Aurélie Sacchelli, Media365, published on Thursday November 21, 2024 at 9:59 a.m.
After ten days of racing, two identical boats, the Vulnerable of the Frenchman Thomas Ruyant and the British Sam Goodchild, are at the top of the Vendée Globe rankings.
One was built in 2019, the other in 2022. Two Imoca Vulnerables are taking part in the 2024-25 Vendée Globe and they are both at the top of the rankings after ten days of racing! At 7:00 a.m. this Thursday, the Frenchman Thomas Ruyant (boat of 2022) is ahead of the British Sam Goodchild (boat of 2019, the former LinkedOut of…Ruyant) by 6.5 miles, while the head of the fleet is now located between Cape Verde and northeastern Brazil. Ruyant (6th in the last Vendée Globe) managed to escape from the Doldrums more quickly than his rivals, thanks to his option a little further west. The first eleven of the Vendée Globe are held within 50 miles and Ruyant's pursuers will therefore quickly leave the Doldrums as well.
The fleet is scattered
Charlie Dalin, currently sixth, 36 miles from the leader, recounted his last hours during a session: “The Doldrums is not as simple as that. With Yoann (Richomme), we had regained a lot of ground on Sam (Goodchild), Thomas (Ruyant) and Nicolas (Lunven). And then there was a beautiful corridor but a new cloud mass was created right above us and we got a little expensive. Yesterday, we had very light winds with sometimes zero knots, a little current not necessarily in the right direction and small corridors of wind from the end of the afternoon until tonight. I hope to get out of it soon, even if you never know when it’s completely over.” The fleet is spreading more and more across the North Atlantic. The Hungarian Szabolcs Weöres, who had to stop in the Canaries for repairs, is still bringing up the rear, 1185 miles behind
SAILING / VENDEE GLOBE
Ranking at 7:00 a.m. – Thursday November 21, 2024
1- Thomas Ruyant (FRA/Vulnerable) 21,502.66 miles from the finish
2- Sam Goodchild (GBR/Vulnerable) 6.52 miles from the leader
3- Sébastien Simon (FRA/Groupe Dubreuil) at 23.98
4- Nicolas Lunven (FRA/Holcim-PRB) at 30.70
5- Justine Mettraux (SUI/Teamwork-Team SNEF) at 35.06
6- Charlie Dalin (FRA/Macif Santé Prévoyance) at 36.01
7- Yannick Bestaven (FRA/Maître Coq V) at 37.46
8- Jérémie Beyou (FRA/Charal) at 41.92
9- Yoann Richomme (FRA/Paprec Arkéa) at 43.23
10- Paul Meilhat (FRA/Biotherm) at 48.17
…
Abandon : Maxime Sorel (FRA/V and B – Monbana) after 5 days of racing due to an ankle injury and a broken hook
