Warfare in the Atlantic

Tactical split for the tris through the Azores in the Route du Rhum as Open 60s and Class 40s remain locked in contention

Thursday November 2nd 2006, Author: James Boyd, Location: Transoceanic
Images courtesy of Expedition Navigation Systems and ProGRIB
 
Positions at 0800GMT
 
Pos
Boat Skipper
Lat
Long
Spd
Crs
Spd
Crs
Spd
Dist
DTF
DTL
Inst
4 hr
24 hr
ORMA 60
1
Gitana 11 Lionel lemonchois
35 26.28' N
31 14.22' W
25
249
22.4
249
19.5
467.4
2011.3
0
2
Banque Populaire Pascal Bidegorry
37 11.64' N
30 56.48' W
25.3
210
18.5
216
18.3
438.5
2104.3
93
3
Géant Michel Desjoyeaux
35 48.80' N
29 45.60' W
20.4
266
20.2
249
16.7
399.7
2116.7
105.4
4
Sodeb'O Thomas Coville
39 38.85' N
32 06.60' W
24.5
239
13.5
256
18.3
438.5
2134.2
122.9
5
Groupama 2 Franck Cammas
38 34.04' N
30 03.16' W
7
283
9.9
236
15.8
380.3
2181.7
170.4
6
Foncia Alain Gautier
36 41.44' N
28 04.48' W
21.1
250
20.7
243
17.9
430.3
2212.8
201.5
7
Orange Project Steve Ravussin
42 12.80' N
31 33.60' W
18.3
212
12
236
16.4
392.9
2242.1
230.8
8
Sopra Group Antoine Koch
38 47.64' N
25 58.36' W
16.4
178
15.6
188
14.6
349.2
2357.3
346
9
Gitana 12 Thierry Duprey du Vorsent
39 12.40' N
25 42.32' W
18.3
196
14.2
198
15.4
368.5
2379.2
367.9
10
Region Guadeloupe-Terres de Passions Claude Thelier
37 53.48' N
24 44.92' W
20.1
172
20.4
181
15.3
366.3
2387.4
376.1
11
Madinina Gilles Lamire
41 54.48' N
16 09.20' W
9.1
218
12
221
10.6
254.6
2843.2
831.9
NL
Brossard Yvan Bourgnon
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Open 60
1
Sill et Veolia Roland Jourdain
41 04.84' N
22 53.04' W
15.4
198
16.4
210
14.2
339.9
2544
0
2
Virbac-Paprec Jean-Pierre Dick
40 30.84' N
21 38.34' W
13.9
206
16.1
216
13.9
332.8
2569.1
25.2
3
VM Matériaux Jean Le Cam
41 10.40' N
21 56.88' W
15.4
199
16.1
207
14.6
350.4
2584.8
40.8
4
Temenos II Dominique Wavre
40 33.44' N
20 07.72' W
17.3
209
16.3
211
14.1
338.3
2646.6
102.7
5
Brit Air Armel Le Cléac'h
43 09.00' N
21 30.08' W
13
224
14
228
13.8
332.4
2652.4
108.4
6
Roxy Anne Liardet
43 53.28' N
20 12.84' W
10
222
13.8
228
13.1
315.2
2722.3
178.3
7
Safran Marc Guillemot
43 07.72' N
19 11.08' W
17.2
217
13.9
219
12.4
297.7
2744.3
200.4
8
Maisonneuve Basse Normandie JB Dejeanty
40 39.68' N
17 23.56' W
10.1
224
16
223
12.7
305.2
2765.6
221.6
9
Adriana Karembeu Paris Philippe Fiston
42 27.64' N
14 44.08' W
9.8
226
10.8
227
9.1
217.9
2913.7
369.8
NL
Artemis Brian Thompson
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
ABD
Delta Dore Jeremy Beyou
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
