Charlie Dalin, on Apivia, leads the Vendée Globe fleet in the Indian Ocean -

Loic VENANCE / AFP

December 14 newspaper

Three skippers in less than 100 miles at the exit of the Indian Ocean.

If you had told us that the day before the start, we would have laughed in your face, probably throwing something like "it's not the Tour of Flanders, eh, the leader will be 300-400 miles ahead".

Fortunately, no one asked us for our prediction before the race, and that's good.

Approaching the Pacific Ocean and south of Australia, Charlie Dalin, Thomas Rettant and Yannick Bestaven are standing in 73 miles.

The skipper on Maître Coq is the fastest over four hours while in front of him, LinkedOut marks Apivia in the breeches, taking the same route as the leader.

It's hot.

The classification at 9 a.m.

1) Charlie Dalin (Apivia)

2) Thomas Rettant (LinkedOut)

3) Yannick Bestaven (Maître Coq IV)

4) Jean Le Cam (Yes we Cam!)

5) Damien Seguin (Apicil Group)

Suspense but no record?

Small stat that puts the show at the head of the race into perspective.

After 35 days of racing, Charlie Dalin is 2,377 miles behind Armel Le Cléac'h in 2016. Which shows two things: the Jackal lives up to his nickname (he had a perfect race in the southern seas) and the 2020 fleet is intended to be much more prudent and managerial.

Less offensive, what.

For example, we see a lot less passages above 20 knots over four hours, unlike the previous edition, where Alex Thomson had covered 536.81 miles in 24 hours, at an average of 22 knots.

A look that seems unreal today.

Amedeo, Cap and penalty

Little blues for Fabrice Amedeo, whose Vendée Globe ended on Sunday evening, when he set foot in Cape Town, South Africa.

Dropped by his computer system, the skipper on Newrest - Art et Fenêtres had no other choice than to reach the nearest port.

“The place is incredible but impossible to take advantage of: with this stop at the quay, it's the Vendée Globe that really comes to a halt and I took it right in the face,” he said hotly.

As long as I was at sea, I was in the protective cocoon of this parallel world that constitutes the open sea.

From now on, I am on dry land.

For now I am focusing on the list of what I have to do to get the ship back in battle order.

"

Beyoutada continues!

How fast he is, Jérémie Beyou.

After having eaten his black bread on the descent of the Atlantic, the former favorite on Charal finds the taste of competition and swallows his direct competitors one after the other.

He is now 23rd after taking the best of Clément Giraud and Miranda Merron.

Just ahead, Alexia Barrier and Kojiro Shirashi will not last long.

They are less than 100 miles ahead of Beyou, which is sailing five knots faster.

He will then have to fill a 400-mile hole on Manuel Cousin and Pip Hare.

Step by step.

Sport

Vendée Globe: The leading trio passed to Cap Leeuwin (with tiny gaps)

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