Dicing with the Doldrums

Leading IMOCA Open 60s play the mid-Atlantic lottery, while further 60ft tris arrive in Salvador

Thursday November 15th 2007, Author: James Boyd, Location: Transoceanic

Images courtesy of Expedition Navigation Systems

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

	Open 60s
1	Ecover III	GOLDING MIKE/DUBOIS Bruno	6 44.64' N	25 25.80' W	6.3	225	5	235	9	215.2	1428.2	0
2	Groupe Bel	DE PAVANT Kito/COL Sébastien	7 09.28' N	25 40.39' W	10	173	11.8	181	10	239.5	1442	13.8
3	Cheminées Poujoulat	STAMM Bernard/CARIOU Tanguy	7 26.80' N	26 08.83' W	14	189	12.1	182	11.3	271.1	1443.5	15.3
4	Foncia	DESJOYEAUX Michel/LE BORGNE Emmanuel	7 29.37' N	26 03.23' W	15.2	186	12.2	178	11.3	272	1448.4	20.2
5	Safran	GUILLEMOT Marc/CAUDRELIER Charles	7 53.13' N	26 10.67' W	11.8	172	12.2	179	11.7	281.1	1460.2	32
6	Gitana Eighty	PEYRON Loick/LEVAILLANT Jean Baptiste	6 45.17' N	24 15.17' W	1.5	174	7.7	177	8.8	210.4	1466.7	38.5
7	VM Matériaux	LE CAM Jean/MORVAN Gildas	8 33.20' N	27 16.23' W	12.6	258	10	223	11.5	277.1	1473.7	45.6
8	Brit Air	LE CLEAC'H Armel/TROUSSEL Nicolas	7 55.94' N	25 28.40' W	11.9	178	11.6	172	10.9	261.9	1488.4	60.2
9	Generali	ELIES Yan/AUDIGANE Sébastien	10 41.82' N	25 57.10' W	11.5	182	12.9	182	10.8	258.6	1623.1	194.9
10	Roxy	DAVIES Samantha/GREGOIRE Jeanne	10 50.05' N	25 54.97' W	11.9	194	12.6	187	11.2	268.5	1631.4	203.3
11	Maisonneuve	DEJEANTY Jean Baptiste/LAURENT Hervé	12 51.71' N	26 03.98' W	8.5	184	9.5	190	9.6	230.7	1739.3	311.2
12	Akena Vérandas	BOISSIERES Arnaud/CHOMETTE Jean Philippe	13 01.88' N	23 12.06' W	10.3	228	11.1	228	10.6	254.8	1820.9	392.8
13	Aviva	CAFFARI Dee/KING Nigel	15 03.72' N	22 31.85' W	10.5	216	13	227	10.8	259.2	1946.7	518.5
14	Cervin EnR	BESTAVEN Yannick/GUERIN Ronan	14 46.89' N	21 27.98' W	11.4	220	12.7	226	11.1	266.1	1962	533.9
15	Pakea Bizkaia 2009	BASURKO Unai/GANDARIAS Gonzalo	18 34.37' N	23 01.36' W	11.1	236	11.1	245	9.4	224.7	2123.6	695.4
16	Great American III	WILSON Rich/BIRCH Mike	19 49.68' N	19 14.59' W	10.6	166	11.7	176	8.8	211.6	2287.9	859.8
ABD	Artemis	MALBON Jonny/TOURELL Graham

	ORMA 60s
1	Groupama	CAMMAS Franck/RAVUSSIN Steve	10j 0h 38m 43s
2	Gitana 11	LEMONCHOIS Lionel/GUICHARD Yann	10j 9h 49m 6s
3	Banque Populaire	BIDEGORRY Pascal/RAVUSSIN Yvan	10j 16h 57m 57s
4	Brossard	BOURGNON Yvan/VINCENT Jacques	13 06.04' S	38 06.72' W	15	322	18.6	218	22.3	534.8	28	0
5	Sopra	KOCH Antoine/GENDRON Grégory	10 13.70' S	35 16.81' W	22.7	220	21.6	219	21.4	513.5	257.7	229.7

