Charlie Dalin Nears Vendée Globe Victory as Yoann Richomme Faces Setback

Richomme's damaged sail slows his pursuit of Dalin, who maintains a strong lead with less than a week to the finish.

Charlie Dalin leads the Vendée Globe with a 177-nautical-mile advantage over Yoann Richomme as of Friday morning.
Richomme suffered a broken headsail hook overnight, causing his sail to fall into the water and tear, delaying him by two hours.
Despite the setback, Richomme replaced the damaged sail and continues to chase Dalin, who is expected to finish between Tuesday and Wednesday.
The two skippers have been closely matched throughout the race, with Dalin pulling ahead after Cape Horn and maintaining his lead through the North Atlantic.
Third-place Sébastien Simon trails significantly, over 600 miles behind Richomme, while the rest of the fleet battles for lower positions.