The exit from the South Seas is often a relief for solo sailors, but there are three weeks of racing left. It is from 11 p.m. this Monday evening that the first two should cross the third and final cape of their world tour: the famous Cape Horn. Charlie Dalin and Yoann Richomme should leave the South Seas after 43 or 44 days of racing, a little more than three days less than Armel Le Cléac'h in 2016. At the time the skipper of “Banque Populaire” had crossed the “hard cap” with… 819 miles ahead of Alex Thomson (around two days) and had won with only 16 hours ahead (in 74 days 3 hours 35'). Four years earlier, Le Cléac'h had passed his second Cape Horn just 35 miles behind François Gabart. Throughout the journey up the Atlantic, he had tried to overtake the leader but the skipper of Macif had kept 3 hours 15 minutes to win.
A poorly paved place
This passage at the Horn is a poorly paved passage. Conditions are often tough with gusts of up to 70 knots and even 97 knots (and 10 m depth) during Isabelle Autissier's approach in 1997 when the Canadian Gerry Roufs disappeared in the storm. So obviously, if the loners are eager to cross this passage, they also fear it. Jean Le Cam doesn't have only good memories in this area. In 2009, it capsized, recovered by Vincent Riou. Four years earlier, King John was 190 miles ahead (around fifteen hours) of Vincent “the Terrible”. Finally, Riou had stolen first place from him to finish seven hours ahead… it was the only time in the first nine editions that the first at the Horn did not win the Vendée Globe.
“Going round Cape Horn for Christmas: it’s exceptional! »
In sailing, gaps come and go depending on the weather. Michel Desjoyeaux, the only double winner, experienced two crossings of the Horn and two opposing trips up the Atlantic. On the first he had a 602 mile mattress on Ellen MacArthur and at the finish less than 24 hours separated them and she was back to within 29 miles. Eight years later, at the helm of his “Foncia”, he passed Cape Horn in the lead for a second time (despite his delayed departure 41 hours later) after 56 days but only… 80 miles ahead of Roland Jourdain . A keel damage ruined the latter's race and Desjoyeaux won with… five days and six hours ahead of Armel Le Cléac'h.
This year, it's a duel of “Figarists” between Charlie Dalin and Yoann Richomme as they approach Cape Horn. “We're going to pass Cape Horn on Christmas Day: it's exceptional! With three days ahead or even a little more of Armel Le Cléac'h's record, it's going to be great,” said the skipper of Paprec Arkéa. Four years ago, Dalin was the second to return to the Atlantic some 14 hours and 56 minutes after Yannick Bestaven who finally won by 2 hours and 30 minutes! Little strategy to come in the last hours of the Pacific, the passage of Cape Horn, like a passage of a buoy, could be played out in a few minutes. Given the statistics (8/9), it would be better to cross this last milestone first…
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