Blazing a trail
Richomme completed the journey from Les Sables d’Olonne to Cape Horn in 43 days, 11 hours, 25 minutes, and 20 seconds—a staggering 3 days, 13 hours, 9 minutes, and 26 seconds faster than the previous record. His mastery of the Great South also secured a new record for the Cape Leeuwin to Cape Horn segment, completed in 13 days, 9 hours, 13 minutes, and 43 seconds.
“I’m thrilled to have reached this milestone and to have done so at such a pace. The conditions have been relentless, but that’s what makes this race special,” Richomme said in a post-rounding update.
Closest leaders in Vendée Globe history
Hot on Richomme’s heels, Charlie Dalin (MACIF Santé Prévoyance) rounded Cape Horn just 9 minutes and 30 seconds later at 23:36:50 UTC. This marks the narrowest margin between leaders at Cape Horn in the history of the Vendée Globe, eclipsing the 1 hour and 20 minutes that separated François Gabart and Armel Le Cléac’h in 2012.
Dalin, who is no stranger to fierce competition, maintained a pace nearly identical to Richomme’s, with an elapsed time of 43 days, 11 hours, 34 minutes, and 50 seconds to Cape Horn.
“It’s incredible to be this close at this stage of the race. The competition with Yoann has pushed me to my limits, and I’m ready for the next challenge as we head up the Atlantic,” Dalin shared.
Setting sights on the finish
The historic rivalry between Richomme and Dalin promises an exhilarating battle as the fleet heads into the Atlantic. With less than 10 minutes separating them and optimal weather conditions forecast, both skippers have their eyes firmly set on the finish line in Les Sables d’Olonne.
This remarkable edition of the Vendée Globe continues to redefine the limits of endurance and precision in solo offshore racing. The next leg promises to be as compelling as the drama unfolding at Cape Horn, where records have tumbled and history is being made.
