It’s hard to imagine a duel lasting several months on the open sea being played out in just a few seconds. And yet. At the head of the Vendée Globe for several weeks, Charlie Dalin and Yoann Richomme exchange the leadership position as the days go by, but still remain very close to each other. So much so that we wonder who will be the best in the final sprint.
A final sprint that several other skippers will see from afar. But they can enjoy a breathtaking view of icebergs, for the first time in the Vendée Globe since 2008. But vigilance is required in the middle of the Pacific to avoid these dangers, as frightening as they are fascinating.
A fierce duel in the lead
Yoann Richomme assured not to worry about the navigation options taken by Charlie Dalin. But, a few weeks before the arrival in Les Sables-d’Olonne, we still think that the skipper of Paprec-Arkea still take a look at the trajectory taken by the one who is still leader of this tenth edition of the Vendée Globe. Because in the ascent of the Atlantic, Richomme is now hot on Dalin’s heels.
During the night, the leader of the race lost a good part of his lead, which was almost 50 miles at the 7 p.m. point on Wednesday, over Richomme, returning to only 25.7 miles at the 11 a.m. point this Thursday. The mano a mano continues off the coast of Brazil while the first two hope to finally benefit from the trade winds to accelerate towards the equator.
The ranking at 11 a.m.
1. Charlie DallinMacif Santé Prévoyance) 4,319.3 nautical miles from the finish
2. Yoann Richomme (Pepper Arkea) 25.7 minutes from the first
3. Sébastien Simon (Dubreuil Group) at 346.0 min
4. Thomas Ruyant (Vulnerable) at 1,369.1 mn
-5. Paul Meilhat (Biotherm) at 1,556.3 min.
Icebergs in view
That it was not a surprise for Eric Bellion to see an iceberg rising up in front of him. Surprise and apprehension. “I didn’t expect to see an iceberg in the Vendée Globe, we can’t be smart,” explains the skipper. It’s scary. The boat and I are not being smart. My case is 3.6mm thick, I can’t afford to type that. I hope there aren’t any little growlers in front, those ice cubes that break off from the iceberg. Icebergs are beautiful with expedition boats equipped with steel hulls but not with our carbon racing boats. »
Before him, Sébastien Marsset, 22nd, was the first to see the iceberg and began a “fight” to avoid it: this vision, “frankly, it blows my mind, I was heading straight for it!” This iceberg had therefore ultimately not drifted towards the North at all, but due East, so I was at the same latitude as it, and I found myself… facing it! »
All the news from the Vendée Globe
Marsset maneuvered well to move away and continue on his way. He can now “take a breath” even if another ice monster has been announced a little further to the East. “The year 2025 is starting off very intensely, and I saw an iceberg for the first time in my life! “, he concluded. Conrad Colman was also able to enjoy this ice giant.
News from “Marina Foils”
The crazy rise of our virtual skipper continues. And we can only regret this unfortunate entry into the Pacific which had earned us a terrible demotion, like that of the Girondins of Bordeaux. But, better than the club led by Gérard Lopez, Marina Foils has caught up and will soon even enter the top 80,000 of the race, the ranking he occupied before the Pacific. Outstanding.
Next big step for the boat 20 Minutes on “Virtual Regatta”, the passage of Cape Horn in around twenty-four hours, and therefore the arrival in the Atlantic for the big climb back to Les Sables-d’Olonne. We hope that this change of ocean will be a little better negotiated than the previous one.
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