely the duo will go round Cape Horn together some time late on Monday. They might be aware that in the nine previous editions of the Vendée Globe only one leader at Cape Horn has not gone on to win the race. Vincent Riou rounded second behind Jean Le Cam but went on to win the 2004-5 race. On the last edition Yannick Bestaven led by 14 hours ahead of Dalin who went on to cross the finish line first in Les Sables d’Olonne but Bestaven won the race thanks to his 10 hours 14 minutes of time compensation.
Dream sequence
The leaders have the best weather scenario playing out for them for their exit out of the Pacific, an ocean which has been both fast and relatively decent to them. But, as usual there are extreme contrasts through the fleet, winds are variously too much, too little or from the wrong direction. Without doubt the two leaders are having their shared Christmas present early and are now well ahead of Armel Le Cléac’h’s 2016 record pace.
“Currently, we have between 20 and 25 knots of wind downwind and that will generally be the case until Cape Horn. Once the boat is settled, it’s pretty much doing it all its own. There’s not much to think about, it’s very simple,” enthused Richomme (PAPREC ARKÉA), who went on to say he and Dalin are benefiting from an “incredibly effective weather scenario since we entered the Southern Ocean”.
@VendeeGlobe
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