Final dash for Safran

Open 60s just over a day out from the Transat Jacques Vabre finish line as Class 40s tackle the Doldrums

Monday November 19th 2007, Author: James Boyd, Location: Transoceanic

Images courtesy of Expedition Navigation Systems

Positions at 0800

Pos	Boat	Crew	Lat	Long	Spd	Crs	Spd	Crs	Spd	Dist	DTF	DTL
					Inst		4hr av		24 hrs

	Open 60s
1	Foncia	DESJOYEAUX Michel/LE BORGNE Emmanuel	8 12.69' S	33 52.05' W	14.9	209	13.9	209.0	13.8	330.5	403.4	0.0
2	Safran	GUILLEMOT Marc/CAUDRELIER Charles	7 42.47' S	33 36.66' W	14.2	212	14.4	212.0	14.6	349.7	436.1	32.7
3	Cheminées Poujoulat	STAMM Bernard/CARIOU Tanguy	7 26.82' S	33 44.44' W	12.3	213	13.2	208.0	13.7	329.1	443.2	39.8
4	VM Matériaux	LE CAM Jean/MORVAN Gildas	6 43.70' S	34 02.42' W	9.9	207	10.9	194.0	11.8	282.3	471.4	68.0
5	Ecover III	GOLDING MIKE/DUBOIS Bruno	6 19.76' S	32 34.26' W	14.2	206	13.4	210.0	12.7	304.9	539.2	135.8
6	Groupe Bel	DE PAVANT Kito/COL Sébastien	5 41.82' S	32 22.24' W	14.6	198	13.4	209.0	12.7	304.4	576.2	172.8
7	Brit Air	LE CLEAC'H Armel/TROUSSEL Nicolas	5 13.43' S	32 12.82' W	13.3	210	13.1	212.0	13.1	313.9	604.5	201.1
8	Generali	ELIES Yan/AUDIGANE Sébastien	2 45.01' S	32 17.79' W	12.9	214	12.7	210.0	12.2	292.2	731.9	328.5
9	Gitana Eighty	PEYRON Loick/LEVAILLANT Jean Baptiste	3 12.00' S	31 11.60' W	12.9	214	10.7	217.0	11.3	270.9	739.2	335.8
10	Roxy	DAVIES Samantha/GREGOIRE Jeanne	1 05.17' S	32 38.36' W	10.1	193	8.9	213.0	9.1	218.9	819.0	415.6
11	Maisonneuve	DEJEANTY Jean Baptiste/LAURENT Hervé	1 06.44' N	30 15.16' W	7.8	222	9.6	219.0	7.3	175.3	993.2	589.8
12	Akena Vérandas	BOISSIERES Arnaud/CHOMETTE Jean Philippe	3 04.47' N	28 01.97' W	7.7	216	7.0	227.0	5.2	123.9	1159.4	756.0
13	Cervin EnR	BESTAVEN Yannick/GUERIN Ronan	3 33.86' N	27 45.90' W	4.2	201	5.2	208.0	5.4	130.4	1192.9	789.5
14	Aviva	CAFFARI Dee/KING Nigel	3 59.46' N	28 02.68' W	6.0	220	2.9	231.0	4.1	99.5	1207.2	803.8
15	Pakea Bizkaia 2009	BASURKO Unai/GANDARIAS Gonzalo	4 57.15' N	24 46.09' W	8.0	243	5.5	237.0	8.8	210.4	1360.7	957.3
16	Great American III	WILSON Rich/BIRCH Mike	10 36.93' N	24 08.96' W	7.6	186	8.5	187.0	7.3	175.6	1667.1	1263.7
ABD	Artemis	MALBON Jonny/TOURELL Graham

	ORMA 60s
1	Groupama	CAMMAS Franck/RAVUSSIN Steve	10j 0h 38m 43s								0.0
2	Gitana 11	LEMONCHOIS Lionel/GUICHARD Yann	10j 9h 49m 6s								0.0
3	Banque Populaire	BIDEGORRY Pascal/RAVUSSIN Yvan	10j 16h 57m 57s								0.0
4	Brossard	BOURGNON Yvan/VINCENT Jacques	11j 1h 15m 9s								0.0
5	Sopra	KOCH Antoine/GENDRON Grégory	11j 11h 23m 30s								0.0

