French skipper Dalin leads as Vendee Globe passes Cape of Good Hope / Photo: Sebastien SALOM-GOMIS - AFP/File
French skipper Dalin leads as Vendee Globe passes Cape of Good Hope
French skipper Charlie Dalin reached the Cape of Good Hope on Africa's southern coast in first place on Friday as the Vendee Globe solo non-stop round the world yacht race headed for rough seas.
Dalin has been leading for the past week in the tenth edition of the race which sailed out of Les Sables-d'Olonne in western France on November 10.
The 40-year-old Macif yachtsman passed the Cape of Good Hope at 15:45 GMT reaching the first of the three great capes after 19 days, three hours and 43 minutes at sea.
"I feel like I've been teleported here from the equator," said Dalin, who took seven days from the equator to reach the entry point to the challenging southern seas.
"It's really impressive how quickly we have done this section to the Cape. I really have lose all sense of time and space."
Dalin was closely followed by fellow French skippers Sebastien Simon (Groupe Dubreuil), Thomas Ruyant (Vulnerable) and Yoann Richomme (Paprec Arkéa).
The Cape of Good Hope is where the Atlantic and Indian Oceans meet, making it a key point in the southern seas.
"The real world tour begins today," warned British racer Sam Goodchild, who had been leading early in the race but is now seventh.
Like the equator, Point Nemo, the entry into the Pacific, or Cape Horn, the Cape of Good Hope is an important crossing in the Vendee Globe, but also a dangerous zone.
"This is the place that I fear the most," Dalin had said of the currents which descend the east African coast to create whirlpools before the sailors arrive in the Indian Ocean.
For three weeks competitors will have to deal with rough seas, freezing temperatures, violent winds, icebergs and the feeling of solitude.
E.Colombo--IM
