Vendee Globe: Pre-race favorite Charlie Dalin re-takes lead in 24,400nm match race
by Richard Gladwell/Sail-World.com/nz 30 Dec 2024 20:37 UTC
Charlie Dalin aboard MACIF Santé Prévoyance - 2024 Vendée Globe © Jean-Marie Liot / Alea
Pre-race favorite Charlie Dalin has retaken the lead from Youann Richomme, with "just" 4855nm of the 24,400nm single-handed race left to sail.
Since the Vendee Globe non-stop round the world single handed race started at Les Sables-d'Olonne on Sunday November 10, the two have swapped the race lead several times with pre-race favorite Charlie Dalin sailing MACIF Santé Prévoyance, widely expected to ease away to race winning margin several times.
However Richomme regained the lead, four days before Christmas, on Dec 21 when the fleet reported at the 0600hrs UTC schedule.
He held the lead sailing closer inshore to round Cape Horn, the last rounding point of the race, and led Dalin by a remarkable margin of 9nm.
Since then Richomme (Paprec Arkea) has played his navigational cards right, working out to a lead of 116nm just over 24hrs after rounding the Horn.
While Dalin was able to pull this back to 6nm a couple of days later, catching is one thing, passing is another. By Dec 28 Richomme had worked back out to a 130nm lead. However as the course options reduced heading towards Recife, it was the better speed of Dalin that has carried the day. However over the last 24hrs with the two crawling along at less than 5kts, it seems that Dalin has got the first flick of some new pressure, and has moved out to a 12nm lead. Both boats are now sailing in the sub-10kts boatspeed bracket.
Behind the two, the march of Sébastien Simon (Groupe Dubreuil) has come to an end. Having chopped 450nm out of the front runners in just over 36hours, Simon has conceded margin for the first time. Sailing a course to the inshore of the other two, Simon was able to pick up a better breeze and was able to sail faster, despite a damaged starboard foil.
He is now 270nm off the lead, and what was a two boat match race is now a three way affair.
However ahead of the leaders there are some very challenging times ahead in the North Atlantic with the northern winter turning on a series low pressure cells accompanied by very strong boat-breaking conditions - easily the worst and most substantial of the race to date.
So while the Vendee Globe would appear to be in its final stanzas, there is plenty of challenges to come - both competitively and testing the sailors seamanship.
Mark Jardine's update for Dec 30, 2024 at 0900hrs UTC
www.sail-world.com/news/282487/Vendee-Globe-Monday-30th-December-Update
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