This time, we’re there! Last day at sea this Monday for Charlie Dalin, who should cross the finish line very early Tuesday morning in Les Sables d’Olonne. Second in the last edition, the skipper from Le Havre is preparing to properly celebrate his first victory on the Everest of the Seas.
Earth, earth!
How strange it must be, after more than two months in the rough waters of the globe, to return to such familiar surroundings. Charlie Dalin (Macif Santé Prévoyance) is sailing this Monday morning off the coast of Brittany, which he has chosen to follow to reach Les Sables d’Olonne from the north. The leader therefore intends to leave nothing to chance a few miles from the finish, and to avoid a windless zone which could have wiped out all his efforts.
But there is hardly any suspense now, Yoann Richomme (Paprec Arkéa) is too far away to take away his first Vendée Globe, after his second place in the previous edition. Dalin has been discreet on the organizers’ radio in recent hours, but this is surely to better prepare his celebration once the line is crossed, a priori between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m. next night.
It’s fighting to be at the foot of the podium
Behind the leading duo, Sébastien Simon (Groupe Dubreuil) calmly continues his route off the coast of the Azores. His third place is assured, barring any damage obviously. His pursuers, on the other hand, continue to fight. From Sam Goochild (4th, Vulnerable) to Justine Mettraux (10th, TeamWork Team Snef), it’s a close call for the places of honor, as the doldrums approach.
“I was a little slower than the first in the group over the last few hours, there was a gap which allowed them to have a better angle to advance,” explained Thomas Ruyant (8th, Vulnerable) Monday morning. We will try to find the best passage to cross the doldrums and I hope that we will get closer to the two who are in front. I’m not giving up, I’m trying to find the best configurations to get back up. Everything is still possible, I don’t lose hope! »
The ranking at 11 a.m.
1. Charlie Dalin (Macif Santé Prévoyance) 159 nautical miles from the finish
2. Yoann Richomme (Paprec Arkéa) 178 minutes from the first
3. Sébastien Simon (Dubreuil Group) at 924 mins
4. Sam Goodchild (Vulnerable) at 2,902 mins
5. Jérémy Beyou (Charal) at 2,904 mins
The last ones are approaching Cape Horn
“In a Vendée Globe, we know that we can be last, but not lose. It’s really an important concept,” the red lantern Denis Van Weynbergh (D’Ieteren Group) told us a few days ago. A word full of wisdom. The simple fact of finishing this race around the world is a victory in itself, and we imagine that it is the engine that continues to push forward those who are struggling at the bottom, almost 15,000 km from the lead.
There are still six of them this Monday who have not yet crossed Cape Horn. This will be the case in the next two days for Oliver Heer (Tut Gut), Antoine Cornic (Human Immobilier) and Jingkun Xu (Singchain Team Haikou). It will take a little more patience for Fabrice Amedeo (Nexans Wewise), Manuel Cousin (Coup de Pouce) and therefore Denis Van Weynbergh, who are still currently skirting the Antarctic exclusion zone, but we can count on them not to give up.
News from Marina Foils
Tut tut entry into the top 50,000th! The editorial boat continues its crazy climb as it approaches the equator. Our national Marina, still 145,000th before the weekend, is making a daunting journey up the Atlantic, managing to evade the pitfalls of the changing winds. Come on losers, let’s step aside and let the professionals do it.
No triumphalism though, that’s not our style (yes). Les Sables are still very far away, and a nice depression is looming just ahead of us. We will have to be tactically impeccable so as not to spoil this crazy improvement (which is totally our style, however).
