Nicolas Troussel's mast did not go the distance.

-

Sebastien SALOM-GOMIS / SIPA

Liberation, finally.

After a very demanding race first physically and mentally due to difficult sailing conditions, the Vendée fleet has entered a more peaceful area off Cape Verde.

Mild temperature (27 degrees), downwind wind just right, some took the opportunity to go up and admire the landscape in their underwear when they woke up, while Jérémy Beyou still hopes to leave Les Sables d'Olonne.

A decision will be taken on Monday for the skipper of Charal.

Alex Thomson retains the lead, positions unchanged

Briton Alex Thomson increased his lead in the Vendée Globe on Monday morning at 5 a.m. according to the ranking published by the organization.

After overtaking Frenchman Jean Le Cam on Sunday, the British skipper is now 75 miles ahead of his runner-up.

Behind, Thomas Rettant (3rd) and Kevin Escoffier (4th) lead a pack that is still well grouped.

1. Alex Thomson (Hugo Boss)

2. Jean Le Cam (Yes we Cam !, 81 nautical miles from the first)

3. Thomas Rettant (LinkedOut, 126 minutes from the first)

Nicolas Troussel's dismasting

The latest generation boat, known as the “steering wheel”, of Nicolas Troussel (Corum L'Epargne) dismasted the night from Sunday to Monday off Cape Verde, the Vendée Globe organizers announced on Monday morning, specifying that the skipper not being injured.

Troussel, who is taking part in his first Vendée Globe at the helm of a sailboat that left the shipyards last May, was then in 7th place in the standings and was going at full speed.

This is the first dismasting since the start of the round the world race on November 8.

However, the navigator seemed confident at the 5 o'clock shift.

He even explained that he pushed the accelerator pedal a bit to get closer to the head:

“The conditions were good all night to go fast.

I took the opportunity to put my foot on the accelerator.

There, it's a speed race to the Doldrums.

It makes a lot of noise, it hits and it's not too comfortable, but it goes fast.

The boat takes off and lands again, there is not a lot of sea but we create sensations as if there were. 

LinkedOut

 and 

Apivia have been

 going very fast for a few days, I decided to speed up a bit.

Afterwards, you have to be careful because it puts a lot of strain on the boat, you must not pull on it too much ”.

A dire foreboding.

First showers and first good food

Our solitary sailors were finally able to breathe on Sunday and some took their first shower since the start!

Damien Seguin (

Groupe Apicil

), who managed to sleep almost 7 hours in split times, even made himself a Grand Chef meal after a few days of bread and water.

“In my daily bags, I noticed that during the first four days of the race, I had not eaten much.

Yesterday I caught up a bit!

I am going to leave on a more normal pace.

I made myself a freeze-dried shepherd's pie, then a rice pudding and a small piece of Beaufort.

I have a class in Savoie that follows me, they sent me cheese ”.

Clarisse Cremer is better

The youngest of this edition recognizes it with a smile, she holds the prize for the “most ridiculous thing” that can happen to a Vendée Globe competitor.

No breakage on the boat, that's it already, but an involuntary scalding for once she had time to make a quiet tea.

"It's not very pleasant to get scalded there but I thought I was in more pain than that, I just need to watch and think about applying cream to avoid the infection."

Moral of the story: no tea in the Vendée.

The phew video, Arnaud Boissière at the top of his mast

You shouldn't be dizzy.

But then really not.

And yet the sea is good.

Successful climb for Arnaud who repaired his gennaker hook.

Watch out for vertigo!

pic.twitter.com/VGfj0lADja

- Arnaud Boissieres (@Caliboissieres) November 15, 2020

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