Wishing all our readers a Happy New Year. Yesterday evening Francois Gabart and MACIF sidestepped the ice to lead the Vendee Globe fleet around Cape Horn. He was followed just over two hours later by Armel le Cleac’h on Banque Populaire and after negotiating the Strait of Le Maire last night, this morning the two sisterships are out into the Atlantic – see this morning’s update. Bad news for poor Bernard Stamm – on his fourth Vendee Globe he has been disqualified from the race due to ‘accepting’ outside assistance. Giovanni Soldini and his modified VO70 Maserati have set sail on their New York-San Francisco record attempt. See Ryan Breymaier’s blogs here.