At the 7 p.m. check-in this Monday, the experienced skipper of Tout commence en Finistère – Armor-Lux took back the lead ahead of that of Vulnerable.
Jean Le Cam (Everything begins in Finistère – Armor-Lux) regained the lead of the 10th edition of the Vendée Globe on Monday with a short lead over his pursuers since Sam Goodchild (Vulnerable) was only 4 miles behind him in the standings. 7:00 p.m. (GMT+1). Aged 65, the oldest of the race hit a wind zone off the Mauritanian coast that he had chosen to sail along unlike the rest of the fleet, which set out on an option further west which came up against a windless area.
Le Cam, 6th participation, was going at 14 knots while the Briton Goodchild and his closest pursuers, Sébastien Simon (Groupe Dubreuil) and Nicolas Lunven (Holcim PRB), were moving between 4 and 7 knots. “Yes, I have lost a little speed in the last few hours, but everything is fine aboard Vulnerable”declared Sam Goodchild to AFP. “It's a little frustrating to find yourself without wind, nothing serious. The advantage is that I don't put too much pressure on myself about the result. We adapt, that’s all.”
On the ninth day of racing, the fleet remains particularly tight with 15 skippers who are within a radius of almost 120 miles at the 3:00 p.m. check-in, according to the organization. “When it slows down, it’s a little more painful because you really have to be on the alert”continued the Briton. “But anyway, we take advantage of these moments to check the boat. I made a few repairs, checked the autopilot and adjusted a few things here and there.”
Heading for the Doldrums
Little bits and pieces unlike the project in which Louis Burton (Bureau Vallée), victim of structural damage to his monohull since Saturday, has undertaken to keep his IMOCA in the race. “There is a crack there, another there, they cross the deck and it comes on the exterior bulkhead of the cockpit (…) we attack with a big sanding session inside”launched the skipper equipped with a protective suit, a mask and glasses in a video relayed by the race direction. The Ivryen sailor managed to fill the cracks and made a homemade splint on the hull which allows him to “regain structural integrity” to continue.
Next strategic area for solo sailors, this week's negotiation of the Doldrums, the famous calm zone located off the African coast, north of the equator.
Ranking of the 10th edition of the Vendée Globe Monday at 7:00 p.m. (GMT+1) :
1. Jean Le Cam (It all starts in Finistère – Armor-Lux) 22,267.36 nautical miles from the finish
2. Sam Goodchild (Vulnerable) 4.34 miles from the leader
3. Sébastien Simon (Groupe Dubreuil) at 16.18 miles
4. Nicolas Lunven (Holcim-PRB) at 40.32 miles
5. Thomas Rettant (Vulnerable) at 40.87 miles
6. Charlie Dalin (Macif Santé Prévoyance) at 55.03 miles
7. Samantha Davies (Initiatives-Coeur) at 57.23 miles
8. Yannick Bestaven (Maître Coq V) at 57.77 miles
9. Yoann Richomme (Paprec Arkéa) at 65.24 miles
10. Justine Mettraux (Teamwork-Team Snef) at 67.47 miles
…
25. Louis Burton (Bureau Vallée) at 174.38 miles
39. Szabolcs Weöres (New Europe) à 681.99 milles
Abandon: Maxime Sorel (V and B-Monbana-Mayenne)
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