IMOCA Open 60 - Vendée Globe 2024 - Les Sables d'Olonne FRA - Day 1

The start of the 10th Vendée Globe took place yesterday in light winds in front of 350,000 spectators. Light aft winds kept the fleet close together. This morning - halfway across the Bay of Biscay - the winds picked up enough for the foilers to take off and accelerate. ----- This morning UTC, Sébastien Simon FRA ('Groupe Dubreuil') is leading with a 2-mile advance over Charlie Dalin FRA ('macif'). The favorite Dalin moved up to 2nd place tonight after a slow start. Justine Mettraux SUI follows in 3rd place, 4 miles behind. Oliver Heer SUI ('Tut gut') also got off to an excellent start, keeping up with the leading trio for the first few hours of the race and now dropping back to 22nd place, 22 miles behind. ----- The freshening aft winds will make for a fast race, and the fleet will pass Cape Finisterre on the north-west tip of Spain as early as midday today. ----- The race tracker and the reports.