	50ft multis
1	Crèpes Whaou !	ESCOFFIER Franck Yves/FAUCONNIER Karine	8 55.49' S	34 17.86' W	16.5	209	15.5	209.0	16.6	399.3	354.5	0.0
2	Laiterie de Saint Malo	ERUSSARD Victorien/DAHIREL frédéric	2 23.60' S	33 13.46' W	9.0	196	10.1	209.0	10.2	245.3	733.8	379.3
3	Croisières Anne Caseneuve	CASENEUVE Anne/HOUDET Djamina	3 33.24' N	28 47.35' W	5.6	224	2.3	220.0	4.8	114.7	1163.6	809.1
4	NIM Intérim Management	ROUCAYROL Lalou/VAN DEN BROEK Pierre	4 33.30' N	25 19.51' W	8.4	195	2.2	177.0	7.8	188.1	1321.8	967.3
5	Négoceane	LANGEVIN Roger/LANGEVIN Alexis	7 12.64' N	24 38.35' W	11.7	211	11.2	206.0	9.3	223.0	1476.7	1122.2
6	Victorinox	MONNIER Dany/DUPUY Pierre	11 40.24' N	24 42.52' W	8.6	180	7.9	182.0	6.5	155.9	1707.4	1353.0
7	DZ energy.com	DE CARLAN Hervé/DE CARLAN Nolwenn	16 02.05' N	20 58.39' W	6.5	180	5.6	176.0	4.8	115.0	2041.3	1686.8
ABD	Avocet 50	LILTI Jean-François/GOSSELIN Xavier

	Class 40s
1	ATAO Audio System	VITTET Dominic/CHABAGNY Thierry	8 12.64' N	24 34.56' W	11.4	176	10.6	181.0	8.2	195.9	1529.7	0.0
2	Chocolats Monbana	GRIMONT Damien/Le Roux Erwan	8 35.68' N	25 14.28' W	14.6	195	10.0	184.0	8.2	196.7	1529.9	0.1
3	A.ST Groupe	EMIG Marc/de BROC Bertrand	8 27.20' N	24 16.72' W	9.2	194	9.1	196.0	8.0	191.7	1551.4	21.6
4	Novedia Set Environnement	DE LAMOTTE Tanguy/BUBB Nick	10 13.68' N	25 19.68' W	7.0	208	8.3	191.0	7.5	179.7	1613.9	84.1
5	40 Degrees	HARDING Peter/LIARDET Anne	10 11.04' N	25 01.28' W	10.2	181	7.8	199.0	7.4	177.0	1619.8	90.1
6	Deep Blue	ARTHAUD Florence/POUPON Luc	10 31.20' N	24 57.88' W	6.8	186	7.5	193.0	7.3	176.0	1639.2	109.5
7	Groupe Partouche	COATNOAN Christophe/LEBAS Christophe	10 46.08' N	25 22.96' W	9.2	178	8.1	192.0	7.2	174.0	1641.4	111.7
8	Vecteur Plus - Groupe Moniteur	JOURDREN Bruno/PICHELIN Nicolas	10 48.24' N	25 25.52' W	8.0	185	7.9	193.0	7.2	172.5	1642.2	112.5
9	Siegena Aubi	LE PESQUEUX Marc/CUBILLOS Felipe	10 15.32' N	24 08.24' W	8.2	190	7.6	200.0	7.1	169.7	1648.6	118.9
10	En avant les enfants!	BERREHAR Yvon/BIBOT Gérald	10 41.24' N	24 21.04' W	6.8	178	6.9	194.0	6.9	166.0	1665.1	135.4
11	Thirard	DOIN Pascal/DEFERT Eric	11 15.16' N	24 32.40' W	18.4	339	6.7	195.0	7.1	170.9	1689.8	160.0
12	Mistral Loisirs - Elior	BOUCHARD Thierry/KRAUSS Oliver	11 48.08' N	25 09.96' W	8.0	246	6.9	237.0	6.9	166.3	1702.7	173.0
13	Sidaction	AUBRY Arnaud/CARPENTIER Antoine	12 10.08' N	25 51.52' W	6.8	184	7.3	185.0	6.5	155.4	1705.8	176.1
14	E Leclerc Ville La Grand	VIANT Jean-Michel/MAGRE Olivier	11 26.00' N	24 02.88' W	6.6	262	7.1	187.0	7.0	168.4	1713.0	183.2
15	Merci les amis !	POUJOL Cecile/BEAUVAIS Rémi	11 43.36' N	23 54.72' W	8.4	172	6.0	222.0	6.9	164.4	1732.0	202.3
16	Jardin Bio - Prévoir	PARNAUDEAU Benoît/CASO Jean-Christophe	11 33.28' N	23 31.32' W	7.0	171	7.1	184.0	6.9	166.0	1734.3	204.6
17	Pindar 40	ROYLE JO/BARRIER Alexia	11 21.28' N	22 59.60' W	8.4	192	6.7	187.0	6.8	162.1	1739.6	209.9
18	Clarke Offshore Racing	CLARKE Simon/LINDSAY David	11 46.52' N	23 27.92' W	7.8	166	7.7	170.0	6.8	163.2	1747.5	217.8
19	Nous Entreprenons	FOURNIER Jacques/JANTET André	12 51.40' N	23 40.76' W	7.4	238	7.5	238.0	6.8	163.7	1798.5	268.7
20	EDF Energies Nouvelles	AUGEIX David /MARCHAND Nicolas	12 44.80' N	23 08.20' W	6.8	228	6.3	219.0	6.2	149.5	1804.0	274.2
21	Commerce équitable	CRIQUIOCHE Jean-Edouard/DUC Louis	13 04.52' N	23 26.48' W	7.0	230	6.3	215.0	6.5	156.2	1816.6	286.8
22	Grassi Bateaux	GALMARD Eric/GRASSI Olivier	13 20.12' N	23 21.20' W	7.4	239	6.9	236.0	5.8	140.1	1832.8	303.0
23	Concise	GOHL Dan / GALL Tom	13 20.36' N	23 05.20' W	7.8	220	7.7	231.0	6.2	149.4	1836.6	306.8
24	Groupe Sefico	REGNIER Lionel/CAVAN Pierre Yves	13 40.20' N	23 27.92' W	7.4	179	6.9	225.0	6.2	149.5	1847.5	317.8
25	Merena	GUILLAUME Alexis/BOON FALLEUR Bernard	14 36.48' N	21 25.60' W	7.6	204	7.4	223.0	6.5	157.2	1954.2	424.5
26	Gonser Group	LEFEBVRE David/GONSER Florian	15 24.20' N	20 18.20' W	8.2	198	7.3	186.0	5.8	138.5	2028.7	499.0
NL	Appart City	NOBLET Yvan/MORVAN Patrick
NL	Télécom Italia	SOLDINI Giovanni/D'ALI Pietro
ABD	Fujifilm	BENNETT Alex/PEDLEY Ifor
ABD	Kazimir Partners	VAN DER WEL Lenjohn/VAN DER WEL Peter

While the course for the Transat Jacques Vabre is a good one, now the front runners in the IMOCA Open 60 class are firmly into the South Atlantic, the race has become something of a processional, raw boat speed contest. Michel Desjoyeaux's Foncia crossed the Equator at around 1600 on Saturday and since then she and the rest of the leaders have been tight reaching into a building breeze, making a straight line southwest in order to get around Recife, the eastern extremity of the Brazilian coast line. The top eight boats now appear to be into similar breeze averaging 12-13 knots.

The rest of the fleet has more or less fallen in behind of Foncia, the exception being Jean le Cam and Gildas Morvan's VM Materiaux which has consistently been taking a more westerly route to the rest of the boats since the Cape Verdes. While this has paid so far, approaching Recife le Cam has had to harden up and from being more or less level pegging with Desjoyeaux on Saturday morning had fallen back to 20 miles astern on Sunday morning and is now 68 miles astern and down to fourth place, VM averaging three knots less than Foncia.

While Foncia has been guarding her lead and VM has fallen back. Marc Guillemot and Charles Caudrelier's Safran and Bernard Stamm and Tanguy Cariou on Cheminees Poujoulat, have won out, pulling up to second and third respectively. Safran in particular now appears to be in her element, has taken over second place and closed Foncia's lead down from 56 miles on Saturday morning to 52 yesterday to 32 this morning. The question is - does enough runway remain for Safran to catch further - are we looking at a photo finish? Probably not, but it could be close.

Once around Recife the front runners will be able to crack off a few more degrees and are looking at a fast run into the line, the first boats expected tomorrow afternoon.

