The first five in the Vendee Glove single-handed race 2012-13 have passed the Gate of Aiguilles The gap widens between the front and back of the fleet. Only 30 minutes. This is the gap that separated the first boat through the Gate of Aiguilles, François Gabart (MACIF) and the third boat, Armel Le Cléac’h (Banque Populaire); a metaphorical photo finish in a race that covers 24,000 miles. It is incredible that the boats are racing so tightly. At 0400 GMT, this morning, there was only a mere 14 miles separating the three leaders in this nail biting edition of the 2012 Vendée Globe.