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Jérémie Beyou at the start of the Vendée Globe on November 8th
Photo: LOIC VENANCE / AFP
The solo circumnavigation of the Vendée Globe lives up to its reputation as one of the toughest regattas right from the start.
After the first storm night, co-favorite Jérémie Beyou had a collision with an unknown object and had to turn away with a damaged oar.
The Frenchman is now reviewing his options for repair and comeback.
Two days earlier, L'Occitane skipper and compatriot Armel Tripon had to return to the starting port of Les Sables d'Olonne with equipment damage, but is back in the race.
The Vendée Globe is considered particularly prestigious - and difficult to master.
The sailors cover around 46,000 kilometers and are completely on their own.
Start and finish is the port of Les Sables d'Olonne in France.
In the best case scenario, the regatta lasts less than 80 days.
Boris Herrmann survived the first storm night with winds of 40 knots (8 Beaufort) at his Vendée Globe premiere without major damage.
"I didn't sleep all night because the doubts and worries ate me up. But the boat made it safely through the front and did not suffer any major damage. So life is good," he said.
Here you can read what Herrmann saw as the greatest dangers before the start of the regatta.
Herrmann's yacht "Seaexplorer - Yacht Club de Monaco" was in 18th place on Wednesday morning. Maxime Sorel was the leader in "V and B Mayenne".
The fleet of 27 men and six women is expected to return from the non-stop circumnavigation in mid-January at the earliest.
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mon / dpa