Dalin and his pursuers in a pocket handkerchief at the passage of Good Hope

Charlie Dalin was the first Friday to pass the Cape of Good Hope but the leader of the Vendée Globe was still closely followed on Friday evening by three fierce pursuers before entering the Indian Ocean.

The Norman navigator doubled the first of the three reference capes of the course, before the Leeuwin and the Horn, at 4:45 p.m. (GMT+1) after 19 days 3 hours and 43 minutes of racing, according to the organizers.

But at the 7:00 p.m. check-in, Thomas Ruyant (Vulnerable), Sébastien Simon (Groupe Dubreuil) and Yoann Richomme (Paprec Arkéa) were all three within just 25 miles of the leader.

“We all knew that it would be a very competitive edition. It is and it's awesome. I really feel like I'm racing a Figaro around the world. Thomas, Yoann, Seb… It’s sailing hard and it’s sailing fast!” said Dalin.

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Vendée Globe: position, classification, live race mapping

The four leaders have opened up a significant gap over the rest of the fleet. The fifth in the general classification, the Breton Nicolas Lunven (Holcim – PRB), is now 130.98 miles behind the first.

Lunven should be the next to clear the Good Hope mark on Saturday, which corresponds to a quarter of the route around the world, followed by Jérémie Beyou (Charal).

. Vendée Globe rankings Friday at 7:00 p.m. (GMT+1):
1. Charlie Dalin (Macif Santé Prévoyance) 17,444.45 nautical miles from the finish
2. Thomas Ruyant (Vulnerable) 12.12 miles from the first
3. Sébastien Simon (Groupe Dubreuil) at 18.76 miles
4. Yoann Richomme (Paprec Arkéa) at 23.59 miles
5. Nicolas Lunven (Holcim – PRB) at 130.98 miles
6. Jérémie Beyou (Charal) at 132.61 miles
7. Sam Goodchild (Vulnerable) at 209.08 miles
8. Yannick Bestaven (Maître Coq V) at 316.53 miles
9. Paul Meilhat (Biotherm) at 408.51 miles
10. Samantha Davies (Initiatives-Coeur) at 686.77 miles
…

Abandonment: Maxime Sorel (V and B-Monbana-Mayenne)