Shining for nearly 80 days, Armel Tripon still shone at a press conference for having conquered Everest of the seas. It is the same euphoria that “threatens” the 14 skippers still in the race and who, day after day, are getting closer to home.

“It is urgent to wait”, this oxymoron formulated today by Jacques Caraës, the Clerk of the Course of the Vendée Globe, is struggling to extinguish the excitement that has gripped the public and the teams in the face of the incredible scenario of this end of a solo round the world trip, without stopovers and without assistance.

This morning, after weeks of valiantly battling serious damage, Sébastien Destremau threw in the towel. Merci’s skipper has been heading since this morning to the port of Dunedin, in the South Island of New Zealand, or to Christchurch, which is easier to access and where he will find the equipment to repair.

On this ascent to the equator, off the open sea of ​​Bahia in Brazil, the sailors have grain, or rather grains, to grind. The wind varies sharply in strength and direction, you have to be on the lookout, one hand on the sheets, one eye to observe the sky, another on the radar.

In a video uploaded today, Bestaven sings at the top of his lungs in front of a wonderful sunset. The sliding conditions are perfect. Vocal side, it derails a bit in the treble. But in terms of the race, no false note to deplore. The leader unrolls a perfect score.