North-south divide

Challenging tactics in the Transat AG2R

Positions at 0300GMT

Pos	Boat	Crew	Lat	Long	DTF
1	CERCLE VERT	Gildas MORVAN Dominic VITTET	33 21 N	021 05 W	2423
2	L'ESPRIT D'EQUIPE	Lionel PEAN Florence ARTHAUD	30 51 N	020 33 W	2423
3	BANQUE POPULAIRE	Pascal BIDEGORRY Sidney GAVIGNET	32 43 N	020 45 W	2423
4	GROUPE SCE - LE TELEGRAMME	Armel LE CLEAC'H Nicolas TROUSSEL	32 44 N	020 52 W	2426
5	DELTA DORE	Jérémie BEYOU Christophe de PAVANT	33 01 N	020 52 W	2429
6	THALES	Erwan TABARLY Jean Luc NELIAS	33 07 N	020 45 W	2436
7	Trophée BPE Saint-Nazaire - Cuba	Jeanne GREGOIRE Samantha DAVIES	32 49 N	020 41 W	2436
8	TRISKEL-BROKERLINE	Marc THIERCELIN Eric DROUGLAZET	32 40 N	020 35 W	2439
9	PORT TREBEURDEN	Romain ATTANASIO Nicolas BERENGER	32 36 N	020 22 W	2441
10	SKIPPER AG2R	Rodolphe JACQ Bertrand de BROC	32 38 N	020 31 W	2442
11	BOSTIK FINDLEY	Charles CAUDRELIER Antoine KOCH	32 42 N	020 31 W	2443
12	PETITS PETONS	Christophe ARTAUD Laurent PELLECUER	32 49 N	020 25 W	2449
13	MAISONS PIERRE	Marc LEPESQUEUX Bertrand LECHARPENTIER	32 40 N	020 20 W	2452
14	D'AUCY	Bruno JOURDREN Jean-Christophe MOURNIAC	33 07 N	020 22 W	2455
15	GEDIMAT	Armel TRIPON Damien GRIMONT	33 12 N	020 21 W	2457
16	MONACO MARINE GROUP	Alberto SPINA Olivier de ROFFIGNAC	32 51 N	020 15 W	2458
17	MARSEILLE ENTREPRISES	Jean-Paul MOUREN Alexandre TOULORGE	32 26 N	020 07 W	2460
18	RAYNAL ET ROQUELAURE	Christian BOS Pierre-Yves MOREAU	32 36 N	020 09 W	2460
19	CHARENTE-MARITIME SCUTUM	Gérald VENIARD Yannick BESTAVEN	33 16 N	020 18 W	2460
20	ENTREPRENDRE AU PAYS DE LORIENT	Yannig LIVORY Tangi CARON	32 57 N	020 13 W	2461
21	GROUPE COUPECHOUX	Jean-Marc SPARFEL Benoit LEQUIN	33 09 N	020 15 W	2462
22	GUYADER L'ESPRIT DE LA MER	Philippe MASSU Patrice CARPENTIER	33 10 N	020 13 W	2463
23	FTH-THIRARD / CAEN LA MER	Jean-Baptiste DEJEANTY Barnabé CHIVOT	32 36 N	020 05 W	2463
24	DEFI SANTE VOILE	Benoit PETIT Thierry CHABAGNY	33 17 N	020 11 W	2466
25	BEZIERS MEDITERRANEE	Yannick CANO Arnaud BOISSIERES	33 00 N	019 58 W	2474
26	CONNIVENCE	Jacques EINHORN Eric PERON	33 04 N	019 34 W	2494
27	EGERIA	Sander BAKKER Ian MUNSLOW	32 32 N	019 24 W	2497
28	SOR TMC	Christophe BOUVET Arnaud GUILLOUET	32 24 N	019 13 W	2505
29	SPACETIME	Jan HAMESTER Jens HULSEBUSCH	32 18 N	019 09 W	2507
30	AURELIA FINANCE	Hervé FAVRE Guillaume NEU PIETRI	32 48 N	018 28 W	2546
31	LITTLE BLACK SHARK	Antonio Pedro DA CRUZ Olivier DE LA MOTTE	32 10 N	017 05 W	2609

Just when the Transat AG2R should be turning into a processional boat speed run down the trade wind route to the Caribbean, so the crews are facing what is likely to prove the make or break stage of the race tactically.

At present a large but relatively shallow area of low pressure is lying directly on the great circle to St Barts, leaving the crews with the choice of skirting the low to the north in favourable winds or to the south with the long term aim that the northeasterly Trade winds will eventually sort themselves out. At present there are 'Fossett conditions' - southwesterlies blowing to the west of the Canaries.

So this morning the leaders in the Transat remain 'the Green giants' Gildas Morvan and Dominique Vittet on board Cercle Vert who are presently the most northerly boats will veteran racers Lionel Pean and Florence Arthaud have pulled up to second place by taking the southerly route, with Banque Populaire sailed by Pascal Bidegorry and Sidney Gavignet in third lying in the middle ground with seventh placed Jeanne Gregoire and Sam Davies. The top three boats are neck and neck according the distance to finish figures, even if they are on different headings with the northerly group sailing in 10-15 knot northeasterlies and Pean and Arthaud sailing in 5-10 knot northwesterlies.

Over the course of the day the wind is set to veer to the southeast for the northerly group. After this they will get into a band of 25-30 knot northeasterlies and will be smokin'. Meanwhile the wind is forecast to go through a light transistional phase for Pean and Arthaud that will ultimately end up with it coming from the south at 5-10 knots.

Pretty crucial to the proceedings will be what this area of low pressure decides to do. At present the low is standing is ground on the great circle at 30degW and the present indications are the the northerly group will have to head further north than they would like to to get around it, while it is likely that Pean and Arthaud will attempt to sail into the low and then tack out as they get headed. It is likely to take them much long to break into the northeasterlies than the northern group. But this is the Figaro - so anything is possible...