When you have experienced erratic winds, windless zones, squalls and depressions, racing through the trade winds is quite satisfying. This is what the two leaders are experiencing, Charlie Dalin (MACIF Santé Prévoyance, 1st) and Yoann Richomme (PAPREC ARKÉA, 2nd) who are progressing under a crosswind. “ The angle opens up as they go up, explains Fabien Delahaye to the race director. The trade wind conditions are stable with around fifteen knots of wind, light seas, summer conditions… Everything is conducive to going fast! » Charlie is expected to reach the equator mid-afternoon this Sunday.
A reunion and a Cape Hornier
Behind, we note several recompositions. Samantha Davies (Initiatives Cœur, 13th) looks back on Benjamin Dutreux (Guyot Environnement – Water Family, 11th) and Clarisse Cremer (L’Occitane en Provence, 12th). “ Samantha managed to sneak past the ridge of the anticyclone », specifies Fabien. Likewise, Jean Le Cam (Tout Commence en Finistère – Armor Lux, 16th) should be able to get back on Romain Attanasio (Fortinet – Best Western, 14th) and Damien Seguin (Groupe Apicil, 15th) who are blocked by the anticyclone.
Alan Roura (Hublot, 17th), is in the process of passing Cape Horn in Dantesque conditions with models at 30-35 knots of wind, 4 to 5 meters of sea. The Swiss is progressing slowly to preserve as much as possible. his boat. But deliverance is near: “ as soon as he crosses Cape Horn, the wind suddenly drops, the sea calms down like a deliverance », assures Fabien Delahaye. For their part, Isabelle Joschke (MACSF, 18th) and Giancarlo Pedote (Prysmian, 19th) preferred to slow down to let this big gust of wind pass. They could pass Cape Horn in the evening.
“The ‘banditos’ group”
4,500 miles from the head of the fleet, in the heart of the Pacific Ocean, other sailors are patiently writing their stories. These offshore adventurers, who are not afraid of solitude, find themselves progressing in groups. While Benjamin Ferré (Monnoyeur – Duo for a Job, 20th) has a 200-mile lead, there are nine of them within a 180-mile radius. There are six rookies, one of the most experienced skippers (Arnaud Boissières, La Mie Câline), the youngest (Violette Dorange, Devenir, 26th), a returnee (Éric Bellion, STAND AS ONE – Altavia, 24th), two foreigners ( Kojiro Shiraishi, DMG Mori Global One, 22nd, and Conrad Colman, MS Amlin, 27th)… In short, they alone represent the eclecticism of the Vendée Globe and the flavor of adventure. Currently, Tanguy Le Turquais (Lazare, 21st) has taken control of the group with a 70-mile lead, Arnaud Boissières (La Mie Câline, 29th) brings up the rear but nothing is set in stone. Arnaud, who is competing in the Vendée Globe for the 5th time and “ exchanges a lot with Éric Bellion », takes care of the presentations:
