Yoann Richomme widens the gap in the lead, Sébastien Simon within sight of Cape Horn

While they had been side by side for several days, Vendée Globe leader Yoann Richomme took advantage of Christmas Eve to open up a gap on Charlin Dalin, who was nearly 100 miles away on Wednesday at 7:00 a.m., off the coast of the Falklands. During the first 24 hours of sailing up the South Atlantic, the two skippers did not quite choose the same trajectory, and it was Richomme (Paprec Arkéa), having tacked the widest, who took advantage of it. .

The Varois, which is moving at an average of almost 25 knots, had a lead of more than 92 miles on Wednesday morning over Dalin (Macif Santé Prévoyance), past the closest to the Falklands and whose average fell below 20 knots. As the organization points out, the Norman is in fact the first to have entered an anticyclonic zone… but could also be the first to leave it, which leaves the suspense intact.

Behind the duo, Sébastien Simon (Groupe Dubreuil) is in turn approaching Cape Horn, isolated, since he is more than 700 miles behind the lead and more than a thousand ahead of Thomas Ruyant (4th) , still in the middle of the Pacific, halfway between Point Némo and the Horn Passage. “The first three still had some pretty incredible conditions in the second part of the Pacific, we are still in the process of pulling away”commented the Northerner. “I'm still happy to have a good group with me, it's racing hard, and I'm going to try to hold my place”he added. Because there are eight of them standing in less than 300 minutes, up to Justine Mettraux (11th).

Ranking Wednesday at 7:00 a.m.:

1. Yoann Richomme (Paprec Arkéa) 6,386.34 miles from the finish
2. Charlie Dalin (Macif Santé Prévoyance) 92.04 miles from the first
3. Sébastien Simon (Dubreuil Group) at 711.48 mins
4. Thomas Ruyant (Vulnerable) at 1741.95 mins
5. Jérémie Beyou (Charal) at 1851.94 mn
6. Nicolas Lunven (Holcim – PRB) at 1888.05 mins
7. Boris Herrmann (Malizia – Seaexplorer) at 1940.72 mins
8. Sam Goodchild (Vulnerable) at 1978.50 mins
9. Yannick Bestaven (Maître Coq V) at 1998.72 min
10. Paul Meilhat (Biotherm) at 2002.36 mins

Abandons:

. Maxime Sorel (V and B – Monbana – Mayenne)
. Louis Burton (Bureau Vallée)
Szabolcs Weöres (New Europe)
. Pip Hare (Medallia)