	50ft multis
1	Crèpes Whaou !	ESCOFFIER Franck Yves/FAUCONNIER Karine	6 25.18' N	25 15.95' W	9.2	158	5	182	7.1	171.6	1416.8	0
2	Laiterie de Saint Malo	ERUSSARD Victorien/DAHIREL frédéric	11 21.70' N	26 41.57' W	16.6	190	15.5	182	12.5	300.9	1642.1	225.3
3	Croisières Anne Caseneuve	CASENEUVE Anne/HOUDET Djamina	14 38.16' N	25 03.42' W	14.9	190	10.4	199	8.3	198.4	1860.3	443.5
4	NIM Intérim Management	ROUCAYROL Lalou/VAN DEN BROEK Pierre	17 47.26' N	21 09.37' W	10.5	247	15.5	245	12.1	291.4	2128.2	711.5
5	Négoceane	LANGEVIN Roger/LANGEVIN Alexis	18 07.56' N	20 08.67' W	8.5	243	11.4	236	9.5	228.8	2173.9	757.1
6	Victorinox	MONNIER Dany/DUPUY Pierre	20 36.52' N	19 08.35' W	7	184	10.6	193	8.5	203.1	2326.9	910.1
7	DZ energy.com	DE CARLAN Hervé/DE CARLAN Nolwenn	25 23.18' N	17 58.90' W	6.8	203	7.1	202	5.1	121.8	2613.9	1197.1
ABD	Avocet 50	LILTI Jean-François/GOSSELIN Xavier

	Class 40s
1	Télécom Italia	SOLDINI Giovanni/D'ALI Pietro	18 31.02' N	20 34.56' W	9.7	221	9.8	186	8.7	208.1	2177.9	0
2	Chocolats Monbana	GRIMONT Damien/Le Roux Erwan	19 24.68' N	20 24.36' W	9	193	9.1	213	8.4	201.7	2234.3	56.4
3	A.ST Groupe	EMIG Marc/de BROC Bertrand	19 33.84' N	20 24.56' W	11.2	184	8.4	217	8.2	195.7	2242.3	64.4
4	ATAO Audio System	VITTET Dominic/CHABAGNY Thierry	18 54.00' N	19 06.48' W	8.6	181	9.9	186	8.6	207.5	2243.7	65.8
5	40 Degrees	HARDING Peter/LIARDET Anne	19 43.32' N	20 22.96' W	8.4	189	9.3	194	8.5	203.6	2251.3	73.4
6	Appart City	NOBLET Yvan/MORVAN Patrick	19 38.76' N	19 31.80' W	9.8	189	9.7	195	8.2	196.8	2265.8	87.9
7	Sidaction	AUBRY Arnaud/CARPENTIER Antoine	19 52.96' N	19 24.84' W	8.4	243	9	220	8.6	206.6	2286	108.1
8	Deep Blue	ARTHAUD Florence/POUPON Luc	20 10.64' N	19 43.48' W	7.6	202	8.6	214	8.1	195.2	2293	115.1
9	Groupe Partouche	COATNOAN Christophe/LEBAS Christophe	20 49.32' N	20 52.88' W	9.2	180	8.4	205	8.1	193.5	2297.3	119.4
10	Siegena Aubi	LE PESQUEUX Marc/CUBILLOS Felipe	19 46.68' N	18 49.16' W	10	180	9.7	192	8.6	206.5	2297.3	119.4
11	Novedia Set Environnement	DE LAMOTTE Tanguy/BUBB Nick	19 53.88' N	18 35.34' W	8.9	219	9.7	194	9.2	220	2305.7	127.8
12	Vecteur Plus - Groupe Moniteur	JOURDREN Bruno/PICHELIN Nicolas	20 21.84' N	19 35.76' W	13.2	195	10.2	187	8.5	205.2	2306.3	128.4
13	En avant les enfants!	BERREHAR Yvon/BIBOT Gérald	20 35.40' N	19 14.88' W	8.4	190	9.4	185	7.4	176.6	2314.2	136.3
14	Thirard	DOIN Pascal/DEFERT Eric	20 40.64' N	18 14.32' W	11.6	179	11.3	186	8	192.8	2355.8	177.9
15	E Leclerc Ville La Grand	VIANT Jean-Michel/MAGRE Olivier	20 54.12' N	18 43.48' W	9.4	196	9.5	208	7.8	187.7	2358.4	180.5
16	Mistral Loisirs - Elior	BOUCHARD Thierry/KRAUSS Oliver	21 43.96' N	20 23.24' W	9.2	174	9.6	178	7.5	180.5	2358.5	180.6
17	Merci les amis !	POUJOL Cecile/BEAUVAIS Rémi	21 16.76' N	19 10.56' W	10.6	188	9.9	189	7.8	186.5	2365.8	187.9
18	Grassi Bateaux	GALMARD Eric/GRASSI Olivier	21 01.40' N	18 24.72' W	11.2	184	10.4	191	7.7	185	2373.4	195.5
19	Clarke Offshore Racing	CLARKE Simon/LINDSAY David	22 00.72' N	19 37.00' W	9	178	10.3	192	7.7	185.5	2392.9	215
20	Jardin Bio - Prévoir	PARNAUDEAU Benoît/CASO Jean-Christophe	21 29.12' N	18 29.24' W	14	193	11.8	192	8.4	202.6	2395.3	217.4
21	EDF Energies Nouvelles	AUGEIX David /MARCHAND Nicolas	23 02.84' N	20 45.68' W	9.6	188	7.8	185	7	167.6	2420.5	242.6
22	Nous Entreprenons	FOURNIER Jacques/JANTET André	23 01.92' N	20 10.64' W	9.6	184	8.4	178	7.1	169.4	2433.5	255.7
23	Concise	GOHL Dan / GALL Tom	22 21.08' N	18 29.00' W	8	204	7.8	212	7.1	169.8	2440.7	262.8
24	Commerce équitable	CRIQUIOCHE Jean-Edouard/DUC Louis	22 19.64' N	17 57.60' W	10.2	172	9.8	190	8.1	195	2453.8	275.9
25	Groupe Sefico	REGNIER Lionel/CAVAN Pierre Yves	22 44.64' N	18 10.40' W	7.2	199	8.5	210	7.9	189.9	2465.4	287.5
26	Merena	GUILLAUME Alexis/BOON FALLEUR Bernard	23 40.72' N	17 08.76' W	8.2	202	9	206	8	192.7	2546.5	368.6
27	Gonser Group	LEFEBVRE David/GONSER Florian	24 24.88' N	17 03.52' W	9.8	218	8.1	203	7.4	178	2587.1	409.2
NL	Pindar 40	ROYLE JO/BARRIER Alexia
ABD	Fujifilm	BENNETT Alex/PEDLEY Ifor

