Charlie Dalin Leads Tight Vendée Globe Race as Competitors Near Point Nemo

Yoann Richomme closes the gap to just 21 nautical miles while Sébastien Simon struggles with damage in the isolated Pacific stretch.

Charlie Dalin (Macif Santé Prévoyance) maintains first place in the Vendée Globe, with Yoann Richomme (Paprec Arkéa) narrowing the gap to 21 nautical miles as of Friday morning.
Sébastien Simon (Groupe Dubreuil), previously part of the leading trio, has fallen behind to third place, 97 nautical miles from Dalin, due to ongoing challenges with a damaged foil.
Dalin recently overcame a 36-hour repair to a critical sail and has restored his boat to full operational capacity, allowing him to regain momentum in the race.
The leaders are navigating near Point Nemo, the most remote location on Earth, where any mechanical issues could result in significant delays due to the difficulty of rescue operations.
Further down the rankings, competitors such as Thomas Ruyant, Nicolas Lunven, and Boris Herrmann are attempting to close the gap, aided by improving wind conditions in the Pacific.