Aurélien Canot, Media365, published on Tuesday December 17, 2024 at 8:24 a.m.
The new leader of this tenth Vendée Globe is Yoann Richomme. Skipper Paprec Arkéa has been on a hellish diet for several days and this Tuesday at the first check-in (7:00 a.m.), he occupies the head of the fleet ahead of Charlie Dalin (Macif Santé Prévoyance), dispossessed of first place after fifteen days in command. The gap is, however, minimal (7.83 miles) for the moment between the two navigators.
“If I keep the same speed differential, it can be done in the next few hours.” Invited on Monday during the day while he was rushing Charlie Dalin to position himself on the chances he had of overtaking his rival and leader for two weeks, Yoann Richomme seemed very optimistic, admitting that he did not find Le Havrais “very fast”. The fastest skipper of the moment in this tenth edition of the Vendée Globe was right to harbor such hopes. Because the transfer of power that was looming between Dalin and his new pursuer has taken place. And this Tuesday, at the first score (7:00 a.m.), it is Richomme, former chaser now leader (Editor's note: He had even been third for a long time, behind Sébastien Simon), who appears at the top of the ranking, certainly with a gap for the moment so tiny (7.83 miles) that the skipper Macif Santé Prévoyance could very well recover first place as quickly as possible if his competitor, who has been running at breakneck speed since this weekend, were to slow down.
Simon stays in touch
The 41-year-old skipper, on his boat Paprec-Arkéa, can in any case start very seriously dreaming of putting his name on the list, he whose initial plan was only “to be in the Top 5 at entry into the Indian and after, to seize the opportunities to move up the ranking”, certain of having “the boat for the South Seas”. Richomme, who must not regret his choice to go around the big depression in the Indian Ocean via the North, must remain all the more on his guard as Simon (Groupe-Dubreuil), even deprived of a starboard foil, remains all close (at 47.94 miles) while the leaders, who should cross Cape Horn “just after Christmas”, according to Richomme, have already set course for Les Sables d'Olonne. However, it is especially Dalin that the native of Fréjus seems to be very wary of in the race for final victory. “Charlie is going to make life difficult for us until the end,” is convinced the new boss of this Vendée Globe, interviewed this Tuesday in The Team.
SAILING / VENDEE GLOBE
Ranking as of 7:00 a.m. – Tuesday December 17, 2024
1- Yoann Richomme (FRA/Paprec-Arkéa) 10,387.90 nautical miles from the finish
2- Charlie Dalin (FRA/Macif Santé Prévoyance) 7.83 miles from the leader
3- Sébastien Simon (FRA/Groupe-Dubreuil) at 47.94
4- Nicolas Lunven (FRA/Holcim-PRB) at 685.39
5- Thomas Ruyant (FRA/Vulnerable) at 688.35
6- Jérémie Beyou (FRA/Charal) at 699.94
7- Yannick Bestaven (FRA/Maître Coq V) at 806.28
8- Paul Meilhat (FRA/Biotherm) at 852.57
9- Boris Herrmann (ALL/Malizia – SeaExplorer) at 881.06
10- Sam Goodchild (GBR/Vulnerable) à 885,74
…
Abandons :
– Maxime Sorel (FRA/V and B-Monbana) after 5 days of racing due to an ankle injury and a broken hook
– Louis Burton (FRA/Bureau Vallée) after 24 days of racing due to damage to a mechanical element of the rigging
– Pipe Hare (GBR/Medallia) after 36 days of racing due to dismasting
