Britain’s Sam Goodchild (VULNERABLE) has taken the lead in the Vendée Globe solo race around the world as the leaders of the 40 boat fleet descend south down the Iberian peninsula.
Passing the length of Portugal Tuesday, Goodchild – pursued by French ace Charlie Dalin – who is 22 nautical miles behind – was passing Lisbon this afternoon and should be at the latitude of Gibraltar tonight.
The British skipper, who is racing his first Vendée Globe, has benefited so far by taking a course slightly closer to the coast than Dalin and those chasing him, he has been dicing with possible calmer patches, but sailing fewer miles and making slightly fewer manoeuvres than his rivals.
This afternoon he was repositioning himself to try close the separation from the French skipper who is widely tipped as the pre-race favourite.
The 40 boat fleet have now largely passed the strong winds and big seas off Cape Finisterre, the gnarly NW corner of Spain, and are heading south today the temperatures are rising and the wind conditions becoming easier meaning rest will be possible.
Germany’s Boris Herrmann (Malizia Seaexplorer) has continued to climb through the fleet, he has had stronger breeze letting his powerful boat start to do its thing and this afternoon was in ninth place, the fastest of the Top 10.
Britain’s Pip Hare (Medallia) in 23rd, admitted on Vendée LIVE that she, as have almost others, struggled to rest and is now low on energy after this punishing calm then windy opening phase.
Sam Davies (Initiatives Coeur) is also working up the fleet in 17th, “I think I had something round my keel and then I just went the wrong way but I think there will be some compression ahead.”
Shortly after the start on Sunday Thomas Ruyant (VULNERABLE) noticed a small water ingress at the front of his IMOCA.
In the tough conditions encountered off Cape Finisterre, a rough, disorderly sea and a fairly strong wind Ruyant has been regularly pumping out water that has entered the sail locker. According to his team, he has the situation under control and will intervene when the time and weather are right. Ruyant is holding 3rd #place.
Vendee Globe positions at 14:00 hrs GMT Tuesday 12 November
1st GBR Sam Goodchild VULNERABLE
2nd FRA Charlie Dalin MACIF Santé Prévoyance
3rd FRA Thomas Ruyant VULNERABLE
4th FRA Yoann Richomme PAPREC ARKÉA
5th FRA Jérémie Beyou CHARAL
6th FRA Yannick Bestaven MAÎTRE COQ V
7th FRA Louis Burton BUREAU VALLÉE
8th FRA Sébastien Simon Groupe Dubreuil
9th GER Boris Herrmann MALIZIA – SEAEXPLORER
10th SUI Justine Mettraux Teamwork-Team Snef
11th FRA Paul Meilhat Biotherm
12th FRA Benjamin Ferré MONNOYEUR – DUO FOR A JOB
13th FRA Clarisse Crémer L’OCCITANE en Provence
14th FRA Jean Le Cam TOUT COMMENCE EN FINISTERE – ARMOR-LUX
15th SUI Alan Roura HUBLOT
16th NZL Conrad Colman MS Amlin
17th GBR Samantha Davies Initiatives-Cœur
18th FRA Romain Attanasio FORTINET – BEST WESTERN
19th FRA Benjamin Dutreux GUYOT ENVIRONNEMENT – WATER FAMILY
20th FRA Arnaud Boissières LA MIE CÂLINE
21st FRA Damien Seguin GROUPE APICIL
22nd FRA Maxime Sorel V AND B – MONBANA – MAYENNE
23rd GBR Pip Hare MEDALLIA
24th FRA Louis Duc Fives Group – Lantana Environnement
25th FRA Sébastien Marsset FOUSSIER
26th FRA Violette Dorange DeVenir
27th ITA Giancarlo Pedote Prysmain
28th FRA Antoine Cornic HUMAN IMMOBILIER
29th FRA Tanguy Le Turquais Lazare
30th FRA Kojiro Shiraishi DMG MORI Global One
31st FRA Fabrice Amedeo Nexans-Wewise
32nd FRA Guirec Soudée FREELANCE.COM
33rd FRA Nicolas Lunven HOLCIM – PRB
34th FRA/GER Isabelle Joschke MACSF
35th HUN Szabolcs Weöres New Europe
36th FRA Éric Bellion STAND AS ONE
37th FRA Denis Van Weynbergh D’IETEREN GROUP
38th SUI Oliver Heer Tut gut.
39th CHN Jingkun Xu SINGCHAIN TEAM HAIKOU
40th FRA Manuel Cousin Coup de Pouce
