The Azores conundrum

Overnight the Open 60s have had to make tactical calls on how to pass these mid-Atlantic islands in the Route du Rhum

Friday November 3rd 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
Srs
Dist
DTF
DTL
Inst
4hr av
24 hr
60ft tris
1
Gitana 11 Lionel Lemonchois
30 54.30' N
43 21.54' W
19
251
22.3
252
23.4
562.5
1360.2
0
2
Banque Populaire Pascal Bidegorry
33 04.56' N
42 31.98' W
25.3
267
23.9
263
22.9
549.9
1470.6
110.4
3
Géant Michel Desjoyeaux
31 41.60' N
41 00.16' W
19.4
269
21.1
257
21.7
520
1508.2
148
4
Brossard Yvan Bourgnon
32 10.16' N
40 57.32' W
30
253
23.3
250
22.2
532.4
1526.4
166.2
5
Sodeb'O Thomas Coville
35 39.16' N
43 00.00' W
21.3
265
19.3
268
19.5
467.6
1581.3
221.1
6
Groupama 2 Franck Cammas
34 26.24' N
40 09.56' W
23.4
253
22
249
21.1
505.3
1639.2
278.9
7
Foncia Alain Gautier
33 19.48' N
37 30.56' W
24.2
240
22
245
18.7
449.1
1709.7
349.5
8
Region Guadeloupe-Terres de Passions Claude Thelier
35 29.52' N
32 40.20' W
22.3
262
15.2
253
14.6
350.2
1982.1
621.9
9
Gitana 12 Thierry Duprey du Vorsent
35 35.60' N
32 43.52' W
15.3
255
14.4
264
14.6
351
1982.7
622.5
10
Sopra Group Antoine Koch
36 20.80' N
33 13.44' W
11.2
266
12.5
269
14.2
341.5
1984.2
624
11
Orange Project Steve Ravussin
38 50.92' N
28 57.88' W
11.4
113
8.8
119
-1.5
-37.1
2234.5
874.3
12
Madinina Gilles Lamire
40 04.40' N
23 27.24' W
10.4
252
16.3
255
12.7
305.5
2495.6
1135.4
IMOCA 60s
1
Virbac-Paprec Jean-Pierre Dick
38 20.52' N
30 54.76' W
19.2
265
15
252
15.8
378.5
2139.8
0
2
VM Matériaux Jean Le Cam
38 46.52' N
30 33.88' W
15.1
258
16
262
15.5
371.1
2167.1
27.3
3
Sill et Veolia Roland Jourdain
36 58.12' N
29 10.00' W
14.2
268
13.9
260
13.6
325.8
2173.2
33.4
4
Temenos II Dominique Wavre
38 44.22' N
28 54.54' W
16.3
257
15.6
257
15.9
380.8
2214
74.2
5
Artemis Brian Thompson
39 00.21' N
29 29.86' W
12.3
257
15.7
259
15.4
369.3
2217.3
77.5
6
Brit Air Armel Le Cléac'h
40 48.56' N
28 59.44' W
16.2
258
15.3
261
13.5
324.7
2292
152.2
7
Roxy Anne Liardet
40 38.92' N
27 36.32' W
14
242
14.8
239
13.8
330.2
2341.6
201.8
8
Safran Marc Guillemot
39 35.32' N
25 29.48' W
15.3
268
15
248
12.5
300.7
2398
258.2
9
Maisonneuve Basse Normandie JB Dejeanty
37 39.56' N
22 51.48' W
16.2
236
13.3
235
10.4
248.8
2465.1
325.3
10
Adriana Karembeu Paris Philippe Fiston
40 27.72' N
19 52.96' W
12.1
245
11.5
241
9.3
224.2
2655.2
515.4
ABD
Delta Dore Jeremy Beyou
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
ABD
PRB Vincent Riou
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Class 2 multis
