Orange on track

Bruno Peyron and his team now 200 miles ahead of Steve Fossett's record.

Orange II is on schedule to beat the Atlantic record. Yesterday at 1600GMT, the maxi catamaran once again smashed the 24 hour record by reaching an average speed of almost 32 knots and clocking up 766 miles in one day. At the second comparison point today, Bruno Peyron’s crew had a lead of almost 200 miles over Steve Fossett’s PlayStation.

On hearing his new record passage of 766 miles Bruno Peyron commented: "That’s a nice number, isn’t it? We’re still continually above the polars drawn up for this record. I won’t say which, but I think we’ve found what it takes. You’re always learning something on this boat. That in itself is great."

With the 24 hour record smashed Orange II is obviously ahead on its main goal of breaking Steve Fossett’s record and finishing in less than 4 days, 17 hours and 28 minutes. At the second comparison point after the Newfoundland Banks, Bruno Peyron's maxi catamaran with the other 11 crewmen had built up a lead of 199 miles over the route taken by PlayStation, or in other words 66 miles more than at the first comparison point. At the halfway point, (at 11h42 GMT today, there were 1,380 miles left to go to cross the finish at the Lizard), the situation is looking good.

However, it’s not won yet. In fact, "the wind should ease off today, even if it is still blowing at 30 knots as I speak", says Peyron. "There is some uncertainty about the front catching us up. That’s why, we have to make gains eastwards, but also in latitude. That explains why we’re moving up, as the final approach will be made via the Fastnet Rock, via Ireland, to close the angle if the wind eases off (and therefore keep up our speed)."

As the radio session was taking place this morning, trimaran skipper Pascal Bidégorry was at the helm of Orange II and the speed was not falling off. Bruno Peyron tried to describe the feelings on board and spoke of a first minor incident. "We’re making 30 to 32 knots with a reef in the mainsail, the staysail and gennaker, so we have a little too much sail up. We have to be careful, as we may have lost a bit of our rudder. Late in the night we hit a peak of 38 knots and we hit something. Since then, there’s been something slightly wrong, so we’re constantly keeping an eye out, but for the time being, it’s okay. If we stay fully concentrated at the helm it will work out. We yawed twice, and although it was nothing too serious, we must be careful. When we go over on one hull for a few seconds, you can easily see what may happen."

The fog encountered on the first 24 hours seems to be clearing. "We can see for about three miles now, in some rather heavy seas." Orange II is continuing to speed along towards the legendary record. At the position check at 11h42 GMT, the monster was recorded at 32.2 knots of instant speed and her average since the start in New York on Sunday is close to 31 knots. To beat Steve Fossett, they need to cross the finishing line off The Lizard before 04h28 GMT on Friday morning. The suspense will be kept up until the finish…