Paris (AFP)

Led by Yannick Bestaven, a fleet of ten boats sailed up the Atlantic in a scenario that promised some surprises, as the Vendée Globe entered its sixty-fourth day on Monday.

"I think that for Yannick, who sees us coming back to him when he was far ahead, it must be hard. For us it is more pleasing", underlined Thomas Rettant (LinkedOut), who has just taken over the third place.

"The whole Vendée Globe has been like this, the race is far from over. We will not give up and there will be opportunities until the end!"

Bestaven (Maître Coq IV) has been in the lead for almost a month.

But the 400 nautical mile (740 km) lead he had last week over his direct pursuer has melted.

Monday at midday, it is only some 50 nautical miles (92 km) that separate him from his dolphin Charlie Dalin (Apivia).

No wonder then that the sailor from La Rochelle is sailing in an area of ​​very low winds.

But he will soon come out of it while Dalin and Rouillard will rub shoulders in their turn, as will the fourth Damien Seguin (Groupe Apicil), and behind him a pack of more than motivated sailors.

- The 4th Horn of Boissières -

"The four skippers just in front of us will perhaps stumble in a slack, it will tighten up," commented German Boris Herrmann (Seaexplorer-Yacht Club de Monaco), in sixth position.

"Isn't it fantastic to come up the Atlantic so tight and at the end where it will be even more tight? There is real play, even Yannick (Bestaven) is not at the shelter at all. It's a real regatta, we saw some pretty cool ascents from the Atlantic where there were only two boats involved. There, there is still a bunch of boats that can make the podium. You can have surprises and you are never immune to a good surprise! ", rejoiced Herrmann, the first German to take part in the solo round-the-world race.

The meteorologist of the race, Christian Dumard, confirms.

"Things are interesting, the fleet should regroup quickly with a zone of calm, from which Yannick Bestaven is emerging. During the night, four or even five boats will find themselves in this same zone and which should touch the trade winds at the same time ".

Further behind, several boats have not yet passed Cape Horn, the last of the three round the world capes.

But it has been done since Monday noon for Arnaud Boissières (La Mie Câline-Artisans Artipôle), who signs a feat.

The sailor passed Cape Horn for the fourth time for his fourth Vendée Globe, a beer in hand as an offering.

If he finishes the race, he will be the first sailor to succeed four Vendée Globe in a row.

"It's an offering for everyone, for the Pacific, for the Indian for Cape Horn, for Neptune, for all my friends, for Georges Pernoud, for my boat and for me. It's just great", he slipped, struggling "to achieve".

Boissières paid tribute to journalist Georges Pernoud, at the helm for more than 40 years of the television magazine dedicated to the sea "Thalassa", who died on Sunday at the age of 73.

© 2021 AFP