Charlie Dalin charts his course and distances himself at the head of the Vendée Globe. The gap with Sebastien Simon, second in the race at 7 a.m. Friday morning, is increasing.
At the front of a storm, pushed by gusts of 80 km/h, Charlie Dalin continues to widen the gap at the head of the Vendée Globe, with almost 200 nautical miles on Sebastien Simon, the two skippers heading due east towards Australia.
After leaving the Kerguelens behind him, Dalin (Macif) sailed to the limit of the maritime exclusion zone and the 50th Howling, dealing with a vast low pressure system and waves of around 5 meters. According to the 7:00 a.m. reading on Friday, he has further increased the gap by more than 80 nautical miles with Simon (Groupe Dubreuil), which is at the back of the same storm but whose 24-hour average is significantly lower (18 .15 knots versus 22.62 knots).
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A gap has opened up with the rest of the pursuers
Behind, the gap is made with Yoann Richomme (Paprec Arkéa), who is more than 500 minutes away and leads a group having opted for a much more northern route, around 40 degrees latitude.
Besides Richomme, this group of competitors, made up of Thomas Ruyant, Jérémie Beyou and Nicolas Lunven, is on a south-eastern trajectory which will bring it closer to the same vast low pressure system as the two leading skippers.
Ranking for the 10th edition of the Vendée Globe on Friday at 7:00 a.m. (GMT+1):
1. Charlie Dalin (Macif Santé Prévoyance) 14,719.63 nautical miles from the finish
2. Sébastien Simon (Groupe Dubreuil) 194.02 miles from the leader
3. Yoann Richomme (Paprec Arkéa) at 508.52 mins
4. Thomas Rettant (Vulnerable) at 595.38 mins
-5. Jérémie Beyou (Charal) at 803.69 mins
6. Nicolas Lunven (Holcim – PRB) at 826.78 nm
7. Sam Goodchild (Vulnerable) at 920.54 mins
8. Paul Meilhat (Biotherm) at 978.42 mins
9. Yannick Bestaven (Maître Coq V) at 1,022.32 minutes
10. Justine Mettraux (Teamwork-Team Snef) at 1,344.12 mins
…
38. Szabolcs Weöres (New Europe) à 4,897.61 mn
Withdrawals: Maxime Sorel (V and B-Monbana-Mayenne), Louis Burton (Bureau Vallée)
