TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS
FINAL SPRINT FOR ALL TOWARDS LORIENT
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS – April 13, 2026
FINAL SPRINT FOR ALL TOWARDS LORIENT
Having set off from Lorient for the prologue more than seven months ago, on September 4, 2025, the eight competitors in the second edition of the GLOBE40 are now in a final sprint back to their starting city. And the spectacle is a reflection of the entire event: fiercely competitive, pushing the Class40 and its crews to their limits, and ultimately, a thrilling experience to watch.
For the leaders, CREDIT MUTUEL (Ian Lipinski / Antoine Carpentier) and BELGIUM OCEAN RACING – CURIUM (Jonas Gerckens / Benoit Hantzperg), who are tied on points at the start of the sixth leg in Recife, this is the final showdown. The two rivals have given us a superb spectacle, leg after leg, a battle as fierce on the water as it is cordial on land. Neither was able to gain a decisive advantage before the start of this final leg. But there will indeed be a winner in Lorient in two days. In the 6:00 AM (04:00 UTC) rankings, CREDIT MUTUEL is in the lead, having sailed at over 18 knots towards Brittany, 750 miles away. Having closely marked each other until now, the two Class40s temporarily separated yesterday to sail downwind on separate tacks during a gybe by the Belgian team, which had closed to within about ten miles of the French team. They should cross paths again before the finish to determine the overall winner, who could arrive off Pen Men in Groix early Wednesday morning.
For the other competitors currently southwest of the Azores archipelago and 1,300 miles from the finish line for the third-placed boat in the NEXT GENERATION – SAILING AROUND THE WORLD race, the atmosphere is also one of high speeds in the southern part of the low-pressure system pushing the two leaders. There too, the battle is relentless between BARCO BRASIL and FREE DOM, both determined to put an end to their rivalry, interrupted only by the incidents that led the Réunion-based boat to cross the Pacific solo two weeks behind the fleet. WILSON is still in contention, pursuing a remarkable run for the oldest boat in the fleet with the engaging crew of Lisa Berger, who is generating enormous excitement on social media, and Jade Edwards-Leaney. The three boats are within 100 miles of each other. Also 100 miles back, JANGADA RACING and WHISKEY JACK are equally keen to end their head-to-head battle on most of the legs. The first pursuers of the leading group, after 5,000 miles of racing, shouldn’t arrive in Lorient more than two days after the leaders on their latest-generation Class40s—in other words, their performance is superb.
What will everyone feel when they leave Groix and Pen Men to their right after having left them to their left 30,000 miles ago (see attached photos)? Between these two moments, they will have covered a whole world—a once-in-a-lifetime experience that will leave its mark on everyone.