Armel Le Cléac'h's lead has now shrunk to 73 nautical miles. Thomson is simply trying to keep his title chances alive with a crowbar. He improved François Gabart's record, set during the Vendée 2012, by 2.33 nautical miles. That corresponds to an average speed of 22.36 knots.
But the Frenchman is also fighting with everything he has, covering 515 nautical miles in the last 24 hours. This is certainly nerve-wracking for both skippers; after all, the boats have almost a complete circumnavigation of the world under their belts, and with winds of almost 30 knots forecast today, the line to breaking is likely to be pretty thin. Every noise, every groan and creak from the rigging, sails or mooring should send shivers down their spines.
Especially as the final sprint is likely to be quite a battle upwind. Both will have to sail a wide arc to the finish and will even go far further north than Les Sables before they can finally turn for the final sprint. The race organisers are currently expecting an arrival on Thursday morning. The finish will be available to watch live online.
Andreas Fritsch
Editor Travel
