Foto copyright Bruno Bouvry - Images de Mer
Foto copyright Bruno Bouvry - Images de Mer
Foto copyright Bruno Bouvry - Images de Mer
Fuente info SDCH
Waiting for the storm
19/10/09 For the 24 Class40's competing in La Solidaire du Chocolat, the first night at sea has been a period of calm, allowing the skippers an opportunity to prepare their boats for the oncoming front heading into the Bay of Biscay.
Overnight, the fleet began to split with the current race leaders, Thierry Bouchard and Oliver Krauss on Pole Sante Elior-Mistral Loisirs, taking pole position from the overnight leaders, Bruno Jourdren and Bernard Stamm on Cheminées Poujoulat, at 0800 GMT this morning, leading the middle pack. In the latest 1200 GMT poll, Jordren and Stamm are chasing Bouchard hard, averaging 14 knots – two knots faster than Pole Sante Elior-Mistral Loisirs – with under a mile separating the two yachts.
The Spanish duo of Gonzalo Botin and Javier de la Plaza on the Spanish Class40, Tales, in 5th place have taken the northerly option and spearhead a tight cluster of yachts that includes Yvan Noblet’s Appart City in 6th, Patrice Carpentier and the fleet’s Mexican yachtsman, Victor Maldonado, in 15th place on Crédit Maritime and a two non-French entries, Tim Harding and Miranda Merron on 40 Degrees holding 11th and the Finnish duo of Jouni Romppanen and Sam Öhman on board Tieto Passion in 13th.
Meanwhile, south of the main fleet, two of the hotly-tipped boats dived south overnight, splitting from the pack, although Tanguy de Lamotte and Adrien Hardy’s Initiatives-Novedia has climbed north to rejoin the main body of the fleet and is currently scorching west averaging over 15 knots in 8th place as the Italian entry, Telecom Italia of Giovanni Soldini and Pietro d’Ali, continue their descent to Cape Finisterre, increasingly isolated from the fleet in 19th place making 12.5 knots.
In the northern group, Miranda Merron on 40 Degrees reported building breeze earlier this morning: “After a very light start, the wind has steadily gone from NW to SE, and built to 20 knots,” she confirms. “Plenty of stars and phosphorescent dolphins. 40 Degrees is flying along under spinnaker and it is just starting to get light, so we will soon be able to tell which five boats we have near us, including one cheeky one just to windward who is trying to overtake us.” However, these benign conditions are set to cease. “It has been good to have a decent night of sailing, as tonight promises to be absolutely vile,” she adds. In a brief satellite phone call with the race organisation, Merron described strategy for the near-future as ‘a matter of survival’, adding that the sea state was growing increasingly lumpy.
The first team to take the northerly option last night was the British duo of Mike West and Paul Worswick on Keysource, currently in 12th place as the British duo drop south to slipstream the bulk of the middle pack. “All OK onboard and we can see a few boats to port and a gaggle ahead,” reported West this morning. “We have just taken the A2 down and put the Code Zero up to follow the breeze round and make the transition to Solent easier later,” he adds. “Obviously the main concern is the front coming in, the latest routing shows us a little close hauled - which would be nice - but we can’t take this for granted at the moment!”
As the fleet cross over the European Continental Shelf, heading south-west, the deep Low Pressure system heading towards Ireland will deliver violent wind across the entire Bay of Biscay later today and while weather models suggest that the fleet are currently experiencing around 20 knots of southeasterly breeze, the direction will move south-west later on Monday and build rapidly to 35 knots plus.
Consequently, many of the teams are preparing for the heavy weather. “During our first night at sea we were slipping along in around 17 knots of breeze,” Marc Lepesqueux and Jean-Charles Monnet report from onboard Les Conquérants de Normandie-Caen la Mer holding 3rd place at 1200 GMT. “Everything is under control and life is good,” continues Lepesqueux. “Looking at the rest of the fleet, we’re doing not doing too badly,” says the skipper, who is currently averaging 10.7 knots. “We’re getting as much rest as possible between watches on the helm,” he adds.
Similar thoughts are foremost onboard Vale Inco Nouvelle Calédonie in 20th place. “After a fantastic start in the setting sun, we had a beautiful night and the boat slid along nicely,” reports skipper Yves Eclaret. “Dolphins have passed by to say ‘hello’ and we’ve waited for these moments of calm after ten days of noise and crowds,” he admits. Eclaret and co-skipper, Lionel Regnier, realise the tranquillity is short-lived. “However, this period of calm won’t last long and we’re getting the boat ready for the front which will hit us soon,” confirms the French skipper. “When it arrives, there won’t be much time to admire the scenery!”
Although the impending heavy conditions are inevitable, life onboard the Chilean entry, Desafio Cabo de Hornos in 14th place continues at high-speed. “We’re making 13 knots at the moment,” Felipe Cubillos informed the race organisation earlier today via satellite phone, claiming that his co-skipper, 24 year-old Daniel Bravo Silva is doing most of the work onboard. “There’s nothing for me to do,” announced the Chilean skipper. “He’s fantastic and is doing everything on the boat!” Despite the high-spirits, both the Latin American sailors know that demanding conditions are just hours away. “We really do have a big fight ahead of us tonight,” Cubillos admits. “But, as usual, we will never surrender!”
For the American duo of MacKenzie Davis and Brian Harris onboard Amhas in 24th place, the current priority is to make their Class40 sail faster. “We just feel like we’re sailing a bit off the pace,” explained 38 year-old Davis earlier. “We’re working on it at the moment,” he reassured the race organisation. While continuing to push Amhas as hard as possible, both sailors have been preparing for the front heading towards the fleet. “We’re ready for it,” confirmed the American skipper. “Everything is prepared.”
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