Vendée Globe: Dalin is in Finisterre, the final spring starts

Charlie Dalin

Charlie Dalin is at Cape Finisterre. Apivia is therefore the first boat ready to travel the Bay of Biscay in the opposite direction compared to last November. These are hours of great tension and anticipation at the Vendée Globe headquarters in Les Sables d’Olonne. Such an uncertain ending has never been in the history of the round-the-world race.

Compared to yesterday, however, something has changed. Dalin’s leadership on the Apivia foiler seems to be a little stronger. There is no doubt that the 1984-born sailor from Le Havre is the best skipper in terms of trajectories and upwind navigation, as he proved during the entire regatta and as seen in these hours in the ascent of Portugal. However, it might not be enough, because Dalin has to put just over 6 hours between himself and Boris Herrman, and then 10 on Bestaven. These are the times of bonuses, and if Dalin wants to win the Vendée Globe he will have to deal with these numbers. The most dangerous of the skippers who will benefit from the bonus seems to be by far Boris Herrmann, now 82 miles behind. Bestaven, on the other hand, is 295 away; he should not be considered out of the game even if the northern option he has chosen is not yet clear whether it will be advantageous or not. At the moment, he seems to be on the podium but not fighting for the victory Louis Burton, who having no time allowances can only think of catching up and overtaking Dalin in the final sprint.

Good moment for Giancarlo Pedote, following Damien Seguin. Prysmian is 824 miles from Les Sables and is supposed to overtake his rival again. It is now clear that Pedote’s yacht suffers a lot from downwind navigation, where Seguin, instead, seems much faster.

To know the winner of the Vendée 2020-21, it will take around 24 hours or little more. But it is not certain that they will be enough.

Mauro Giuffrè

TRACKING