Vendée Globe Racers Face Highs and Lows in Southern Ocean

There are many highs and lows when racing alone around the world. They include the weather systems and the inevitable damage that comes from the punishing Southern Ocean. The second-place French skipper, Sébastien Simon, hit a significant setback after he sustained a broken starboard foil on his IMOCA Groupe Dubreuil. For now, he is continuing to race and remains just 150 miles behind race leader Charlie Dalin aboard Macif Sante Prevoyance. Both boats have been streaking along near the ice limit to the south while the rest of the fleet has been trying to catch up. Simon recently set the record for the IMOCA 60s, sailing 615.33 miles in 24 hours.

Sébastien Simon was making the best of his troubles when he reported, “Bad news aboard Groupe Dubreuil. Last night, I lost the starboard foil. I was sleeping when the boat suddenly broached. I went into the cockpit to ease the sheets. I quickly sensed from the feel that something was wrong, the boat was no longer responding in the same way. I quickly understood what it was. I went to check on deck and the foil was broken at the elbow, the most curved part of the foil.” This should take him out of the running, but when we last checked he was still racing and sailing at over 20 knots.

The two race leaders found the right path through the lows to surge ahead, but right now the tide has turned, with the leaders sailing into lighter pressure and the following pack of boats catching up as much as 200 miles in the last couple of days. In third place, Yoann Richomme on Paprec Arkéa was well over 500 miles behind and is now just 336 miles astern.

Despite the Southern Ocean challenges, only two boats out of 40 have dropped out, leaving 38 boats with almost 5,000 miles between first and last battling in the deep south.

Follow the fleet through the highs and lows here.