Richomme's Christmas Record puts him number 1 at Cape Horn

The long time rivals were less than one mile apart this morning after their passage of the legendary rock has made race history as the closest leaders’ rounding of the Horn. But as the new breeze filled and speeds picked up to 21-23kts, Richomme has extended away and is nearly 10 miles clear on the 0600hrs UTC ranking. 

It was Richomme who led the dream rounding of the Horn on the cusp of Christmas Eve, passing at 23h 27min 20sec (UTC) on Monday night, so in daylight just before 2030hrs local time. With an elapsed time since starting the Vendée Globe on Sunday 11th November of 43 days 11 hours 25 minutes and 20 seconds, Richomme breaks Armel Le Cléac'h’s 2016 record of 47 days 34 minutes 46 seconds by 3d 13h 9min and 26s. He also sets a new mark for the passage from Cape Leeuwin – Cape Horn sector at 13d 09h 13min 43s.

Dalin, slightly more offshore,  passed only 9 minutes and 30 seconds behind Richomme and this morning was only half a mile directly behind as they enjoyed the first hours of Christmas Eve in modest conditions. 

It was the most perfect leaders’ passage for this tenth edition of the race which has already broken so many records. 

For Dalin it was an important moment, seeing the Cape so close after passing in the night on the last race. He will be mildly frustrated again to have not completed the three great Capes in the lead after being first to Good Hope and Leeuwin. But whilst Richomme may go in the history books as first to the Horn both know that a furious battle to the finish, up the Atlantic, to the ultimate glory is only just beginning. 

Dalin passed the longitude of the southernmost tip of South America at 23h 36min 50sec (UTC) for an elapsed time of 43d 11h 34min 50s.

 Predictably Richomme was elated, both gifted such a picture postcard passage at Christmas in the lead of what for the moment looks very much like a head-to-head title battle. 

“What an incredible moment passing the Horn, great to have it like this, I would never have imagined having conditions like this, a little bit calmer, at two miles off, my god, so good, the mountains behind with snow on top, so great to see land like this, it is incredible to see Cape Horn like this, what a reward, me on top with Charlie right behind, the biggest part of the job is done, it is exceptional, the colours are beautiful, the blue sky.” 

Throughout the fleet and across the time zones Christmas is arriving, most skippers enjoying a few moments to open presents, don festive clothing and make the most of this unique time afloat. Chinese skipper JingKun Xu (Singchain Team Haikou) took the time to fully celebrate his passage of Cape Leeuwin. Others sailing in sight of each other, like the leaders, include Arnaud Boissières (La Mie Câline) and Eric Bellion (Stand as One Altavia) who are enjoying flat seas and sunshine only three miles apart in 26th and 27th positions. 

Boris Herrmann (Malizia Seaexplorer) is enjoying a very slight improvement in the overhead conditions, not quite as grey. His mood is focused and objective, “It's grey, but a little less grey than the last few days! We're experiencing all the shades of grey in the South, we knew that before and here we are that's how it is, we've seen very little sun, and we've been able to go on deck very little without the proper sailing clothes so today is a little moment of calm, but we're going to find a little wind this afternoon going north, here we're zig-zagging along the ice zone, but soon it's going to be a slightly longer tack, my next jibe will be after I’m finished this chat. Every time I jibe, I take off my jackets a little because it's cold and hot at the same time! When you move like that, it gets very hot quickly, I take off practically everything, I do my sport indoors in my indoor gym, and then I put my layers back on!”

Overall it is quite an intense pace but also it’s ocean offshore pace, we're not tearing our hair out, and everyone has their technical problems, I think the others a little more than me, I have very few! There is little possibility of coming back a bit on those in front, it's a straight line more or less, we're not making mega bets on one side or the other, the general direction is quite direct, so from here to the Horn it won't change much. After the Horn it changes a little, it's concentrated around an anticyclone to the North-East of the Falklands, and this one we'll possibly leave to starboard, to go back downwind because there is another small depression along Argentina, but it's not certain yet. So we're aiming for the Horn and we'll see what happens next, even if the next part doesn't look very fast, also because the ice zone restricts us a lot, if it wasn't there we would make a huge arc towards the East to continue in the Southern Seas, but it's not possible! Tomorrow Christmas, I would like to take out my drone and take photos of the sunset or sunrise! I haven't seen one since Cape Town!”