When the ocean connects to offshore racing

Expansion and compression. Stretching and rebounding. The elastic effect is seen all the way through the Vendée Globe fleet. Mostly it is driven by the evolution and timing of weather systems, especially in the train of low pressures in the Southern Oceans, where the wind comes from the west, from…

Even if they are slowed periodically, the leading trio are still making northwards progress in the Atlantic and the fact that the weather and sea state has never been conducive to the second group closing miles back to within what might resemble ‘catching distance’ irks some within this group.

Like an over excited youngster on Christmas morning, Seb Simon (Groupe Dubreuil) had to wait until after breakfast time before he could pass Cape Horn for his first time. But for all that some patience was required of the skipper from Les Sables d’Olonne, he was rewarded by what might be described…

Christmas Day on the tenth Vendée Globe will belong to Sébastien Simon (Groupe Dubrueil) who will pass Cape Horn this morning in third place with a lead of about 1000 miles over the main peloton. The skipper from Les Sables d’Olonne will have quite lively conditions – commensurate with the Horn for…

When he crossed Cape Horn as the narrowest of narrow leaders at the head of the 36 strong Vendée Globe fleet at 23:27:20hrs UTC on Monday night Yoann Richomme set two new records for the solo round the world course. That he smashed Armel Le Cléac’h’s 2016 mark of 47 days 00 hours 34 minutes 46…