december 14, 2024: Between fleet consolidation and resilience at sea
Charlie Dalin (Macif Santé Prévoyance) is still leading the race, but Yoann Richomme (Paprec Arkea) has managed to overtake Sébastien Simon (Groupe Dubreuil), taking second place. The 3rd place finisher continues to deal with the loss of his starboard foil, adopting a cautious strategy to maintain his position.
A ridge of high pressure synonymous with light winds is slowing down the group between Thomas Ruyant (Vulnerable, 4?) and Clarisse Crémer (L'Occitane en Provence, 13?). This slowdown creates a temporary regrouping, offering an opportunity for the skippers behind to take advantage of more favorable weather conditions to reduce the gap to the leaders.
Technical problems continue to affect skippers. Thomas Ruyant experienced a temporary blackout of his instruments, illustrating the permanent risks associated with breakdowns at sea. Damien Seguin (Groupe Apicil) maintains his progress in difficult conditions, despite injuring his neck and knee after a chainplate ripped off, while Guirec Soudée (Freelance.com, 30?) resumes a competitive pace after repairs to the mast.
Beyond the material challenges, the skippers also have to overcome physical constraints. Jingkun Xu (Singchain Team Haikou, 34?) continues his race despite persistent shoulder pain, testifying to the sailors' determination in this extraordinary event.
To counter the isolation and challenges of everyday life, some sailors find solace in festive traditions. Sam Goodchild (Vulnerable) shares the discovery of his advent calendar, filled with surprises and warm messages, while Nicolas Lunven (Holcim PRB) discovers a photo of his loved ones every day. These simple gestures provide essential motivation at sea.
december 15, 2024: Leading acceleration, technical challenges and life at sea
The day was marked by intensifying competition at the head of the fleet, rapid progress in the Pacific for some, and technical challenges for others, underlining once again the complexity of this extraordinary race.
Charlie Dalin (Macif Santé Prévoyance) retains the lead, but Yoann Richomme (Paprec Arkea) reduces the gap to less than 100 miles, making the fight for first place tighter. Behind them, Thomas Ruyant (Vulnerable, 4?) and Jérémie Beyou (Charal, 5?) are taking advantage of a successful passage through the Pacific to accelerate their progress, reaching impressive speeds thanks to downwind conditions.
Difficult conditions continue to weigh on the skippers. Szabolcs Weöres (New Europe, 38?) is facing critical damage with the breakage of a port shroud, threatening the stability of his mast. Antoine Cornic (Human Immobilier, 33?) has diverted to Île Saint-Paul to repair his mainsail track, while Denis Van Weynbergh (D'Ieteren Group, 37?) is dealing with weather vane problems affecting his navigation instruments.
Despite the challenges, life at sea continues to bring defining moments. Sébastien Marsset (Foussier, 24?) celebrated his 40? birthday in the middle of the race, marking this personal milestone with a fighting spirit and gratitude. Damien Seguin (Groupe Apicil, 17?), after days of stormy weather, is finally taking advantage of calmer winds to get back into a serene rhythm.
december 16, 2024: Pip Hare dismasting and technical challenges
December 16, 2024 was marked by major damage, underlining once again the toughness of this single-handed race.
Pip Hare (Medallia), then in 15? position, dismasted overnight off Australia at 10:45pm (French time). Although the incident was severe, the navigator is unharmed and the boat remains sound. The British sailor is currently working on setting up a makeshift rig to reach land safely.
Szabolcs Weöres (New Europe, 38?) reported damage to his rigging, further complicating his progress in the tumultuous waters of the Indian Ocean. While Benjamin Ferré (Monnoyeur - Duo for a job) had to deal with keel cylinder damage on Sunday night.
Antoine Cornic (HUMAN Immobilier, 33?), still affected by damage to his mainsail track, continued on to Île Saint-Paul to attempt repairs. After a difficult climb up the mast and 5 hours of work, the repairs not yet finished, enabled him to set off again to avoid the strong winds that were about to sweep the area.
Meanwhile, the leaders continue to make headway in complex weather conditions, with powerful winds and choppy seas. Charlie Dalin (Macif Santé Prévoyance) remains in first place, followed by Yoann Richomme (Paprec Arkea) and Sébastien Simon (Groupe Dubreuil), who are still sailing in close contact.
