january 3: Leading acceleration, technical challenges, and new Cap Horniers
After a period of light winds, the two leaders, Charlie Dalin (Macif Santé Prévoyance) and Yoann Richomme (Paprec Arkéa), returned to more favorable conditions, enabling them to accelerate and revive their duel at the head of the race.
Behind them, Sébastien Simon (Groupe Dubreuil) continues to climb along the Brazilian coast, but the acceleration of the two frontrunners is likely to widen the gap. Further south, Thomas Ruyant (Vulnerable, 4th) is facing technical challenges, notably the loss of his headsail (J2) following a local storm, which could put him at a disadvantage as he makes his way towards the Azores.
A group of skippers, from Paul Meilhat (Biotherm, 5th) to Justine Mettraux (Teamwork-Team Snef, 10th), are facing a low-pressure system generating unstable weather conditions and requiring constant vigilance. The situation is calmer for Benjamin Dutreux (Guyot environnement âeuros Water Family, 11th) and Clarisse Crémer (L'Occitane en Provence, 12th), who are making headway along the AZE. Samantha Davies (Initiatives-Coeur, 13th), for her part, has to contend with a high-pressure system which could block her progress.
Meanwhile, Romain Attanasio (Fortinet Best Western, 14th) and Damien Seguin (Groupe Apicil, 15th) recently rounded Cape Horn, marking a symbolic milestone in their journey. The next few days will see a succession of Cape Horn crossings. Jean Le Cam (Tout commence en Finistère - Armor-lux, 16th) is expected there tomorrow with 17-18 knots of westerly wind. For Alan Roura (Hublot, 17th), Isabelle Joschke (MACSF, 18th) and Giancarlo Pedote (Prysmian Group, 19th), they'll have to wait until Saturday night, when conditions are expected to be fierce, with 45 knots of wind.
january 4: Strong wind for the leaders, strategic battle for the chasers
At the head of the fleet, the two leaders are now benefiting from more invigorating conditions. Charlie Dalin (Macif Santé Prévoyance) was the first to hit strong winds, and was able to extend his lead by 120 miles. Behind him, Sébastien Simon (Groupe Dubreuil, 3rd) continues to head due east, while the chasing pack rebuilds. The chasing pack is experiencing an intense battle, with each skipper juggling strategy and damage management. Paul Meilhat (Biotherm) is accelerating and getting dangerously close to Thomas Ruyant (Vulnerable), who recently suffered major damage: the loss of his J2 sail in a storm off Argentina.
Justine Mettraux (Teamwork - Team Snef) took a bold westerly option, hoping to take advantage of better weather conditions. However, irregular winds slowed her progress, forcing her to remain patient. Nicolas Lunven (Holcim-PRB), meanwhile, is experiencing technical problems: his aerial is out of order, making it more difficult to manage the winds in changing conditions. Jean Le Cam (Tout commence en Finistère - Armor-lux), in 16th position, rounded Cape Horn for the 7th time in the race.
january 5: Key crossings and strategic battle in the Atlantic
At the head of the fleet, Charlie Dalin (Macif Santé Prévoyance) crossed the equator at 15h38 (French time), consolidating his leadership position 128 nautical miles ahead of Yoann Richomme (Paprec Arkea) and preparing to tackle the Doldrums. Behind the two leaders, a compact group of skippers, ranging from Thomas Ruyant (Vulnerable, 4?) to Justine Mettraux (TeamWork-Team Snef, 10?), continues its climb up the South Atlantic. Further south, the skippers still sailing in the Pacific continue to pass the symbolic milestone of Cape Horn. Alan Roura (Hublot, 17?) rounded the cape early in the morning in difficult conditions, with winds of 30 to 35 knots and waves of 4 to 5 meters. He slowed down to preserve his boat before finding milder conditions in the South Atlantic. Isabelle Joschke (MACSF) and Giancarlo Pedote (Prysmian) chose to slow down temporarily in the face of a gale, and expect to round Cape Horn this evening.
Meanwhile, Jean Le Cam (Tout commence en Finistère âeuros Armor Lux, 16áµ) continues to close the gap on Romain Attanasio (Fortinet Best Western, 14áµ) and Damien Seguin (Groupe APICIL, 15áµ), proving once again that experience makes all the difference. At the rear of the fleet, Denis Van Weynbergh (D'Ieteren Group, 35áµ) is preparing to cross the Meridian, marking an important step forward in his round-the-world journey. Despite a gap of over 7,700 nautical miles with the leaders, his perseverance illustrates the determination of all participants.
january 6: Duel in the lead, spectacular climbs and rounding Cape Horn
At the head of the race, Charlie Dalin (Macif Santé Prévoyance) has managed to get out of the doldrums effectively. He continues to lead the fleet, but his lead over Yoann Richomme (Paprec Arkea) has shrunk to 79 miles. Further back, Jean Le Cam (Tout commence en Finistère âeuros Armor Lux) continues to make a spectacular comeback. Thanks to a downwind north-westerly flow, he reduced the gap to Romain Attanasio (Fortinet-Best Western) and Damien Seguin (Groupe APICIL), 14áµ and 15áµ respectively. As for Romain Attanasio, he is facing unstable conditions on his way up the South Atlantic, alternating between violent squalls and flat calms. Meanwhile, to the south of the fleet, Isabelle Joschke (MACSF) and Giancarlo Pedote (Prysmian) rounded Cape Horn, marking their entry into the South Atlantic. Yannick Bestaven (Maître CoQ V) set sail again after a technical stop in Ushuaia, although he is now out of the race. Louis Burton's Bureau Vallée, after retiring, arrived in Saint-Malo, marking the end of his Vendée Globe adventure.