A report yesterday afternoon from Mike Golding's Ecover III :

It's been the possibly most disappointing day yet on the Transat Jacques Vabre for Mike Golding and Bruno Dubois on Ecover 3 as they line up inside the final 700 miles to the finish line in Salvador de Bahia.

While Ecover 3 has slightly extended on sixth placed Bel (Kito de Pavant and Sebastien Col, they have lost miles on fourth placed Safran (Marc Guillemot and Charles Caudrelier) and now trail them by 85.3 miles. Race leader Foncia (Michel Desjoyeaux and Manu Le Borgne) is 129 miles ahead of Ecover.

"It is a bit bizarre really because the weather files show we should have the same breeze as them and we have been going okay, making steady progress. We can't really tell more than that. We can only assume they have more wind or are sailing at a better angle. But it is a bit disappointing to see them stretching out like that. Safran is a quick boat, we have seen that, but they should not have gained that much.," said Golding. "I am pretty sure there will be some compression again as we get to the coast and the wind dies, and from that point of view VM Materiaux in the long run would be more vulnerable.

"But at the moment it is one long straight runway. The boats ahead are in stronger breeze and we are just making best speed. There are not many choices left."

From Groupe Bel Kito de Pavant and Seb Col comment:

Kito de Pavant: “The second week was the route between the Canaries and the Equator, a time when the boat was going fast, when we were in phase with the weather systems and we gybed at the right time, but as we approached Sénégal, the data became less reliable until the moment we entered the Doldrums. We found ourselves under pressure, since we really wanted to keep our place (2nd) and we simply didn't make the right choices. In addition to this, we weren't the most fortunate. Those who crossed to the west weren't really very far from us and they breezed through this area, while we virtually came to a stop, and not just once, but twice. Even as we left, we experienced a day that was even harder than the one before. Otherwise, we weren't prepared for 18 days at sea, but rather 14 or 15, so we're really impatient to see you all again!

Sébastien Col: “Since I joined the Groupe Bel team, this has been a fantastic experience for me, both in perfecting the boat and since the start of the race. I'm really have a super time, even if we've been a little frustrated these last two days, sailing through the Doldrums. We were playing for a place on the podium, and even to win, thanks to our good early position. Here, we have been moving at 12 to 13 knots, in a 60 degree wind. We still don't have the wind flow that the others have ahead, enabling them to give a little sheet and to accelerate.”

Class 40s

While they might not feature in the results above, there is no doubt that Giovanni Soldini and Pietro d'Ali remain in control in the Class 40. The 0400 report this morning had them holding a lead of 87 miles compared to 63 miles at 0800 yesterday, their Guillaume Verdier-designed Telecom Italia clearly enjoying the reaching conditions.

Pretty much en masse the front runners have put in a gybe south with the wind veering slightly and are now lining up for the Doldrums. Telecom Italia is the first boat in after a small course change to the west earlier this morning.

Dominique Vittet's ATAO Audio Systems and Marc Emig's AST Groupe are to the east of Telecom Italia while Damien Grimont's Chocolats Monbana is to their west, due north of the Italians. Several other boats such as Peter Harding's 40 Degrees and Tanguy de la Motte and Nick Bubb on Novedia Set Environnement are now heading due south down the 25degW line of longitude, while the exception is Arnaud Aubry's Sidaction which is still furthest west having been the only Class 40 to pass to the west of the Cape Verdes, a move that so far hasn't paid off.

On the basis that they will make no gains against the newer boats in their old Pogo 40, Jo Royle and Alexia Barrier on the Pindar 40 are making their track south the furthest east. We hope they have more luck than Loick Peyron did last week... At present the wind satellite images of the Doldrums indicates that the Pindar 40 may do well to start with but will encounter a second set of Doldrums just north of the Equator that the boats to the west may miss.

Tanguy de la Motte reports from Novedia Set Environnement :

One thing Nick did not tell you in the last report were that we had to fix the tack of our big spi. The webbing were damaged so I decided to go out on the pole with my climbing harness to stitch some new webbing on, but as I was starting on the first one the remaining of the last webbing ripped and the kite flew backward behind the main and I was left alone at the end of the pole... we dropped it and put the medium spi up very quickly and I started the repair on deck: 3 new webbings on the sail tack! and 20 minutes later the big spi was up again. It has not come down since.