Thomas Rettant leads the Vendée Globe fleet towards the Cape of Good Hope, November 23, 2020. -

JEAN-FRANCOIS MONIER / AFP

Alex Thomson in slow motion, a duo is starting to take the lead in the Vendée Globe.

Thomas Rouillard, after having performed a delicate and spectacular operation at the top of his mast, was overtaken by Charlie Dalin early this Monday morning.

The two sailors, in a pocket handkerchief, are more than 500 kilometers ahead of the rest of the fleet, which crosses the Atlantic in the direction of the width towards the Cape of Good Hope.

Classification

1. Charlie Dalin (Apivia)

2. Thomas Rettant (LinkedOut) 18 miles behind the leader

3. Jean Le Cam (Yes we Cam!) 262 miles behind the leader

4. Kevin Escoffier (PRB) 274 miles behind the leader

5. Alex Thomson (Hugo Boss) 294 miles behind the leader

Raucous the mountaineer

Thomas Rouillard did very hard on Sunday.

Victim from the start of a problem with the ropes used to use his large headsails, the skipper took advantage of a little calmer sea in the early morning to climb to the top of his 28-meter mast and make repairs.

😨 The leader @ThomasRettant was forced to go up to the masthead to solve a halyard problem.


👊 He managed to repair and remains the leader of the @ VendeeGlobe fleet. # IMOCA # VG2020 @LinkedOut_VG @IridiumComm @thalesgroup pic.twitter.com/jMMFdJ5nQR

- IMOCAGlobeSeries (@ImocaGS) November 22, 2020

A maneuver that may have cost him the place of leader, ceded to Charlie Dulin on Monday morning, but he is now well armed to attack the southern seas and dearly defend his skin.

Thomson the Stoic

Forced to major repairs on a longitudinal beam, located at the front of the boat, Gallois went into handyman mode.

He who was leading the race a little over a day ago will have to slow down for a while.

A blow for the one who hopes to finally win, after two podiums in the last two editions.

But Thomson tries to take things the best they can.

“I'm obviously disappointed, but it's the Vendée Globe.

This is what it implies.

You have to be able to handle this kind of thing, he told the race headquarters.

In these situations, I am usually angry, sad and emotional, but this time around I am not.

I just need to deal with it.

I'm sure at some point, emotions can pick up but, for now, there is only one priority: doing the job the best I can.

I will do whatever it takes to stay in the race.

"

Beyou the philosopher

Leaving after a forced return to Les Sables, the initial favorite of this Vendée is racing along the African coasts.

“I found a good wind corridor last night, and I have more than expected.

So I let the boat speak, which is magic.

There, I am never below 20 knots, it's royal ”, he explained to the 5:00 am Monday morning session.

Still very far behind, of course, he can still dream of a nice comeback.

In the meantime, he takes advantage of his misfortune and the countless messages of support received to take a step back on what his adventure represents.

“I am not formatted for adventure, for what I am currently experiencing, but I realize that what initially appears to be a technical adventure is ultimately only human.

People are passionate about it, and it's legitimate.

I also realize that it's crazy to know so little about a sport that I have practiced all my life.

I have been sailing all my life and I do not know: I am discovering a facet that is more human than I imagined.

Amen.

Sport

Vendée Globe 2020: "The freeze-dried product ended up disgusting me"… The skippers' little taste revolt

Sport

Vendée Globe: But why can Jean Le Cam no longer follow the leaders?

This is the question of the week

  • Vendée Globe

  • Sail

  • Sport