Banque Populaire VII on standby for Route of Discovery attempt

Armel le Cleach is on standby on the maxi trimaran Banque Populaire VII in Portugal awaiting a suitable weather window to attempt the Cadiz - San Salvador Discovery Route record. The solo record currently held by Francis Joyon on IDEC II.

http://www.voile.banquepopulaire.fr...nque-Populaire-VII-a-bon-port-9854.html#suite

 

^^^

Were I Joyon,
I'd be asking for an appearance fee to be paid
before having to turn up in all these races.

 

Photo?

I can't find one photo of Banque Populair VII in Cadiz.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=XFjuumZ1BaE#t=37

Webcam at the moment;
http://www.voile.banquepopulaire.fr/Maxi-Trimaran-Solo-Banque-Populaire-VII/visite3D.html

 

BPVII is on standby but not in Cadiz not sure where it's berthed.

edit their latest entry:

Apresun two days, Maxi Solo Bank Populaire VII conveyor, with at its bordArmel Le Cléac ' h and five crew, docked around 8 p.m. in Eastport Vilamoura (Portugal). This officially launches the start of the stand-by latentative of the record of the Route de la Découverte between Cadiz and San El Salvador pourArmel Le Cléac ' h.

 

^^^

The boat is in Vilamoura just up the coast, according to their Facebook info.

There's a nice club there with swimming pools and a good kitchen... Nothing like the rathole of Cadiz.

 

From their website:

Armel Le Cléac ' h left Vilamoura pontoon around 13 h to reach the departure area of the record of the road of discovery off the coast of Cadiz (Portugal). Crossing line should be between 6 p.m. and midnight. You will be at the rendezvous on? # GO # VoileBP

 

tracker is available now:

http://banquepopulaire.geovoile.fr/routedeladecouverte/2014/app/flash/

 

Armel is well ahead of record pace on BPVII and has just set a new unratified solo multihull 24 hour record 677nm at 28.20 knots.

http://www.voile.banquepopulaire.fr...ile-en-24-heures-en-solitaire-9901.html#suite

 

^^^

According to their last tweet he improved on that already; 682 miles.

 

Currently about 520nm ahead of the reference position with what appears to be pretty good conditions for the final approach to San Salvador.

 

Armel le Cleac'h absolutely smashed the record even bettering the time set by Groupama3 in crewed format and only about 9 hours behind Spindrift 2's recently set crewed record.

Here is the link to the original press release:

http://www.voile.banquepopulaire.fr...-record-pour-Banque-Populaire-9941.html#suite

and the rough bing translate:


New record for Banque Populaire!

Thursday, January 30, 2014 - 10:06 pm

The record of the Route de la Découverte was literally exploded in less than a week by The Maxi Trimaran Solo Bank Populaire VII since the time of solitaire reference between Cadiz (Spain) and San El Salvador (Bahamas) has improved over a day and a half: 6 d 23 h 42' 18 "! Armel Le Cléac ' h loop thus his third record after the Mediterranean and the distance covered in 24 hours (682 miles). Impressions of Armel Le Cléac ' h shortly after his arrival...

« This 3 884 mile course somewhat divided into three parts with a start quite tense for the Canary, one half of the Atlantic very muscular with over 30 knots of wind and a more technical end with the gybes. The passage of Gran Canaria was delicate with seas but then I found my rhythm and the right settings which allowed me to break the record for distance in 24 h (682 miles)! "In the end it is a good average, but in addition to the solo record, I improve time to the boat that Franck Cammas had conducted with a crew on this course... . indicated Armel Le Cléac ' h.

An exceptional time

« Get down under the bar of the week, it's great! We start the year to celebrate 25 years of partnership of Banque Populaire: two new records. I have taken the pace on this route as long as a Route du Rhum: I'm not too tired, optimizations of the boat work well, I well anticipated manoeuvres which are always very long and very rears and I no nothing broke important on board. »

At an average of 23,16 knots, this record is the second best of all time!

« The team of Banque Populaire awaits me on the spot because the arrival is not easy with a great boat: we will stand at anchor until Sunday and returning to Lorient in the wake. A new crossed over North Atlantic... And always a good workout for the Route du Rhum at the end of the year. The next deadline, this is the record for crossing the Atlantic: the bar is very high! »

The record of Armel Le Cléac ' h

-3 884 depressor miles covered in 6 d 23 h 42' 18 "to an average of 23,16 knots

-Actual distance travelled: 4 271 miles to 25.47 knots average speed

-Departure before Cádiz Thursday, January 23 at 8 pm, arrival on Thursday, January 30 at 19 h 39' 17 "

The best times in crew1988: Serge Madec (Jet Services V) in 12d 12 h 30 m 27 s

2000: Grant Dalton & Bruno Peyron (Club Med) in 10 d 14 h 53 m 44 s

2003: Steve Fossett (PlayStation) in 9 d 13 h 30 m 18s

2007: Franck Cammas (Groupama 3) in 7 d 10 h 58 min 53 s

2013: Dona Bertarelli & Yann Guichard (Spindrift 2) in 6 d 14 h 29 min 21 s


The best times in solitaire2004: Francis Joyon (IDEC) in 11 d 3 h 17 min 20s

2005: Thomas Coville (Sodeb'o ' O) in 10 d 11 h 50 m 20 s

2008: Francis Joyon (IDEC) in 9 d 20 h 32 min 23 s

2013: Francis Joyon (IDEC) in 8 d 16 h 07 min 05 sec

2014: Armel Le Cléac ' h (Bank popular VII) in 6 d 23 h 42' 18 "