High intensity. High emotion. High road home.

After the pin system which secures his J2 forestay broke Bellion had effected some kind of fix a few days ago. But following another failure and facing a storm forecast in an area where he had no options to repair, fearing for the safety of his mast Bellion chose to head into the Falklands where he came alongside a pontoon in 35kts winds. Stepping on land there he announced his withdrawl from this, his second Vendée Globe. Bellion is the sixth skipper to retire. 

At the front of the race, the non stop duel between Charlie Dalin (MACIF Santé Prévoyance, 1st) – and Yoann Richomme (PAPREC ARKÉA, 2nd) continues. The situation still favours the leader Dalin who is expected very early Tuesday morning into Les Sables d’Olonne.

Yoann keeps the pressure on, Charlie is resolute

After many days of efficient high speeds in the trade winds the finish to their Vendée Globe looks set to see Dalin and Richomme finally slowed. They have to negotiate a small windless zone off the Point of Brittany which will extend down the coast to the Vendée region producing an easterly wind. Without his J0 in the light airs Richomme may well struggle holding his own against Dalin. The  estimated arrival times remain quite dynamic, related to the modelling of the expected breeze. Dalin is expected early on Tuesday morning, between 0400hrs and 1000hrs UTC and Richomme between 0900hrs and 1600hrs UTC. 

Third placed Sébastien Simon and the "spirit of Vendée"

Some 800 miles behind the first two, passing the Azores this morning, Sébastien Simon (Groupe Dubreuil) is sailing in the same SE’ly weather pattern as the leaders. The skipper who grew up in Les Sables d’Olonne should enjoy a triumphant arrival in his home town between Thursday and Friday. After sharing a beautiful the sunrise while sailing on a flat sea, his enthusiasm on the media call is infectious,  

Even though he knows a high level of vigilance and focus needs to be maintained, it is impossible for Simon not to think about the finish, to reflect on the rocky road he has had to endure to get to the start, the suffering, the doubts and the emotion that he has been through. After breaking vertebrae in his back at the end of the Rétour à La Base race last winter he spent three months in bed recovering.

Goodchild, Beyou and Le Cam can enjoy their positions for the moment

Late tonight the first of the chasing group led by Briton Sam Goodchild (VULNERABLE, 4th) and Jérémie Beyou (Charal, 5th) will cross the equator back into the Northern Hemisphere. At the same time this looks like it will see the start of their Doldrums. Goodchild has retained a small lead over his French rival. In this highly competitive group, some like Thomas Ruyant (VULNERABLE, 8th), Boris Herrmann (Malizia Seaexplorer, 9th) and Nicolas Lunven (Holcim-PRB, 7th) still have a few squall zones to cross. Paul Meilhat (Biotherm, 6th) was on the French Vendée Live and detailed the challenges he faced.

A little further back Benjamin Dutreux (Guyot Environnement – ​​Water Family, 12th) seems to have succeeded in his offshore, easterly strategy against Clarisse Crémer (L’Occitane en Provence, 11th) and Samantha Davies (Initiatives-Cœur, 13th). While they are still emerging into the trade winds Dutreux, by all accounts, should move ahead in the medium term.

Veteran Jean Le Cam (Tout commence en Finistère – Armor-lux, 14th) still has control over his group of nine skippers which extends to Tanguy Le Turquais (Lazare, 21st). “They are sailing on a reach and will have to go around a small depression from the North,” explains Christian Dumard, weather consultant for the Vendée Globe. “Le Roi Jean” should maintain a small lead and could be the first to reach the trade winds. He was on the calls this morning:

Éric Bellion, the dream is shattered 

Behind, there is an anticyclone that has slowed or trapped several skippers. Conrad Colman (MS Amlin, 22nd) was in fighting mood, positive after escaping from it, Guirec Soudée (Freelance.com, 23rd), Sébastien Marsset (FOUSSIER, 24th) and Louis Duc (Five Group – Lanta Environnement, 25th) are all becalmed there. The situation is completely different near the Falklands for Arnaud Boissières (La Mie Câline, 27th) and Violette Dorange (Devenir, 28th) who are sailing close-hauled in 30 knots of wind and gusts of 40 knots. Dorange also has to cope without her J3 following damage that she reported on Sunday.

Boissières, on his fifth consecutive Vendée Globe as well as the youngest skipper in the race Dorange had were sailing for several days in close contact with a third racer  Éric Bellion. But the skipper of STAND AS ONE – Altavia has been forced out, this morning docking in gale force winds in the Falklands Islands. The pin system holding the J2 forestay which partly supports the mast, which he had already repaired, gave way again on Saturday. Bellion made the prudent choice to get closer to the Falklands initially to find shelter from the storms to come. This Sunday, he set foot on land and so gave up: