Who will be the first to hit the trade winds motorway to the finish line?
The Doldrums are now shaking up the Imoca fleet and putting more pressure on the already exhausted sailors: gales, lightning that hit close to the boats with a defeaning crash, and winds that disappeared for about 10 hours. They are taking their toll on their visitors. Finding the right point of entrance could mean giving up the lead — or not. But what is sure is that the first out of this trap. But we are not there yet, with some 36 hours still to go before they are out of the danger zone. Stay tuned!
Cheminées Poujoulat is now leading the Imoca (4p.m). She was new to the top 3 early this morning after gybing west 24 hours ago), therefore putting – temporarily — an end to the British domination (by 4 miles at 4 p.m).
Since Nov. 11, the Ecover 3 skippers have been controlling their eight pursuers, patiently building their lead during four days. But their advance dramatically melted (from 50 miles to less than 10) when they entered the Doldrums and were caught in calms for 10 hours (from 2 a.m. to 12 a.m.). In the noon audio session, they wished their position had been more to the west in order to better control their hunters, who opted for a “medium” westerly route. The result fell at the 4 p.m. poll. Ecover 3 should be lining up with the other boats later on and we’ll see then which will cross the other first.
VICTORY FOR GROUPAMA 2
After 10 days 38 minutes and 43 seconds of racing at a theoretical average speed of 18.03 knots, Franck Cammas and Stève Ravussin on Groupama 2 crossed the finish line in the Transat Jacques Vabre at 13h40’43″ (CET) or in other words 9h40’43″ (local time) today, Wednesday, 14th November. This was Franck Cammas’s third win in his five Transat Jacques Vabre races. The record was smashed by 1 day 22 hours 31 minutes and 58 seconds (former record from 2003: 11 days 23 hours 10 minutes and 41 seconds).
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