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| - French skipper Charlie Dalin extended his lead in the Vendee Globe on Tuesday but victory was anything but assured as the tightest finish in the solo round the world race's history entered its final hours. Dalin, on board Apivia, was less than 450 nautical miles off Les Sables d'Olonne where the leading boats are expected to conclude their maritime odyssey on Wednesday. The ninth edition of sailing's 'Everest' could still have a first ever non-French winner. German skipper Boris Herrmann had moved up to second at 1100GMT, just 86.5nm behind Dalin. Even if Herrmann fails to overhaul Dalin by the line he could still end up the winner as he is due a six-hour bonus for his part in the rescue of Kevin Escoffier off the Cape of Good Hope in December. Herrmann's monohull - Seaexplorer-Yacht Club de Monaco - displaced Louis Burton (Bureau Vallee 2), who dropped to third, a little over 100nm behind the leader. In fourth is Thomas Ruyant (LinkedOut), 275nm off the pace with Yannick Bestaven (Maitre Coq IV) around 320nm back in fifth. Bestaven like Herrmann helped in Escoffier's rescue and will receive a 10hr 15min bonus when he makes port. "This is totally unique," said race director Jacques Caraes. "No one could have imagined a group of boats so close together after going round the globe non-stop and without assistance," he added. "It's incredible, the first time we've seen this. It's impossible to forecast the make-up of the podium" For Caraes, the winner could be decided by "a matter of minutes", an unlikely conclusion to a race that began on November 8 and after around 28,000 often hazardous miles at sea. Due to the social distancing restrictions in France to combat the coronavirus pandemic, the shoreline normally jampacked with a 300,000 crowd to welcome the seafarers back to port, will be quiet. "It'll be frustrating, a little sad, not being able to properly share this with the public is heartbreaking," said Caraes. For Dalin, the idea of dry land remains a distant dramm. "It's been such a long time that I've been at sea that I've forgotten that life on land exists. I'm so used to being here on Apivia that I find it impossible to believe the finish is close," said Dalin. By Wednesday evening, the 36-year-old should be the first of the 25 yachts remaining in the Vendee fleet to be back on terra firma, but as the winner of the 2020/2021 edition or not remains to be seen. Leading Vendee Globe standings at 1100GMT Tuesday 1. Charlie Dalin (FRA/Apivia) at 444.7 nautical miles from finish, 2. Boris Herrmann (GER/Seaexplorer-Yacht Club de Monaco) at 86.5nm, 3. Louis Burton (FRA/Bureau Vallee 2) 104.1, 4. Thomas Ruyant (FRA/LinkedOut) 274.9, 5. Yannick Bestaven (FRA/Maitre Coq IV) 319.8, 6. Damien Seguin (FRA/Groupe Apicil) 361.2, 7. Giancarlo Pedote (ITA/Prysmian Group) 437.0, 8. Jean Le Cam (FRA/Yes we Cam!) 515.8, 9. Benjamin Dutreux (FRA/OMIA-Water Family) 675.7, 10. Maxime Sorel (FRA/V And B Mayenne) 914.43 ./bds/ebe/clv/nr/pb
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