With over a one-hour delay due to fog, the 33 Solo Skippers started off the Sables dOlonne to the much-awaited Vendée Globe Solo Round-the-World Race yesterday, finally in moderate conditions and sun. In southerly winds, the fleet was mostly heading West to reach a first frontal system allowing then to veer South into favorable winds. As expected, the favorites were leading the pack initially, but the leader board this morning (UTC) had the most southerly boats, non-foilers, in the lead. —– Maxime Sorel FRA as first was 0,3nm ahead of Jean Le Cam FRA. Another 2,4nm back followed the Paralympic Champion Damien Séguin FRA as 3rd. The first of the northern group was the co-favorite Jérémy Beyou FRA with his Charal on rank 4. On a northerly course as well was Hugo Boss of Alex Thomson GBR on rank 19 with a 14,3nm backlog. —– The race tracker. —– The first equipment failure had to be noted as well: Fabrice Amedo FRA had to return to the Sables dOlonne to repair the hook of a jib halyard. The report.
