Yoann Richomme has taken the lead in the ranking, the first neck and neck… Follow the position of the skippers live

The Vendée Globe fleet approaches the North African coast on Wednesday, carried by a strong wind during the descent of the Portuguese coast.

After virulent conditions passing Cape Finisterre, conditions “idyllic”according to Nicolas Lunven (Holcim-PRB), to follow the Portuguese coast. Yoann Richomme (Paprec Arkéa) took the opportunity to take the lead of the race at dawn, Wednesday November 13, but his pursuers Charlie Dalin (Macif) and Sam Goodchimd (Vulnerable) are very close. The first three are held in 15 nautical miles (approximately 28 kilometers).

During the day on Tuesday, while passing Cape Finisterre, some competitors still suffered the dire conditions, which caused some minor damage. This is for example the case of Thomas Ruyant (Vulnerable), one of the favorites, who has to struggle with a leak at the front of his boat. The skippers, who have not been able to rest much in these conditions, are already feeling tired, like the Japanese Kojiro Shiraishi (DMG Mori Global One), who says he “exhausted” after having to fight against “four meter waves”.

Fortunately for the Vendée Globe fleet, conditions improved significantly along the Portuguese coast during the day and night, with a strong wind carrying them towards the North African coast. Yoann Richomme chose a route further west, away from the coast, which paid off as he took the lead in the race. On the contrary, the last winner of the Vendée Globe, Yannick Bestaven (Maître Coq) took a trajectory much closer to Portugal and the DST (traffic separation device) and fell to 10th place.

The skippers are now heading towards the Canaries, where the wind should calm down since the forecast calls for less than 7 knots between the Canaries and Cape Verde.