One of the big favorites of this 10th edition of the Vendée Globe is leading the race in the Bay of Biscay.
Charlie Dalin (Macif) was leading the 10th edition of the Vendée Globe, in the 7:00 a.m. rankings this Monday and the day after the big start off the coast of Les Sables d'Olonne. Dalin, one of the big favorites for the event after his disillusionment with the 2021 edition (first on the finish line, he had been classified 2nd after a bonus granted to Yannick Bestaven, editor's note), had 2 miles of ahead of another Frenchman, Sébastien Simon (Dubreuil), and 5.2 miles ahead of the Briton Sam Goodchild (Vulnerable).
Winner in 2021, Bestaven (Maître Coq) is 4th while Paul Meilhat (Biotherm), author of the best start on Sunday, has fallen to 9th place, just behind Jérémie Beyou (Charal). After the first hours of sailing on Sunday in very calm weather, the 40 skippers progressed at dawn on Monday at a speed of between 10 and 20 knots in the Bay of Biscay, taking advantage of slightly windier conditions.
«It's quiet, we're downwind, the night is beautiful… You can't ask for much better than that to get into the swing of things», commented during the night Clarisse Crémer (L'Occitane en Provence, 13th at 7:00 a.m.), acknowledging having “cried quite a bit» during the goodbyes on Sunday.
«Everything happens in good harmony, the little ones (good night, good luck) spice up the conversation, I think we're all happy to be at sea», For his part, underlined the New Zealander Conrad Colman, who for his part had a turbulent start – departure delayed by an hour, electronic problems… -. At the helm of the MS Amlin, he was in 17th position on Monday morning, 21.5 miles from the leader. Another technical problem for Boris Herrmann, who experienced a keel cylinder problem.
Sailing conditions should remain mild off Cape Finisterre, Spain, where the race should start to get tough. The leaders are expected at 9 p.m. this Monday, at the tip of Spain with a much more generous wind of 20 to 30 knots.
Ranking this Monday at 7:00 a.m.:
1. Charlie Dalin (Macif) 24,133.03 nautical miles from the finish
2. Sébastien Simon (Groupe Dureuil) 2 miles from the first
3. Sam Goodchild (Vulnerable) 5.20 miles from first
4. Yannick Bestaven (Maître Coq V) at 6.75 miles
5. Justine Mettraux (Teamwork – Team Snef) at 8.88 miles
6. Thomas Rettant (Vulnerable) at 10.93 miles
7. Nicolas Luven (Holcim – PRB), 13.80 miles
8. Jérémie Beyou (Charal) at 14 miles
9. Paul Meilhat (Biotherm) at 15.13 miles
10. Jean Le Cam (It all begins in Finistere – Armor Lux) at 15.39
…
40. Isabelle Joschke (MACSF) at 48.53 miles