While the ORMA 60s are currently tackling the Doldrums, so yesterday morning Franck Cammas and Stève Ravussin sailed Groupama II to victory in the Transat Jacques Vabre ORMA 60ft trimaran class. This is Cammas' second win in this race, and follows a disastrous capsize in the 2005 event.

"In the transition from Spain, we lifted our foot on the throttle," confirmed Ravussin upon his arrival. She gained a small lead after the Canaries but it was at the Cape Verdes that she really moved ahead when Gitana II had to put in to replace a foil while Banque Populaire had to replace a rudder. As a result her lead grew from 50 to 300 miles.

"It was not easy to manage our lead because we do not know necessarily how hard to push," said Cammas. "Risking breakage would have been stupid. At the same time, these boats are fantastic machines that require maximum concentration. In the crossing of the Doldrums, we got stuck in a squall when the wind climbed from 10 to 35 knots. It was a little hot. The nights were dark, with no moon. We didn't know when the squalls would arrive." Routing Groupama II during the TJV was Marcel van Triest.

Just over nine hours later Gitana II claimed second place in the ORMA and they were followed by Banque Populaire in third, Pascal Bidegorry's blue and white boat finishing before moments later the front 1m of the bow of her mainhull snapped clean off. Bidegorry described what happened: "It was choppy. We were under double reefed main and genniker making 25 knots. We finished race and I said 'what a strong ship' and then I heard a big bang and saw the bow rise! He reckons the breakage occurred due to fatigue rather than from a collision.

Open 60s

The lead Open 60s are currently in the thick of the Doldrums belt as their speeds above indicate Ecover having average 5 knots over the last four hours while out to her east Gitana Eighty has managed 7.7 over the same period. Meanwhile the pack of chasing boats, even Groupe Bel positioned just 32 miles to the northwest of Ecover had made more than twice this.

