Ultims in Transat Jacques Vabre

Interesting reading: On the front line - Gitana : Offshore racing stable created by Baron Benjamin de Rothschild http://www.gitana-team.com/en/a-1268/on-the-front-line

 

Gitana Foiling: she is now 51 miles ahead of Sodebo !

Go Gitana!

 

Both Gitana and Sodebo doing the exact same speed-28.3 knots . Gitana still 62.3 miles ahead. The wind looks like its going to get lighter as they approach Brazil and that will be a real test of the foiler.

 

Gitana is 73.9 miles ahead and exactly one knot faster than Sodebo right now. Gitana is sailing in 3kts more breeze than Sodebo.
It looks like they'll both be running into an area of much lighter wind that extends down to their destination. Be interesting to see how Gitana does in those conditions.

 

Yes, lighter winds ahead, here attached print screens of the Virtual Regatta with winds map now and expected next 12h.
Next challenge is to enter the doldrums zone by the right door, statiscally it is longitude 28 to 30° .

 

Thanks! Things will get interesting if the wind drops below about 14 which is the foiling threshold for Gitana.
From Guillaume Verdier- " It goes two and a half times faster than the wind so it will take off as soon as there is 13 to 14 knots of wind speed."

 

Interesting to compute the average speed of each class top leaders since the start (/ theoritical route 4350 NM):
- Class 40 / top 3: 9,83 Knots
- Imoca 60 / top 3 (2 foilers "St Michel Virbac" & "Des voiles et vous" (ex Safran), and one non-foiler SMA) : 12,81 Knots
- Multi 50 / top 3 : 13,19 Knots
- Ultims / top 2 : 20,75 Knots

Great performance of the top 3 Monohull Imoca 60 side to side with the Multi 50.

 

Gitana is back up to speed 2 knots faster than Sodebo but only 18 miles separate them!

UPDATE: In the time it took me to post the sentence above Sodebo is now shown as being in the lead! That was quick....

 

Don't worry Doug, I think it is a tactical move from Gitana, to reposition between Sodebo and the direct line so to avoid the hazard of different winds, especially when doldrums are ahead, too risky to bet another entry door than your concurrent. And Gitana skippers do that because they have checked that for same winds, they are a bit faster.

 

I hope you're right. I'm concerned because the wind is going to get lighter before too long.
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Multi 50 has capsized-the two guys are ok.........

 

More on the capsize: News - Multi50 Drekan Groupe capsizes off the coast of Portugal - Transat Jacques Vabre 2017 https://www.transatjacquesvabre.org/en/news/news/263/multi50-drekan-groupe-capsizes-off-the-coast-of-portugal

 

Do you expect them to go close the coast of Brazil or try to pick a wind lane through the doldrums? Sodebo may well tack onto starboard soon, so they may both end up well to the west. Interesting that Gitana passed astern of Sedebo, I wonder if things will change next time they cross?

 

I think the first priority is to take the right North-South wind lane through the doldrums, 24h ago Macif took the 32° door on the recommendation of his router J-Y Bernot (see video here below) but this cannot avoid a lower boat speed, presently 6-8 knots since 12h. Sodexo last year had the chance of a high speed crossing. And I think it is not recommended to try east or west orientation when in these doldrums, to stay south and wait the exit of this zone before thinking to next route option.
Tour du monde en solitaire: le récap' de la cinquième journée ! - Macif Course au Large http://www.macifcourseaularge.com/actus/tour-monde-solitaire-recap-de-cinquieme-journee/

 

Gitana is 4kts faster right now but 60+ miles behind.......

 

Both about the same speed at 9:52 Eastern but Gitana 62 miles back. To me it looks like from here to the finish the wind will be lower than required for Gitana to foil. Unfortunate......