1
Crêpes Whaou ! Franck-Yves Escoffier
36 26.68' N
32 42.92' W
16.2
252
16.7
254
16.1
385.2
2008.4
0
2
Trilogic Eric Bruneel
37 27.08' N
27 53.52' W
16
261
16
252
13.9
334.5
2240.8
232.5
3
Laiterie de Saint-Malo Victorien Erussard
39 35.80' N
26 32.96' W
17
244
14.9
248
12.9
310.1
2354.7
346.3
4
Jean Stalaven Pascal Quintin
41 56.16' N
26 53.40' W
13.1
234
12.7
236
12.5
299.7
2408
399.7
5
Le Bon Marche - Rive Gauche Anne Caseneuve
41 12.28' N
23 44.20' W
20.4
256
15
253
12.8
307.9
2512.7
504.3
6
Gifi Dominique Demachy
41 00.92' N
23 28.08' W
9.3
246
11.4
242
11.3
270.1
2518.7
510.4
7
Négocéane Roger Langevin
41 51.52' N
22 50.55' W
12.8
250
12.5
249
9.7
233.8
2550.2
541.9
8
Deleage & DIAZO Loic Escofier
43 07.12' N
19 59.28' W
14
262
12.7
269
10.9
261.4
2712.2
703.8
Class 3 multis
1
Imagine-Institut des Maladies Génétiques Pierre Antoine
41 19.52' N
22 47.12' W
10
240
12.2
251
11
264.3
2554.6
0
2
Ideal Stelrad Ross Hobson
41 38.12' N
21 32.16' W
12.1
254
12.3
261
10
240.5
2613.4
58.8
ABD
Switch.fr Charlie Capelle
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Class 1 monos
1
Jeunes Dirigeants Pierre-Yves Guennec
41 46.64' N
19 06.12' W
9.6
201
9.8
201
8.1
193.4
2717.1
0
2
Antilles-Sails.com Philippe Chevallier
43 12.76' N
17 45.48' W
13.4
258
9.1
270
8.4
200.6
2804.3
87.2
3
TAT Express Arnaud Dhallenne
42 47.04' N
16 58.84' W
7
266
8.2
222
7.7
184
2816.1
99
4
Ville de Dinard Bruno Reibel
43 20.92' N
17 31.36' W
12.3
257
8.9
258
8.5
204.1
2816.9
99.8
Class 2 monos
1
Artforms Kip Stone
41 48.24' N
25 49.56' W
13.2
252
13.3
254
12.2
292.6
2429.7
0
2
Vedettes de Bréhat Cap Marine Servane Escoffier
41 46.62' N
22 32.40' W
12.1
260
12.3
252
11.3
272.4
2561.6
132
3
Cap Guadeloupe 971 Luc Coquelin
41 11.60' N
21 32.04' W
13
255
12.9
250
10.9
260.9
2602.8
173.1
4
AOI Solidarité Dentaire Internationale Denis Douillez
41 19.16' N
16 32.44' W
7
233
8.6
214
7.2
172.7
2815.4
385.7
Class 3 monos
1
Roaring Forty Michel Kleinjans
42 33.20' N
22 18.60' W
12
250
9.4
260
9.5
227.8
2605.2
0
2
Charter Regis Guillemot Martinique Regis Guillemot
43 28.44' N
18 18.68' W
4.5
139
2.6
166
3
71.9
2787.9
182.7
3
DangerousWhenWet Aurélia Ditton
44 21.28' N
18 26.12' W
8.7
266
7.9
255
8.6
205.6
2803.6
198.4
4
Fantasy Forest Alain Grinda
44 54.42' N
14 30.90' W
6.9
215
6.7
212
6.1
146.9
2961.5
356.3
ABD
A Fond Contre la Spondylarthrite Didier Le Villain
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
ABD
La Promesse Jankees Lampe
