Macif leads the way
The new Ultime Macif, skippered by François Gabart and Pascal Bidégorry, took over the lead of the fleet two days ago and is now a little more than 120 miles behind her pursuer. There are only 528 miles left to reach Itajai, but his arrival is more than uncertain. Thunderstorms are scattered over the last 400 miles between Cape Frio and the finish.
The two skippers of the Macif trimaran have chosen to play it safe by sailing well past Cape Frigo: a long tack under gennaker to the South before turning sharply West, towards the finish line. The aim is to quickly move from a northerly downwind flow to an easterly to south-easterly flow blowing under the Tropic of Capricorn.
Sunset from the Macif trimaran - credit: DR
For Sodebo, Thomas Coville and Jean-Luc Nélias opted for a different strategy. They opted for a trajectory close to the coast and gybed at Vitoria. Their goal would be to sail along the shores to cut the distance as short as possible and thus not only gain miles, but also benefit from the coastal breezes ahead of Rio de Janeiro. Even if it means risking a bigger gap at the finish. But this is the only way for Sodebo to hope to pass the leader.
The two Ultimates should arrive in Brazil on Friday night. Between 2 and 4 am for Macif, on Saturday 7th November, but everything will depend on the crossing of the stormy front.
A leading trio of Imoca boats neck and neck with FenêtréA Prysmian
1000 miles further north, the first three Imoca boats (PRB, Banque Populaire VIII and Queguiner âeuros Leucémie Espoir) and the first Multi50 (FenêtréA Prysmian) have crossed the equator.
Banque Populaire VIII - credit: DR
But 150 miles further east, FenêtréA-Prysmian has a great chance of leaving the archipelago of Fernando de Noronha on its starboard side, while PRB, Quéguiner-Leucémie Espoir and Banque Populaire will pass inside, on the Brazilian side. For these three duos, it is important to keep the SE'ly wind close to fifteen knots so as not to find themselves in the "buffer" of Recife, the coastal zone of twenty miles or so where the trade winds ease off and take on a more northerly component, which is very unfavourable for sliding towards ItajaÃâeuros¦
Erwan Le Roux on FenêtréA Prysmian - credit: DR
From now on, Erwan Le Roux and Giancarlo Pedote are no longer under pressure from Arkema (Lalou Roucayrol and César Dohy), who have taken an easterly route and are unable to get out of the Doldrums. This has allowed Ciela Village to gain a small lead over the red Multi50. MACSF, Bureau Vallée, Comme un seul homme and Newrest-Matmut are still making progress southwards and hope to get out of the Doldrums quickly, while Initiatives C?ur and Le Souffle du Nord are still stuck.
The first Imoca and Multi50 boats are expected to arrive in Brazil on the night of November 11 to 12.
The Curator's Escape
Finally, in the Class40 category, Le Conservateur (Yannick Bestaven and Pierre Brasseur) continues to gain distance from its pursuers. He is now 312 miles ahead of his pursuer, VandB (Maxime Sorel and Sam Manuard). But they will soon enter the shadow zone: the tandem has chosen the same entry point as their bigger predecessors, but the Doldrums has the art of changing its appearance and intensity from one day to the next.
The Curator (Yannick Bestaven and Pierre Brasseur) - credit: DR
Alan Roura and Juliette Pétrès on Club 103 - credit: DR
Solidaires en Peloton (Thibaut Vauchel Camus and Victorien Erussard) arrived in Mindelo in the middle of the night and her pit stop must last at least twelve hours according to the Class40 rules. But if they start again, it will be with only one rudder.
The first Class40s should reach Brazil in 10 days, but the crossing of the Doldrums could change things.
