(December 16, 2024; Day 37) – Leadership of the 2024-25 Vendée Globe has tightened as Yoann Richomme, skipper of PAPREC ARKÉA, is hard on the heels of Charlie Dalin (MACIF Santé Prévoyance). At just less than 18 miles behind Dalin, who has led since December 2, Richomme has been consistently quicker.
“The two skippers are sailing in the same conditions but Yoann is going slightly faster,” explains Christian Dumard, the Vendée Globe weather consultant. “Charlie has lost the lateral separation he had and they have to deal with rather unstable wind.”
Richomme adds, “I feel good on board, I’m in tune with my weather routing, there are no setbacks. I’m lucky to have a fantastic boat in these downwind conditions. Charlie knows that well, we’ll soon be equal. He’ll have his time in the Atlantic, but this is mine. Each of us has their turn.”
Along with Sébastien Simon (FRA), who has slipped to third place since his starboard foil broke, the anticyclonic ridge that separates the three leaders from the rest of the fleet is clearly visible on the weather map.
This large blue area still acts as an ‘impassable barrier’ as described by Jérémie Beyou (Charal, 6th). But Beyou and his immediate cohorts will have to cling on their last vestiges of patience as the anticyclone will move back North and finally allow the freshly re-established big group of nine skippers to all continue at speed.
Boris Herrmann (Malizia-Seaexplorer, 10th), Justine Mettraux (TeamWork-Team Snef, 11th), Clarisse Crémer (L’Occitane en Provence, 12th), and Samantha Davies (Initiatives Cœur, 13th) are riding this big depression eastwards.
“I hope I’m wrong but the sea state is going to make the next 24 hours very complicated,” grimaced Clarisse. “There are 40 to 45 knots of cross winds to negotiate. If I don’t manage to maintain good average speeds, I’m going to see this bus (the front) leave without me!”
As the sixth week of racing begins, fatigue is piling up and so are the worries. Benjamin Ferré (Monnoyeur – DUO for a JOB, 23rd) was woken from a nap because of a “huge bang”. “There was oil everywhere in the boat, the keel ram attachment literally exploded”. For a while, the skipper thought about giving up, heading for Australia. “I really thought my Vendée Globe was over”. He had to work hard for 12 hours helped by his technical team on land and Jean Le Cam who called him regularly. But he is back on track.
Antoine Cornic (HUMAN Immobilier, 33rd) also set off again. He had taken shelter in Saint-Paul, an uninhabited island that is part of the TAAF (French Southern and Antarctic Lands). Race rookie Cornic climbed the mast to repair his mainsail track.
After five hours of hard work, he was able to set off again at the end of the morning. Denis Van Weynbergh (D’Ieteren Group, 37th), managed to climb up to change his wind vane. “It wasn’t easy and above all, it still doesn’t work, it might be a wiring problem.”
Race updates – Tracker – Ranking – Facebook
Attrition:
Nov. 15: Maxime Sorel (FRA), V and B – Monbana – Mayenne – ankle injury, mast damage
Dec. 4: Louis Burton (FRA), Bureau Vallée – rigging failure
Dec. 15: Pip Hare (AUS), Medallia – dismasted
The Vendée Globe, raced in the 60-foot IMOCA, is the elite race round the world, solo, non-stop, and without assistance. On November 10, 40 skippers started the 2024-25 edition which begins and ends in Les Sables d’Olonne, France.
Armel Le Cléac’h, winning in 2017, holds the record for the 24,300 nm course of 74 days 03 hours 35 minutes 46 seconds. Only one sailor has won it twice: Michel Desjoyeaux in 2001 and 2009. This is tenth running of the race.
Source: VG2024, SSN – https://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/2024/12/16/vendee-globe-dueling-in-the-pacific/
