This Tuesday January 12, 65 days after the cannon shot on November 8 in front of Les Sables d’Olonne, the first 5 IMOCAs are starting a new start.

Since Isabelle Joschke’s retirement last night at 10:23 pm, the 9th Vendée Globe has 26 competitors still in the race, 13 in full swing up the South Atlantic, 13 pining for Cape Horn in the South Pacific.

On one side, half of the fleet, off Argentina, engaged in the Battle of the Atlantic. On the other, sailors embroiled in successive and active fronts in the Pacific. On both sides of the South American continent, two worlds are opposed.

Behind the first five Cape Horners (Bestaven, Dalin, Rettant, Seguin and Dutreux) of this 9th Vendée Globe, 6 IMOCAs grouped together in 150 miles are preparing to finish off the South Seas. At 3:52 pm, Benjamin Dutreux opened the ball for the evening and night passages in front of the lighthouse at the end of the world… in rough conditions.

“I find myself dreaming of being in the top 5 at Cape Horn! It would be crazy! “. Not so crazy, not so crazy, not so dreamlike. On this 51st day of racing, 1600 miles from Cape Horn, rookie Damien Seguin has just grabbed 3rd place. His red boat is ahead of LinkedOut by a few miles at the 3 pm check-in.