Concertina at full tilt

Ups and downs, swing and roundabouts for MultiCup fleet

Positions at 12:44 (except Geant @ 10:16 and Gitana 11 at 11:44)

Pos	Boat	Skipper	Latitude	Longitude	VMG	Spd	Crs	DTF	DTL
1	Groupama 2	Franck Cammas	37 35.36' N	9 26.84' W	21.1	26.8	192	1556.3	0
2	Banque Populaire	Pascal Bidegorry	37 57.96' N	9 09.92' W	18.9	27.7	120	1573.3	17
3	Géant	Michel Desjoyeaux	40 03.76' N	9 18.00' W	11.2	18.1	133	1674.5	118.2
4	Gitana 11	Fred le Peutrec	40 46.24' N	8 59.24' W	19.3	19.7	177	1727.1	170.8
5	Gitana 12	Thierry Duprey	41 48.56' N	8 55.84' W	27.4	27.7	183	1808.2	251.8
6	Sopra Group	Antoine Koch	43 26.12' N	9 26.72' W	9.2	9.3	188	1903.8	347.5

As was the case yesterday the MultiCup continues to see something of a match race between Franck Cammas' Groupama 2 and Pascal Bidegorry on Banque Populaire. However at present as the boat negotiate the last of the west coast of Portugal conditions are far from easy. Lying a short distance offshore is a NNE-SSW orientated ridge of high pressure. And while the two front runners look like they might be able to slip through this ridge is heading slowly east and is set to trap those astern. However this is not the only meteorological story in the area. At present there is a small shallow depression hovering over the Strait of Gibraltar. This is likely to have slipped south by the time the boats reach this area leaving in its place light headwinds while those astern should be back into pressure, the ridge having moved offshore again...

From on board Banque Populaire navigator and former Solitaire du Figaro winner Charles Caudrelier reported: "We were really pleased as we had overtaken Groupama just before Cape Finisterre. Then the wind dropped and he slipped ahead. She is also the fastest boat in the fleet. We’re playing a game with whatever the wind dishes up and appreciate seeing her just off our bow! We’ve gnawed back two miles! We’re making good headway and the conditions are quite manageable. We’ll try not to make her tack for tack and are currently working on the strategy and the course to steer. It’s not that obvious what to do as far as Gibraltar as the wind is changing a lot between Cape St Vincent and Gibraltar.

"We managed to get some rest in overnight. There were just tow guys up on deck as the others were recharging their batteries down below. We’re firing on all cylinders again!

"Crossing the Bay of Biscay at 30 knots in just 10 hours was brilliant. Came across lots of logs of wood though which is quite stressful as you don’t see them until the last minute. All in all, life on board is going just swimmingly. It’s great that we can see the guys ahead !

"Over the coming hours, we’ll be overtaking Groupama! On a more serious note, finding the right way to negotiate the bend to Gibraltar is not going to be that easy at all. We can opt for the direct route, or for a longer route but one which should avoid us being caught up in the windless zone. Our opponent is a toughie, but we’re pulling out all the stops to put Banque Populaire IV out in the lead... "

Meanwhile from on board Cammas' green boat Franck Proffit reported:

"We’ve had almost every type of conditions imaginable since the start. Light winds close to England and in the Channel requiring lots of manoeuvring. By the time we reached Ushant, winds had steadied. Then we latched onto a SE blow and reeled in the miles reaching at average speeds of around 27-30 knots. We didn’t want to take too many risks and Banque Populaire has gained a little ground. Two reefs in the main, staysail up, variable winds. Navigation is like piloting. Pile-driving is always hanging over you as a major risk to avoid. You have to concentrate really hard on helming and trimming. A bit like Formula 1 car racing. You have to have to be a bit of a speed demon ! The pleasure of it all is when you are up on deck. Down below it’s not that much fun. It’s a bit like being in a washing machine.

"At Cape Finisterre, there was a tough spot and now we’ve got a NNW flow to head south. We should be reaching Cape Saint Vincent in four hours from now.

"The competition ? We don’t worry about the others too much and are here to race our race. Of course we are aware that Banque Populaire is round and about. So we do keep our eyes peeled, but focus essentially on what lies off our bows and hope to continue that way. As we home in on the finishing line, we’ll mark her a little if need be. Sailing within sight of one another drives you onwards and keeps you on your toes, even if you don’t want to overdo it. It’s just not that brilliant for those who are further downfield!"

What is perhaps best news for the class is that the Bidegorry's team seem to have over the winter modified their boat so that it seems to be as competitive than Groupama 2, the only boats in the fleet to have been built since the 2002 Route du Rhum.