Unprecedented, four skippers pass Cape Horn in less than four hours

During the night of Monday and into Tuesday morning in an unprecedented period in the race history in less than four hours four more skippers rounded Cape Horn. In eighth at 0016hrs UTC it was the first Horn rounding in the career of Maxime Sorel (V and B Mayenne), 3hrs and 58 minutes after Jean Le Cam. Italy’s Giancarlo Pedote  (Prysmian Group) rounded 55 minutes later at 0112hrs to become the first non-French skipper in ninth. At 0227hrs Boris Herrmann of Germany made the fourth passage of his career rounding in tenth position on Seaexplorer-Yacht Club de Monaco at 0227hrs this morning, 1hr and 15 minutes after Pedote. Herrmann reported a tear in his mainsail yesterday evening and was sailing under reduced sail. Then at 0401hrs UTC this morning Isabelle Joschke crossed Cape Horn for the first time in her ocean racing career. Racing MACSF she was just 1hr and 34 mins behind Herrmann.

Burton, then Le Cam sixth and seventh at Cape Horn

After Louis Burton passed Cape Horn in sixth place earlier this evening at 1714hrs UTC on Bureau Vallée 2, crossing just 3.5 miles off the light, the next solo skipper to pass is Jean Le Cam on Yes We Cam!. The 61 year old veteran on his fifth Vendée Globe crossed at 2018hrs UTC. Rounding in seventh place it is Le Cam’s seventh rounding of the Cape and his second consecutive solo rounding on the same boat.  He crossed 3hrs and 04 minutes behind Burton. Next to cross should be Germany's Boris Herrmann but the skipper of Seaexplorer Yacht Club de Monaco has mainsail damage and is racing under headsails only but still making good speed towards the Horn in 35 to 40kt winds 

Message from Miranda Merron (Campagne de France)

"Yesterday afternoon GMT time the boat and I crossed the anti-meridian. Monday became Sunday again, I think. Quite a good trick!

Shortly aftrewards, thick fog enveloped my world and the wind disappeared. It is slowly building - there is breeze 30 metres up, but it's struggling to get down to sea level. I am in front of a little low in the making, and it's a good ride if I can stay in front for a while."

Miranda Merron / Campagne de France