ABD
PRB Vincent Riou
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Multi class 2
1
Crêpes Whaou ! Franck-Yves Escoffier
39 09.12' N
23 49.28' W
19.4
176
19.1
182
14.4
345.7
2457.4
0
2
Trilogic Eric Bruneel
40 11.44' N
20 36.08' W
19.3
196
13
200
12.9
309.4
2618.7
161.3
3
Laiterie de Saint-Malo Victorien Erussard
43 08.34' N
19 47.10' W
10
223
11
220
12.2
293.3
2709.1
251.7
4
Jean Stalaven Pascal Quintin
44 21.28' N
19 34.44' W
14.9
234
12.6
236
11.3
271
2758.5
301.2
5
Négocéane Roger Langevin
45 25.59' N
18 28.10' W
10.4
237
12.2
238
11.4
273.9
2828.3
370.9
6
Gifi Dominique Demachy
43 41.88' N
17 17.08' W
9.4
234
11.1
239
11.7
280
2833.9
376.6
7
Le Bon Marche - Rive Gauche Anne Caseneuve
42 17.76' N
15 49.84' W
9.3
221
11.5
226
10.4
249.5
2864.3
406.9
8
Deleage & DIAZO Loic Escofier
44 23.32' N
13 06.36' W
13
222
12.8
222
10.8
259.5
3017.7
560.3
Multi class 3
1
Imagine-Institut des Maladies Génétiques Pierre Antoine
42 58.64' N
16 24.20' W
8.3
233
9.2
234
9.9
237.6
2854.3
0
2
Ideal Stelrad Ross Hobson
44 10.12' N
15 57.64' W
21
231
11.1
237
8
191.7
2897.8
43.5
ABD
Switch.fr Charlie Capelle
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Mono class 1
1
Jeunes Dirigeants Pierre-Yves Guennec
45 12.84' N
15 10.64' W
11.3
238
10.6
234
9.3
222.3
2951.6
0
2
TAT Express Arnaud Dhallenne
44 57.68' N
13 03.08' W
6.3
240
7.5
227
7.2
172.8
3027.6
76
3
Antilles-Sails.com Philippe Chevallier
45 30.76' N
13 00.28' W
11.4
252
9
232
8.1
193.6
3039.5
87.9
4
Ville de Dinard Bruno Reibel
45 40.00' N
12 48.04' W
11
230
9.7
226
8.1
194
3054.8
103.3
Mono class 2
1
Artforms Kip Stone
43 48.92' N
18 51.40' W
14.4
243
13.9
231
12.8
306.3
2773.6
0
2
Vedettes de Bréhat Cap Marine Servane Escoffier
44 00.24' N
16 23.52' W
8.4
228
10.9
226
10.2
244.3
2876.6
103
3
Cap Guadeloupe 971 Luc Coquelin
44 12.68' N
15 40.36' W
14
246
11.5
239
10
240.2
2910.3
136.7
4
AOI Solidarité Dentaire Internationale Denis Douillez
44 42.28' N
13 06.92' W
7.1
249
9.4
230
8.4
202.1
3023.1
249.5
Mono class 3
1
Roaring Forty Michel Kleinjans
45 24.68' N
17 20.84' W
10
230
10.7
233
9.9
237.3
2871.3
0
2
Charter Regis Guillemot Martinique Regis Guillemot
45 05.36' N
16 25.72' W
9.6
230
9.4
231
9.4
225.2
2899.6
28.3
3
DangerousWhenWet Aurélia Ditton
46 54.72' N
13 45.24' W
8.9
225
8.9
226
8.4
202.3
3043.6
172.3
4
Fantasy Forest Alain Grinda
46 47.46' N
11 17.46' W
5.8
216
5.8
219
5.7
135.9
3132.6
261.3
5
A Fond Contre la Spondylarthrite Didier Le Villain
46 14.80' N
9 06.56' W
7.1
228
6.7
242
6.4
154.2
3212
340.8
ABD
La Promesse Jankees Lampe
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Class 40 
1
Atao Audio System Dominic Vittet
44 05.68' N
18 03.36' W
15
217
13.9
235
12.1
290.2
2812.1
0
2
Oyster Funds Gildas Morvan
43 19.68' N
17 35.24' W
9.3
231
12.4
225
11.3
272
2813.5
1.4
3
philsharpracing.com Phil Shark
45 05.84' N
18 16.00' W
7.4
241
12.6
231
11.8
283.9
2827.8
15.7
4
TMI Technologies Joe Seeten
43 53.08' N
16 45.48' W
11.1
224
11.4
229
11.3
270.2
2859.3
47.2
5
Appart'City Yvan Noblet
43 52.44' N
16 16.16' W
10.3
220
11.6
220
10.6
255.3
2868.9
56.9
6
Chocolats Monbana Damien Grimont
44 01.08' N
16 08.28' W
10.6
213
12.1
222
10.8
259
2885.2
73.1
7
Bolands Mill Ian Munslow
44 24.92' N
16 07.84' W
10.4
222
9.4
232
9.4
226.5
2896.1
84
8
Kenmore Homes Nick Bubb
45 37.14' N
16 42.18' W
8.6
235
8.3
235
9.7
232
2898.9
86.8
9
IXSEA Olivier Rabine
44 22.92' N
16 01.72' W
16.4
214
11.5
222
10
239.8
2899.3
87.3
10
Tchuda Popka 2 Gw Catherine
44 05.84' N
15 46.04' W
10.8
228
10.2
230
10.2
245.5
2903.8
91.7
11
Le Comptoir Immobilier Guillaume Voizard
43 37.28' N
15 22.92' W
10.1
224
10.7
228
10.3
248.2
2909.5
97.4
12
Lexibook Hervé Papin
44 08.84' N
15 35.72' W
13.1
228
11
232
10.2
245.6
2911.7
99.7
13
Cotes d'Armor - Pierres et Mer Philippe le Gros
44 15.48' N
15 07.98' W
10.7
234
9.9
234
9.3
222.5
2925.1
113.1
14
Cinémas Cinéfil.com JE Criquioche
44 28.04' N
15 12.44' W
10
226
9.7
234
9.5
227.6
2934.1
122
15
FNAIM Pays de Loire Lionel Regnier
45 01.28' N
15 27.24' W
13.2
234
11.2
236
9.3
223
2936.1
124
16
Guyader L'Esprit de la Mer Gery Trentseaux
44 28.32' N
15 02.84' W
13.4
212
10.4
225
9.5
227.1
2940.6
128.6
17
Nous Entreprenons Jacques Fournier
44 30.76' N
14 36.48' W
10.4
242
10.9
229
9.1
218.1
2959.1
147.1
18
Jardin Bio Equitable Benoit Parnaudeau
44 27.12' N
14 30.60' W
13
251
8.2
244
8.8
211
2962.1
150.1
19
Cap VAD Thibaud Derville
45 26.68' N
14 58.72' W
11.4
240
9.6
240
9.2
220.6
2964
151.9
20
Fermiers de Loué - Sarthe Francois Angoulvant
45 16.80' N
14 46.52' W
10.1
230
9.3
235
8.2
196.6
2968.5
156.4
21
Destination Calais Pierre-Yves Chatelain
46 15.92' N
15 15.72' W
6.4
230
9.4
237
8.7
209.1
2971.2
159.1
22
KNAUF Industries David Lefebvre
46 30.00' N
15 11.16' W
11
243
10.3
240
8.9
213.5
2979.4
167.3
23
Paca Entrprendre Cecile Poujol
43 47.40' N
13 39.96' W
8.3
280
8.6
244
8.5
202.8
2983.2
171.1
24
Nouvelle Caledonie Yves Ecarlat
45 33.52' N
13 53.96' W
9.4
228
9.2
235
8.3
198.1
3008.9
196.9
25
Siegenia-Aubi Marc Lepesqueux
47 14.28' N
8 21.76' W
8.4
238
10.2
238
6.3
150.7
3258
446
 