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Class 40
1
Oyster Funds Gildas Morvan
42 02.40' N
25 09.24' W
12.2
255
13.9
248
12.2
293.7
2478.8
0
2
Atao Audio System Dominic Vittet
41 12.28' N
24 15.68' W
12.2
236
12.4
242
11.3
271.7
2491.4
12.7
3
philsharpracing.com Phil Sharp
42 39.84' N
25 05.00' W
13.1
256
13.6
255
11.8
283.1
2499.3
20.6
4
TMI Technologies Joe Seeten
40 33.44' N
22 18.64' W
11.4
240
11.9
239
10.8
259.1
2555.2
76.4
5
Appart'City Yvan Noblet
41 01.96' N
22 06.24' W
12
240
12.3
234
11.3
272
2556.8
78.1
6
Chocolats Monbana Damien Grimont
41 10.20' N
21 16.32' W
11.4
246
11
254
10.3
246.4
2593.3
114.5
7
Tchuda Popka 2 Gw Catherine
41 39.84' N
21 47.04' W
12.3
252
11.8
254
10.8
260.1
2603.9
125.2
8
IXSEA Olivier Rabine
41 47.92' N
21 41.08' W
9.2
224
11.3
250
10.2
244.5
2611.3
132.6
9
Bolands Mill Ian Munslow
42 09.88' N
21 30.96' W
14.2
242
10.9
252
9.6
230.1
2627.2
148.5
10
Le Comptoir Immobilier Guillaume Voizard
42 47.00' N
21 44.32' W
10.2
280
9.6
259
9.8
235.5
2633.9
155.2
11
Lexibook Hervé Papin
41 48.60' N
20 49.32' W
9.1
250
10.5
263
9.3
222.9
2646.9
168.1
12
Kenmore Homes Nick Bubb
42 43.00' N
20 47.40' W
9
256
10.9
262
8.6
206.5
2653.9
175.1
13
Cotes d'Armor - Pierres et Mer Philippe le Gros
41 16.04' N
20 20.24' W
14.3
251
11.5
256
9.5
229.1
2654.2
175.4
14
Guyader L'Esprit de la Mer Gery Trentseaux
42 31.68' N
20 47.72' W
8.3
239
10.2
252
10
239.6
2665.3
186.6
15
Cinémas Cinéfil.com JE Criquioche
41 40.04' N
20 11.72' W
11.3
234
9.5
247
9.4
225.4
2669.3
190.6
16
FNAIM Pays de Loire Lionel Regnier
42 00.20' N
19 54.00' W
10
249
8.8
254
8.6
206.3
2689.3
210.5
17
Nous Entreprenons Jacques Fournier
42 17.80' N
19 44.92' W
11.1
276
10.6
269
9.2
220.2
2702.3
223.6
18
Cap VAD Thibaud Derville
42 21.76' N
19 16.80' W
7.4
248
9.4
242
8.4
201.4
2723
244.3
19
Destination Calais Pierre-Yves Chatelain
43 03.90' N
19 10.62' W
9
206
10
204
8.5
203.8
2735.2
256.5
20
Jardin Bio Equitable Benoit Parnaudeau
42 29.00' N
19 00.84' W
2
178
9.4
261
8.4
202.5
2736.7
257.9
21
KNAUF Industries David Lefebvre
43 11.88' N
19 13.60' W
5.3
212
9.5
209
8.2
196.9
2744.6
265.9
22
Paca Entrprendre Cecile Poujol
42 11.88' N
18 10.96' W
8.3
278
9.1
254
8
191.2
2764.5
285.8
23
Fermiers de Loué - Sarthe Francois Angoulvant
43 26.80' N
18 45.12' W
8.4
256
6.8
254
6.7
161.9
2769.6
290.8
24
Nouvelle Caledonie Yves Ecarlat
42 52.86' N
17 54.60' W
7.9
213
8.7
215
8.1
194.2
2783
304.3
25
Siegenia-Aubi Marc Lepesqueux
46 12.48' N
14 01.48' W
7.1
234
6.1
271
8.1
194.8
3018
539.3
 


