TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS
COMEBACK
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS – February 28, 2026
COMEBACK
COMEBACK seems to be the word of the day regarding the situation on the water for the GLOBE40 fleet after 10 days of racing since the start in Valparaiso. The impressive lead held by CREDIT MUTUEL just two days ago (more than 600 miles ahead of BELGIUM OCEAN RACING-CURIUM) might have suggested that the race was over for this 5th leg: the Belgian team’s technical failure and very favorable weather conditions could have led one to believe that the die was cast.
It seems that this is not the case, given the very rapid narrowing of the gap between the two contenders in this second edition of the GLOBE40: 612 miles on February 26th at 06:00, 518 miles on February 27th at 10:00, and 361 miles today at 06:00: in barely two days, Ian Lipinski and Antoine’s lead has shrunk by almost half. After this impressive passage around Cape Horn, the two skippers took a route off the mainland, likely leaving the Falkland Islands to the west; but along this route, a significant area of calm awaited them, from which they are struggling to escape, especially with a headwind. Meanwhile, the Belgian team began its comeback, as the saying goes: gliding downwind quickly close to the Chilean coast, Jonas Gerckens and Corentin Douguet successively overtook JANGADA RACING, WHISKEY JACK, and WILSON. The passage of Cape Horn is expected around midday for the entire BELGIUM OCEAN RACING – CURIUM, BARCO BRASIL, and FREE DOM fleet, though the exact order is uncertain. In any case, the Belgian team should quickly regain its second place.
“What a long road it is,” Antoine Carpentier told us in his late-night comments. Apparently, it will remain so, with undoubtedly very different options depending on the routing: one offshore, the other closer to the South American continent, and an even closer race between the two contenders is predicted in the forecasts. What a long road it is, and what a cruel offshore race it is! Words fail to describe the fierce competition in this round-the-world race: the top three boats arrived in Reunion Island within 9 minutes after 8,500 miles, they were tied in Valparaiso after a transpacific crossing, and four of the fastest boats crossed the finish line within four hours after 7,000 miles. Now, they have a 600-mile lead that could shrink on the fifth leg, and a predicted “touch and touch” finish, according to Antoine Carpentier himself today.
But predictions are just that—predictions—so we’re counting on the considerable talent of the skippers on both sides to spring even more surprises for us…