This chart shows the positions of three of the key boats superimposed over a wind radar image (showing what is actually happening rather than the forecast) and indicates that Groupe Bel and those to the north of her have only just reeached the main Doldrums area. It also indicates that Ecover's passage through the Doldrums should be a very much shorter one than Loick Peyron's on Gitana. Given that the above holds true it looks as though Golding has around 120 miles left to go before he breaks into the southeasterly trades. However the tracks of Ecover and Gitana are very different. The latest scheds have Ecover wriggling southwest, presumably in an attempt to cover Groupe Bel while Gitana Eighty has just been sailing due south.

The exception to this is (as ever) Jean le Cam and Gildas Morvan on VM Materiaux who have once again gybed west and this should see them getting into the worst of the Doldrums a little later than the others.

There is now a significant distance - 130 miles - between the leaders and Generali and Roxy who are hightailing it south towards the Doldrums.

Bruno Dubois reports from onboard Ecover :

"We are good at the moment. We still have some good wind and we look good overall. I think we will start to hit the Doldrums tonight and tomorrow, but at the moment the wind looks OK to get through, but we have to wait and see. At the moment it is blue skies, sunny and just a couple of clouds in the sky. We can't complain about much. The NE'ly winds are like the trade winds at 15-18 knots which is just fine. The other boats are all coming down this way which is fine for us. If we could get a little bit more to the west we would be more happy. It is fine so far."

Class 40s

Giovanni Soldini and Pietro d'Ali aboard their Telecom Italia continue an admirable job and over the last 24 hours have added a further 7 miles to their lead (now 56 miles) as the fleet make good progress south, following much the same track, close to the African coast as the Open 60s did last week.

Of the lead group the Italians consistently remain one of the most westerly boats, albeit with Chocolats Monbana, AST Group and 40 Degrees due north of them. However the main competition appears to be coming from Dominique Vittet and Thierry Chabagny on ATAO Audio Systems presently 87 miles nearer the African coast than they are.

With the high pressure to their west dissipating over the rest of today, the band of northeasterly trade winds is set to extend west and is backing slightly further to the north. This should allow the fleet to gybe west towards the Cape Verdes, at present 170 miles southwest of Telecom Italia's current position. From here the trades look set to take the boats all the way to the Doldrums.

Report from Peter Harding's 40 Degrees :

40 Degrees is in 5th place this morning at the 0700 position report. While Atao (4th place) has stayed east, 40 Degrees has taken a more westerly option, and is now just northwest of the 2nd and 3rd placed boats. Telecom Italia continues to lead. The first Class 40s will pass through the Cape Verde Islands tonight, just over half way between the start line and finish line of this race.

Peter reported yesterday, ‘It’s 26 degrees outside, clear blue skies, and we are headed south again towards Bahia. Last night we had a frustrating night of very light airs and a couple of holes to weave our way through, and spent some time headed southwest. We have not changed sails for a couple of days now, and hope not to do so before the Doldrums. It seems that the leading pack have once again split, with not many miles separating 2nd to 5th placed boats. Who will be right and who will be wrong?

The phosphorescence was extraordinarily bright last night – it seemed like someone had placed a fluorescent light under the boat, that lit up the stern and left two very bright rooster tails following in our wake. We have now found a couple of CDs hidden in unlikely places, so now have the privilege of racing along to the sounds of the lies of James Blunt, Cold Play and Depeche Mode.’

Nick Bubb reports from Novedia Set Environnement

After much debate we choose to gybe back out east...again last night in search of stronger winds. Having spent yesterday crawling round the internet and looking through a lot of weather data, we decided that there was a 'significant' chance of stronger breeze off the Nouadhibou headland in Mauritania - good geography lesson!

Anyway. Long story short, excellent 20 knots from NNE has helped us take over 20 miles from Giovanni in the last two position updates. More importantly, we are now only 29 miles from 6th and still flying along. We expect to gybe back this morning and begin the 300 mile leg down to the Eastern side of the Cape Verde's.

Got to go, fingers crossed all round!

Listen to audio with Nick Bubb here....