Sébastien Simon Takes Lead in Historic Vendée Globe Battle

The top three skippers are separated by less than 26 nautical miles as the race crosses the Pacific Ocean's most remote point.

Sébastien Simon (Groupe Dubreuil) surged to the lead on December 17, overtaking Charlie Dalin (Macif Santé Prévoyance) and Yoann Richomme (Paprec Arkéa) in one of the closest races in Vendée Globe history.
The trio of skippers are now separated by less than 26 nautical miles, an unprecedented scenario after 37 days of racing.
The race director has adjusted the Antarctic Exclusion Zone near Point Nemo to account for iceberg drift, marking the fifth such modification this year.
Two skippers, Szabolcs Weöres and Pip Hare, have officially abandoned the race due to major equipment failures, reducing the field further.
The top three competitors are far ahead of the rest of the fleet, with fourth-place Nicolas Lunven trailing by over 600 nautical miles.