The Route du Rhum claimed another victim yesterday when at arond 1300 yesterday veteran multihull boat builder Charlie Capelle capsized his new Nigel Irens/Walter Greene-design trimaran Switch.fr. At 14:31, Capelle, skipper of class 3 multihull informed Race Director Sylvie Viant of the incident, adding that he was fine and waiting inside the central hull of his upturned trimaran for a rescue team to arrive. Luc Coquelin on the class 2 monohull Cap Guadeloupe 971, at the time was some two hours away from him.

In the end it was Philippe le Gros on the Class 40 Cotes d'Armor-Pierres et Mer who successfully pulled Capelle from his boat at 17h00. Legros had been warned by the Race Committee of race via his Inmarsat C but remained could not be contaced by phone. By chance le Gros passed with a few metres of the upturned trimaran and exeecuted a successful rescue operation. The duo will continue on to Guadeloupe together.



In the ORMA 60ft trimaran class some interesting tactical choices have been put into practise over the last 24 hour, involving the passage through or past the Azores archipelago. Race leader Lionel Lemonchois on Gitana 11 as predicted yesterday morning went through the large passage to the west of the principle island of Sao Miguel. While Lemonchois passed through the Azores at around 16-1700GMT yesterday, he was followed in succession - Michel Desjoyeaux on Geant, Yvan Bourgnon on Brossard and Alain Gautier on Foncia, all of whom subsequently gybed on to starboard. Impressively Lemonchois has added 60 miles to his lead over the last 24 hours - but the question remains whether or not this is unassailable in such speedy boats. Certainly tactical options will be running out at this stage of the race.

While the passage through the Azores was made by the leaders, several other skippers tried other choices - both Pascal Bidegorry on Banque Populaire and Franck Cammas on Groupama II have attempted to sail down the west side of the island group and have ended up being stuck in their lee - Groupama during the last poll (hence her 'instantaneous' speed of just 7 knots).

A more interesting option taken by Steve Ravussin on Orange Project and Thomas Coville on Sodebo has been to break through to the new breeze by sailing due west. Both skippers appear to have taken a small hitch to the north in order to pass through this transition area as quickly as possible and Sodebo in particular is now back on the pace at 24 knots.

From here on the trimaran skippers will be limited in their tactical options as the large area of high pressure off to their west at present extends and elongates northeast creating a strong band of northeastly breeze on its southern side. For the skippers ths is effectively dead downwind to Guadeloupe so it will be a case of playing the shifts and who has the best downwind package on board. Certainly Lemonchois seems unbeliveably fast in these conditions.



Once again the Open 60 class has been subject to some polling irregularities. While Roland Jourdain's Sill et Veolia continues to lead the polling for Jean-Pierre Dick's Virbac Paprec ran out at 0600 this morning and although the latest sched suggests she is 25 miles astern in terms of her DTF we reckon that the boats are more neck and neck for the lead. Similarly the polling for Brian Thompson on Artemis ran out at 2200GMT last night and he is anticipated to be holding fourth with Jean le Cam on VM Materiaux third and Dominque Wavre catching up fast on his new Temenos.

We understand that Dick was slowed yesterday morning when he ran over something unidentified that wrapped itself around his keel, dramatically slowing the pace of the boat. Dick was forced to go head to wind and reverse down in order to free the obstruction before setting sail again.

Tactically the situation for the Open 60s remains similar for the ORMA 60s - they are more or less downwind and all the boats are currently on port gybe and the question will be when will they gybe back. The only possible flawin the forecast is the development of a depression to the south of the Azores but this at present doesn't appear to impede their progress towards the finish line.

Among the Class 40s (see map below) Figaro heavyweights Gildas Morvan on Oyster Funds and Dominique Vittet on ATAO Audio Systems continue to slog it out but away to the north Phil Sharp is making good progress (see needasponsor.co.uk positioned southwest of Roaring Forty on the map below), the boats according to the forecast sailing in lively 25 knots of wind from just north of east. The three leaders are well divided over the race track with Sharp in the north, Morvan some 110 miles away to the south and with Vittet in between.

Generally the boats to the south have done better over the last 24 hours with Vendee Globe skipper Joe Seeten on his modified Pogo TMI Technologies pulling up to fourth and former Mini sailor Yvan Noblet and Figaro sailor Damien Grimont pulling ahead of Ian Munslow's Bollands Mill. Nick Bubb on Kenmore Homes appears to be eighth at the latest sched but is way off up to the north on a similar track to Sharp.

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