Vendee Globe Day 37 Report PAPREC ARKEA Joins MACIF at Lead, Boats and Sailors are Breaking. Onboard

Many seasoned observers predicted this Vendée Globe might play out as a two cornered tussle between Charlie Dalin, desperate to take the top step of the podium after having finished first in across the finish line on the last edition in January 2021 but denied by Yannick Bestaven’s time compensation, and the hugely talented, meticulous first timer, Yoann Richomme, Dalin’s long, long time rival.

Few expected it to be a three sided battle. Even harder to find would be a race fan who would have envisioned Seb Simon to be taking on the highly fancied duo on an boat, now with no starboard foil.

But that is the remarkable scenario this afternoon. On Day 37, half way to the 2016 74 day race record, the top three skippers are within five miles of each other,(in terms of distance to finish). And, racing in a fitful, freezing 15 knots Southerly breeze at 57 degrees South, today’s new leader Richomme, (PAPREC Arkea), and Dalin, (MACIF Santé Prévoyance), are only two or three miles apart laterally. Simon, (Groupe Dubreuil), is about 70 miles to their north.