The lead ORMA 60 multihulls are continuing their record breaking pace towards Guadeloupe even if the wind a little too far astern for for ultimate 60ft trimaran speeds. Nonetheless race leader Lionel Lemonchois on Gitana 11 has notched up a useful 562.5 miles in the last 24 hours, some 13 miles more than second placed Pascal Bidegorry on Banque Populaire. It is perhaps worth bearing in mind that up until May this year when Yves Parlier set a new record of 585 miles - read about this here - 562.5 would have been a new ORMA 60 singlehanded 24 hour world record...

At the moment it is very much a downhill drag race. Only Sodebo and Groupama II in a desperate bid to get back into the action has taken a more northerly track hoping to get the shift to the east early allowing them to gybe south. There doesn't seem to be any tactical advantage to doing this hence why Michel Desjoyeaux on Geant and Yvan Bourgnon on Brossard are effectively following in Lemonchois' wake.

Meanwhile Steve Ravussin on Orange Project continues to head for the Azores to repair Orange Proecjt after her collision with a container yesterday. At 7 this morning, his trimaran was located 58 miles from Horta, on Faial making 7-8 knots and should hook up with his support team led by Pierre-Yves Moreau early this afternoon. Since the collision yesterday morning with a container floating just under the surface, Stève Ravussin has been able to give the boat a thorough check-up.

As far as the good news is concerned, no ingress of water has been found, in spite of the violence of the collision. However, with her steering lost following the accident, the solent was torn. Disappointed and a little bit angry because of this unpredictable accident, Stève still wants to set off again as soon as possible to finish the Route du Rhum in the best time possible.

"No, I shan’t be getting any rest in Horta," claims Ravussin. The first phase will involve sending down a diver to examine the central hull. Stève has not found any sign of a crack in the daggerboard casing. He hopes that this terrible collision has not weakened the structure of the boat. Only an examination by a diver will reassure him about this. The second phase involves the daggerboard itself - it has lost at least a metre and will need to be sanded down to offer a minimum level of efficiency. The third phase will concern the rudder. It broke up under the shock. There is also some damage to the rudder stock casing. Stève and his team hope to replace the parts individually and the main appendage by a rudder lent by Sopra, Orange project’s sistership.

The rudder stock will have to be refitted perfectly for Stève to set sail again. The wrecked Solent will have to be replaced and the stay rechecked. In all, the Orange Sailing Team is expecting to spend 24 hours in the Azores, and plan to start again on Saturday.



As we reported last night an interesting tactical situation has been taking place overnight in the Open 60s as they have passed the Azores. Yesterday's leader Roland Jourdain on Sill et Veolia, now the most southerly boat has sacrificed his lead by taking a passage between the island s of Sao Miguel and Terceira while his competitors have continued to the north of the islands. As a result Jean-Pierre Dick has reclaimed the lead followed by the wily Jean le Cam in second place and with Brian Thompson on Artemis and Dominique Wavre on Temenos (his position just below 'Orange Project' on the chart above). While the lead trimarans followed Jourdain's route through the islands when they passed through the wind was more easterly, now with the wind in the northeast it is possible Jourdain may find himself suffering slightly from the wind shadow of the islands. Otherwise for the Open 60s to the norh it is likely they will continue on their westerly track for at least another 24 ours until they see the next shift to the east allowing them to gybe south for Guadeloupe.



In the Class 40s battle still rages between the lead trio of Gildas Morvan on Oyster Funds, Dominique Vittet on ATAO Audio Systems and Britain's Phil Sharp. Over the last 24 hours Morvan and Vittet has crossed gybes, Vittet now to the south with Morvan and Sharp taking a more northerly track. Since yesterday Morvan has ekked out slightly more separation and is now 12.7 miles ahead of Vittet. Ian Munslow on Bolands Mill has dropped to ninth place following a similar track to Vittet.

Gildas Morvan, who is being routed by Figaro dames Sam Davies and Jean Gregoire back in Port la Foret, reported this morning; "It is a superb morning. The weather is nice and the sea was calmed. I take my coffee in the 'terrace' [his doghouse] by listening to the last album of Miossec! Last night the conditions calmed. The boat is pleasant and goes well without having to force it. We've made beautiful averages for these last hours. I have always been between 12 and 17 knots overnight and this morning. I try to respect the fixed routing and to stick to the polars I created. I avoid looking at too much in the rear view mirror. I do not focus on Dominique Vittet. The girls had a go at me for not sleeping enough. They are thoroughly behind me, pushing me so that I always am at the maximum. They supervise me closely and it is pleasant to feel them so committed! ” Too right.

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