Paris (AFP)

One in the West, the other in the East: in full swing up the North Atlantic, Charlie Dalin, who leads the Vendée Globe fleet, and Louis Burton, pointed at about 200 km, continue their duel on Tuesday remotely in the last stretch of their round-the-world sailing trip.

Four years ago to the day, on January 19, 2017, Armel Le Cléac'h won the finish line of the Vendée Globe 2016 off Sables-d'Olonne, after 74 days of racing.

At the start of the 73rd day of the 2020 edition, there are still nearly 5,000 kilometers to cover for the head of the fleet, which set sail on November 8 and is expected in eight or nine days in Vendée.

In the standings at midday, Dalin (Apivia) continued to lead the dance, with some 110 nautical miles (about 200 km) ahead of a trio of pursuers in renewed order and virtually in a pocket handkerchief, Damien Seguin (Apicil), Thomas Rettant (LinkedOut) and Burton (Bureau Vallée 2), still second in the early morning.

But "the current classification does not really show the reality", underlines Le Cléac'h, guest on Tuesday of the daily show of the organization.

It is the duel - with an uncertain outcome - between Dalin and Burton which is the salt of these last days of racing.

The first chose a route further east, more direct towards Les Sables-d'Olonne, the second a much further west, so that the gap between the two boats reached nearly 200 miles (over 350 km).

- "Incredible suspense" -

With this option, Burton is in a way outside: he covers more ground but he advances faster.

Over the last 24 hours, it was he who covered the greatest distance (451.6 miles, or 836.3 km).

He was also the fastest, approaching 19 knots, nearly 35 km / h, against around 30 km / h for Dalin.

"I capitalized on the exit of the Doldrums in the lead at latitude (the most westerly), hoping that it will pay off later. We will play it hard. I'm still strong on the attack to try to arrive in the bend of the anticyclone with the most speed possible, as soon as possible, it is the strength of this option ", explained Burton, at the helm of the monohull skippered by Le Cléac'h there is four years.

"I still have a few days to attack thoroughly and afterwards, I hope that this option will be able to give me the leisure to be able to control the end of the race", he continues.

"When you see the scenario of these last days of racing, it promises incredible suspense. Today, it's difficult to give a potential winner," said Le Cléac'h.

"In terms of the weather, it's more Louis who has the advantage for now, but over the last five or six days, Charlie will normally be a little more comfortable in speed, it may promise a duel. with very little difference at the finish ", considers the 2016 winner, who promises them until the last straight line" a lot of maneuvers to catch the train of depressions that will take them to Sables-d'Olonne " .

Behind, more than 10,000 kilometers from the first monohulls, the tail of the fleet is still struggling in the cold of the Pacific.

So much so that the Finn Ari Huusela (Stark) was able to shape a little snowman in the back of his boat.

© 2021 AFP