Vendée Globe 2012-2013 - Day 56

Thomson rounds Cape Horn solo for the first time

South of the front three boats, Alex Thomson (Hugo Boss) triumphantly rounded Cape Horn early this morning at 0238 GMT in a 25 knot wind, making 17.5 knots. This is the first solo passage for the 38 year old British skipper and the culmination of 12 years hard work for him and his team. It demonstrates another superb performance on board Hugo Boss, the Farr 2007, which has never ceased, since the beginning of the race, to hold onto the rooster tails of the latest generation IMOCA Open 60.

According to the computers at the race HQ at Montparnasse Station, Paris, Alex Thomson (Hugo Boss) skirted passed a large iceberg, which was theoretically in his path, south of Diego Ramirez Islands. The courageous skipper, held his course without incident, demonstrating why he has gripped firmly onto fourth place overall, always ready to play his hand and try his luck.

Fleet News

Meanwhile, at the front of the fleet the leading skippers are tearing their hair out trying to avoid the pitfalls of the South Atlantic. Whilst at the rear, the sailors give it their all with their feet to the floor in tough conditions.

François Gabart (MACIF) and Armel Le Cléac'h (Banque Populaire) continue to jostle for position as their paths cross overnight. François Gabart (MACIF) has elected for a more southerly option whereas Armel Le Cléac'h (Banque Populaire) prefers the north. At around 230 miles east of the Falklands, the two leaders have clearly decided to forge ahead in their plan to avoid a large high pressure, which will hinder their course in the next few days.

Supported by a good southwesterly breeze of around 25 knots, the rebellious Armel Le Cléac'h (Banque Populaire), is going for it. He is heading north-northeast in the hope of passing along the ridge of the high pressure. François Gabart (MACIF) instead has progressed further east, in the hope he will gain an advantage. Time will tell who will gain or lose while negotiating the tricky Atlantic passage homeward bound. It may feel like the skippers are on the home strait but as Gabart said in a press release yesterday, "Once we pass Cape Horn, everyone feels as we approach the final sprint. But this is not the case, the rise of the Atlantic lasts about a month, during which anything can happen, such as adverse weather patterns at the head of the race. Already, Armel and I are forced to make a detour, not on the direct route, while behind us, Jean-Pierre Dick and Alex Thomson routes are a little more direct."

Jean-Pierre Dick (Virbac Paprec 3), meanwhile, has not made the same choice as the front two. Rather than cutting through the Strait of Le Maire, the skipper of Virbac Paprec 3 has sailed from Horn Island to Staten Island and this morning sits 360 miles in the wake of the two leaders.

The Famous Five at loggerheads

Behind Alex Thomson (Hugo Boss), there is still a substantial difference of 1300 miles between the chasers and the front four with Jean Le Cam (SynerCiel) leading the charge. The Synerciel skipper is 200 miles from the last gate and is likely to be praying that his followers don't catch him. A depression from the south begins to touch the club of five led by Mike Golding (Gamesa). This depression is expected to generate icy cold, southerly winds of around 30 knots driving the boats on a direct route to the final gate on the route, and at last Cape Horn.

Dominique Wavre (Mirabaud) is just over 75 miles behind Golding and Javier Sanso (Acciona 100% EcoPowered) is tracking Dominique 120 miles off his transom.

The chase does not stop there: Bernard Stamm (Cheminées Poujoulat) as expected, is nibbling miles from Arnaud Bossières (Akena Verandas). Stamm is once again the fastest man in the fleet this morning. Behind Tanguy de Lamotte (Initiatives Cœur) is enjoying a well-established north wind. South of New Zealand, with 315 miles to the next gate, Alessandro Di Benedetto (Team Plastique) continues on his merry way in 20 knots of wind.

Leaderboard at 4: (top five, UTC)

1 - Francois Gabart [MACIF] at 6 421,8 miles from the finish
2 - Armel Le Cléac'h [Banque Populaire] at 37,7 miles from leader
3 - Jean-Pierre Dick [Virbac Paprec 3] at 366,5 miles from leader
4 - Alex Thomson [Hugo Boss] at 604,6 miles from leader
5 - Jean Le Cam [SynerCiel] at 1 896,5 miles from leader

Full rankings can be found here

Update from Mike Golding, Gamesa:

Mike Golding has about 200 miles to go to make the final Ice Gate of the Vendée Globe before making for Cape Horn.

In a SW'ly wind which is proving very gusty and unstable, he now has four rivals to his North West, sailing a more direct angle towards the gate after the wind shifted to their advantage as the depression they are sailing on arrived. So Golding has his hands full trying to keep them at bay.

Dominique Wavre, who has been a close rival since before the Equator, is 75 miles behind with Acciona, Cheminées Poujoulat and Akena Verandas all closing each other progressively.

"I just have very difficult conditions," Golding reported this morning. "The last hour I have seen between 15 and 40kts and so I am on white sails. I had a 40kts gust with 1 reef and the Solent and the boat was on its ear, so it is not easy. I am just edging my way north and it seems I will need to make a little gybe so I just have to keep the boat moving well and see how it works out. At the moment I have just 15kts and am just floating along in quite a big sea."

Golding has studied the routing to Cape Horn and in to the Atlantic more closely and the predicted that slow down and compression of the group which he leads. does seem to be on the cards.

"I have looked at the routing to Cape Horn in more detail and it seems like the Pacific is not going to let us loose that easily. It looks like we turn up and stop, basically. It's OK from an ice perspective because we cut across and will have a relatively short period on high, high alert. But the conditions can change there so quickly, you can't just tell from the GRIB files. The wind channels so much there. At least we will not be going around in a gale.

"It is going to be very difficult to stop the advance from behind, it would be nice if I got a chance. I don't think any one of us will have an advantage or disadvantage upwind."

And he is clearly pleased to see compatriot Alex Thomson round Cape Horn this morning to complete his first solo passage around the most difficult cape:

"Alex has done a great job. He has obviously found a layer of speed with the boat that is working for him, now he just has to keep himself going to the end. He has done well."

Golding is expected to appear on Vendée Globe Live at 12:05 GMT today - you can view this on the Yachtsandyachting.com homepage.