Yoann Richomme, skipper of PAPREC ARKÉA, has closed to within 2.24 nm of Charlie Dalin (MACIF Santé Prévoyance) who has led the Vendee since 2 December.
Richomme is consistently quicker at present and told the French Vendée Globe LIVE! show . . . “I am very happy with the choices I made with the boat and my sails.”
Holding third place and also closing on Dalin is Sébastien Simon (Groupe Dubreuil) at 96 nm. Also making places is Nicolas Lunven (HOLCIM – PRB) up into fourth.
Britain’s Sam Goodchild (VULNERABLE) has dropped back to ninth and 900 nm off the leader. Samantha Davies (Initiatives-Cœur) is in 13th place.
But while Richomme is impressing with his measured attack on the race leader, Brit Pip Hare (Medallia) who dismasted last night is now heading under jury rigging towards Melbourne, Australia.
The British sailor is still in shock. But she pledged, “It is not the end. It never is the end. And I hope that by the time I get to the shore I will have a really good plan, how to get Medaliia sailing again, how to get back to Europe, and then get back on the race track in 2025.”
Hare worked hard to set up a makeshift jury rig that allowed her to make progress at around 4 knots throughout the day. She is 700 miles from the Australian coast, which she should reach in about ten days.
Other problems are mounting up through the fleet in an especially brutal Indian Ocean.
Hungarian skipper Szabolcs Weöres has made the difficult decision to retire from Vendée Globe, because of irreparable damage to the D2 shroud on his IMOCA, New Europe.
Benjamin Ferré (Monnoyeur – DUO for a JOB, 23rd) had to work “for twelve hours” to repair a keel ram problem
Antoine Cornic (Human Immobilier, 33rd) and Denis Van Weynbergh (D’Ieteren Group, 37th) both climbed their masts.
While Arnaud Boissières (La Mie Câline, 29th) is dealing with an injured knee.
Vendee Globe Leaders at 22:00 hrs GMT Monday 16 December 2024
1st FRA Charlie Dalin MACIF Santé Prévoyance
2nd FRA Yoann Richomme PAPREC ARKÉA – 2.24 nm to leader
3rd FRA Sébastien Simon GROUPE Dubreuil
4th FRA Nicolas Lunven HOLCIM – PRB
5th FRA Thomas Ruyant VULNERABLE
6th FRA Jérémie Beyou CHARAL
7th FRA Yannick Bestaven MAÎTRE COQ V
8th FRA Paul Meilhat Biotherm
9th GBR Sam Goodchild VULNERABLE – 900 nm to leader
10th GER Boris Herrmann MALIZIA – SEAEXPLORER
11th SUI Justine Mettraux Teamwork-Team Snef
12th FRA Clarisse Crémer L’OCCITANE en Provence
13th GBR Samantha Davies Initiatives-Cœur – 1320 nm to leader
14th FRA Benjamin Dutreux GUYOT ENVIRONNEMENT – WATER FAMILY
15th FRA Romain Attanasio FORTINET – BEST WESTERN
16th GBR Pip Hare MEDALLIA – DISMASTED
17th FRA Damien Seguin GROUPE APICIL
18th FRA/GER Isabelle Joschke MACSF
19th FRA Jean Le Cam TOUT COMMENCE EN FINISTERE – ARMOR-LUX
20th SUI Alan Roura HUBLOT
