Cape Horn crossed for Yoann Richomme and Charlie Dalin who smash the record

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Pour Yoann Richomme (Paprec Arkéa) and Charlie Dalin (Macif)the two leaders of this Vendée Globe 2024the cap Horn is now behind them.

It was the skipper of Paprec Arkéa who rounded the legendary Cape Horn in the lead of this 10^e edition of the Vendée Globe in 23 h 27 min 20 s.

A shower of falling records

Yoann Richomme shatters Armel Le Cleac'h's time on the 2016 Vendée Globe (47 D 00:34:46) and establishes a new reference time between Les Sables-d'Olonne and Cape Horn: 43 J 11 h 25 min 20 s, or 3 J 13 h 9 min and 26 seconds less.

At the same time, he set the record for the Leeuwin – Horn section. a 13 J 09 h 13 min 43 p.

Charlie Dalin succeeds him by only 9 minutes and 30 seconds! Never seen before in a Vendée Globe (1 hour 20 minutes separated François Gabart from Armel Le Cleac'h in 2012). The passage time of the skipper of Macif Santé Prévoyance at Cape Horn is 43 days 11 h 34 min 50 s.

Sébastien Simon (Groupe Dubreuil) should also imitate them in the coming hours. He is currently 515 miles from Yoann Richomme.

Cape Horn, the holy grail of navigators

Passing Cape Horn is always a very special moment for Vendée Globe skippers. First of all because it is the last of the three capeswhich the competitors in the race must cross (after the Cape of Good Hope and Cape Leeuwin).

It is THE milestone that every sailor dreams of crossing. A holy grail that could be compared to climbing Everest for mountaineering enthusiasts.

But also one of most dangerous sailing areas in the world . The southernmost point of South America, located on an island in Chile, Cape Horn is swept by prevailing winds which give rise to the famous Roaring Forties.

The conditions are conducive to the formation of powerful waves, or even so-called rogue waves because of their monstrous nature. Dantesque conditions which naturally come on top of the very low temperatures in the area.

Passing Cape Horn can therefore be seen as a deliverance for the skippers who are experiencing one of the most difficult parts of the race.

A strong symbol

This passage is also a strong symbol for navigators because they know, at that moment, that the rise of the Atlantic begins and, at the end, there is Les Sables-d'Olonne. It is therefore the signal to return homewho is approaching.

Be careful, nothing is over yet. If the hardest part seems to be behind them, there are several weeks of racing left (around four) and anything can still happen.

The suspense is still at its height with a fierce fight for first place between Richomme and Dalin who are still sailing with only a few miles difference for several days.

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