Fuente info Transat 650
October 11. 2009
Bye trade winds, hello instability...
The Charente-Maritime / Bahia Transat 6.50, after a week of beautiful trade winds, is entering its tortured, complicated period with lower north-east flows and the appearance of large areas of instability, announcing the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone. The race's leaders speeds, around 12-13 degrees north latitude, attest of the weakening of trade winds, while the trajectories begin to prove that the fleet is in search of pressure. Bertrand Delesne (Entreprendre Durablement), the week's leader, does not appear to be immediately threatened by the positioning in the west of Le Diraison (Cultisol-Marins sans frontières), Avram (Cap Monde 2) or Boidevezi (Défi GDE). But he will have to monitor carefuly Ruyant (Faber France) and Schipman (Maisons de l'avenir Urbatys) during the next hours.
Dalin, always!
There was about 100 miles between Dalin and the prototypes leader 48 hours ago. The series boss, Charlie Dalin (cherchesponsor-charliedalin.com) is tonight approximately 80 miles only. So let's highlight the ease with which he did not fall in the trap of the archipelago. Amazing mimicry made by the Italian Ricardo Apolloni (Ma vie pour Mapei) that did not leave Charlie and reduced the gap to less than 10 miles. Both men are tonight far ahead, nearly 40 miles before the quartet led by Henri Meyniel (Beveac Consulting), the Italian Luca Del Zozzo (Corradi), and further west, the Portuguese Francisco Lobato (ROFF TMN) and the French Xavier Macaire (Masoco Bay).
Mindelo here we are!
Trade winds are being asleep; Minis experience more or less serious but inevitable damages, all of that is giving an impression of statu quo. The archipelago of Cape Verde, as the Race Director Denis Hugues says is indeed the last station before the motorway. Number of competitors is seriously considering this pit stop, as the last chance to give some vigour to their tired Mini before the great voyage to Latin America. A dozen of them, have signified their intention to make a “Pit Stop”. Sébastien Stéphant (Dephemerides) must inspect exhaustively his proto Finot as he was the victim of a monumental boat's pushed out. Bertand Castelnérac (bcombio.com) must solve energy problems. Amaury François (Groupe Qualitel) has a missing rudder, a problem he shares with Brice Aqué (CNTL-Scube Sails). The American Jesse Rowse (Reality) has a forestay problem. Emmanuel Laurent (Domaine des Thomeaux), Mathieu Verrier (Zygomar) and Maxence Desfeux (Matmut)... all have reported to the escort boats their will to stop as well.
Ranking at 3pm, Sunday the 11th of October 2009:
Prototypes
1. Bertrand Delesne (Entreprendre durablement): 1 786,02 miles from the finish
2. Thomas Ruyant (Faber France) : 5,08 miles from the leader
3. Henri-Paul Schipman (Maisons de l’avenir Urbatys): 6,71 miles from the leader
4. Fabien Després (Soitec): 19,04 miles from the leader
5. Stéphane le Diraison (Cultisol-Marins sans frontières) 31,43 miles from the leader
Serie
1. Charlie Dalin (Cherche Sponsor-charliedalin.com): 1 867,39 miles from the finish
2. Ricardo Apolloni (Ma Vie pour Mapei): 9,44 miles from the leader
3. Henri Meyniel (Beveac Consulting): 43,13 miles from the leader
4. Luca Del Zozzo (Corradi): 44,24 miles from the leader
5. Francisco Lobato (ROFF TMN): 46,96 miles from the leader
