This morning, news of the crews and their positions arrived and the least we can say is that the score is very close¦ Currently, the fleet is heading slowly towards the Canaries, skirting the coast of Africa in a 6 knot wind. It is spread over a distance of 15 knots and the average speed of the boats is between 8 and 10 knots.
A leading trio leads the way
Last night, Team Vestas Wind lost a lot of ground when they tried to head west, against the fleet. This decision, which the crew thought was bold, turned out to be wrong, making them lose time and ranking them last, 15 miles behind the leader, Abu Dhabi. On the side of the womenâ??s team, SCA, they were close to the Moroccan coasts, sailing 0.5 miles from the coastsâ?¦
For the moment, Team Abu Dhabi, led by skipper Ian Walker, is leading the race just ahead of Team Brunel, which is challenged by Dongfeng Race Team. The two teams regularly exchange their 2 e and 3 e place on this Canarian course.
A serious gap between the competitors
For the first time since the start of the race, a serious gap has opened up between the first and the last. Indeed 15 miles separate them, it is the biggest gap recorded. Today the weather conditions are not expected to be optimal, forcing the teams to move forward in a light breeze of about ten knots. Moving away from the coast should not be a favorable option since the wind offshore is even weaker. At this rate, the teams should not reach the Canaries before tomorrow afternoon.
Which course to take?
The different teams should start thinking about which side of the Canaries they should go, east or west, taking into account the weather conditions. If the forecasts prove to be correct, it would be better to go east, between the Canaries and the African coast.
