French sailor moves into top spot on 13th day of Vendee Globe

French skipper Thomas Ruyant has moved up to first position in the solo round-the-world Vendee Globe sailing race after thirteen days at sea. Aboard his boat LinkedOut, he has gained a small lead over British skipper Alex Thomson.

French skipper Thomas Ruyant is the new leader of the Vendee Globe in his his Imoca 60 monohull LinkedOut AFP/File

Ruyant and his boat LinkedOut, which had been 16 nautical miles behind Thomson's Hugo Boss on Friday, opened up a 23.5nm lead by 0400GMT but that had narrowed slightly to 21.7nm by Saturday's 1100GMT briefing.

"Initially it was about getting the best angle since getting out of the doldrums and obviously I set a route but I have had a good angle and good winds all the time," Ruyant told the Vendee Globe organisers.

"I think all the time maybe Alex has had less wind and certainly during the early part of the descent of the South Atlantic."

🚀@linkedout leader ce matin !!!@VendeeGlobe @ImocaGS #lacourseauchangement avec @advens et @SwissLife_Fr pic.twitter.com/zLuJ6WIriw

— Thomas Ruyant (@ThomasRuyant) November 21, 2020

Another French skipper Charlie Dalin is currently running third in Apivia, 66.7nm behind the leader. Jean Le Cam, who finished second in 2004-05, is fourth in Yes we Cam! a further 215nm back.

The breakaway top trio, who are all in the new generation of 'foilers' -- boats equipped with foils which help lift the boat so that it is virtually flying across the top of the waves -- are enjoying a fast slide south eastwards towards the Southern Ocean and the Cape of Good Hope.

So far in the competition, there has only been one abandonment, that of Nicolas Troussel after a dismasting on Monday off Cape Verde.

Jeremie Beyou, who had to return to the start to repair his boat Charal before setting off again on Tuesday is 3,146nm behind Ruyant.

French skipper Jeremie Beyou leaves Les Sables-d'Olonne aboard his Imoca 60 monohull Charal after he was forced to U-turn back on 12 November to Les Sables d'Olonnes for repairs. Beyou sustained rig and rudder damager in tricky conditions. Race rules allow competitors to return to the port of origin during the first 10 days of the event for any repairs. AFP - SEBASTIEN SALOM-GOMIS

The finishers will complete approximately 24,296 nautical miles around the globe before they finish back in France at some point in January.

(with AFP)