Will the GGR crown go to the French?
Golden Globe Race favourite, Jeanluc Van Den Heede is expected to cross the finish line in France by the end of January 2019.
At the time YM went to press, the French skipper was less than 2,000 miles from completing the race, closely pursued by Dutch sailor Mark Slats, who was just 250 miles behind. Both men are racing in Rustler 36 yachts, but Van Den Heede’s Matmut has a smaller rig and a damaged mast, while Slats’ Open Maverick has a taller mast and bigger headsails. Van Den Heede has led for much of the race. He has also had to make repairs to his mast after Matmut pitchpoled in the Southern Ocean, resulting in damage to the mast’s through-bolt attachment which connects all four lower shrouds. This has left the 73-year-old Frenchman sailing more conservatively.
He has also had to complete an 18-hour time penalty for the improper use of his satellite phone, which he used just a few days after pitchpoling.
Slats and Van Den Heede are two of five skippers left in the race, which began on 1 July 2018. 16 entrants crossed the start line.
Estonian skipper Uku Randmaa remains in third place, followed by American/hungarian Istvan Kopar. Both are now back in the Atlantic Ocean. Tapio Lehtinen in his Gaia 36 Asteria is aiming to round Cape Horn by the end of January 2019.
Golden Globe Race organisers hope he will be back in Les Sables d’olonne in time for the prize giving on the 22 April 2019.