Van den Heede rounds Cape Horn

Jean-Luc Van den Heede, the 73-year old French sailor leading the Golden Globe Race in his Rustler 36 yacht Matmut, passed Cape Horn at approx. 19:10hrs UTC Friday 23 November, just 1 mile offshore

Seventeen solo sailors set out from Les Sables d’Olonne on 1 July and eight remain in the race.

They have been at sea for 145 days and Jean-Luc has covered 20,000 miles, averaging 5.75 knots or 138 miles per day.

This compares to the 4.02 knots averaged by Sir Robin Knox-Johnston for the whole circumnavigation in 1968/9 when he became the first to sail solo non-stop around the Globe.

Van Den Heede’s nearest rival is Dutchman Mark Slats sailing another Rustler 36 – Ohpen Maverick – is currently trailing the Frenchman by 1,350 miles.

Expected weather at the Horn:

35/45 knots North West wind and 6 metre seas. Weather will drop to 25 knots NW and 3 metre seas on rounding Cape Horn.

Van Den Heede has approximately 6,700 nm to go to Les Sables finish line. Sailing speed is between 4 and 5 knots.

Follow Sailweb on Facebook – Click here

Follow Sailweb on Twitter – Click here