Race to the trades

The six leading Protos break away as the rest of the Mini fleet negotiates the Canary Islands

Tuesday October 6th 2009, Author: James Boyd, Location: United Kingdom

Image above courtesy of Expedition and Predict Wind

Positions at 0500

Pos	Sail no	Skipper	Boat	Lat	Long	Spd	Crs	Spd	Crs
						Last sched		24 hours		DTF	DTL

			PROTOS
1	679	LEDIRAISON Stéphane	CULTISOL - MARINS SANS FRONTIERES	26 59.39’ N	016 56.55’ W	6.9	184	6.6	174	2728.2	0
2	716	SCHIPMAN Henri Paul	MAISON DE L'AVENIR URBATYS	26 59.36’ N	016 53.33’ W	6.5	180	6.3	173	2729.7	1.45
3	754	DELESNE Bertrand	ENTREPRENDRE DURABLEMENT	27 3.74’ N	016 58.35’ W	6.1	189	5.8	174	2731.1	2.92
4	617	DESPRES Fabien	SOITEC	27 1.95’ N	016 53.24’ W	7.1	179	6.3	167	2731.9	3.71
5	348	BRASSEUR Pierre	Région Nord Pas de Calais / Ripolin	27 7.92’ N	016 55.05’ W	7	166	6.1	172	2736.2	8.01
6	614	COLIN Franck	LOUKKOUMMAMA	27 5.77’ N	016 50.82’ W	7.3	177	6.3	172	2736.3	8.1
7	667	RUYANT Thomas	Faber France	28 0.05’ N	018 20.41’ W	7.2	178	5	191	2747.6	19.36
8	618	AVRAM Olivier	Cap Monde 2	27 36.49’ N	017 8.35’ W	5.9	200	5	178	2755.2	26.94
9	419	TRAUTMAN Matt	MINI MAC	27 48.53’ N	017 21.35’ W	3.6	168	4.4	182	2760.2	31.93
10	412	CUINET François	PLAN Jardin	28 22.23’ N	018 37.74’ W	5.8	196	4.4	205	2761.3	33.08
11	719	BOIDEVEZI Nicolas	DEFI GDE	27 51.39’ N	016 58.82’ W	6.8	183	4.3	168	2772.3	44.07
12	247	VASSEUR Arnaud	l'association Capucine	28 35.65’ N	018 15.74’ W	2.1	187	3.7	206	2781.6	53.36
13	403	SANCHIS Juan Carlos	SOMNI - Gaes Solidaria	28 0.88’ N	016 52.30’ W	6.5	153	4.3	180	2783.4	55.17
14	346	BOURGUES Laurent	Prim'Soins	28 5.04’ N	016 58.41’ W	4.1	154	3.2	193	2784.5	56.22
15	198	PICAULT Sébastien	Kickers	28 10.29’ N	017 4.28’ W	4.8	165	3.8	186	2786.4	58.18
16	736	RIOUX Antoine	Nouvelle-Calédonie	28 41.70’ N	018 16.76’ W	2.8	265	3.8	198	2786.7	58.48
17	291	STEPHANT Sébastien	Déphémérides pour une mer propre	28 8.43’ N	016 54.96’ W	1.9	151	4.1	180	2788.9	60.65
18	476	GERMOND Fabrice	stratus	28 9.17’ N	016 55.80’ W	1.2	147	4.1	177	2789.2	60.95
19	385	CORBELLA Anna	GAES 385	28 23.91’ N	017 25.48’ W	5.1	181	4.2	186	2790.2	61.94
20	630	AUBRUN Rémi	AT Children's Project	28 31.44’ N	017 34.22’ W	1.7	207	3.2	217	2793.5	65.29
21	724	TUTMARK Chris	Mini Anarchy	28 17.06’ N	016 56.26’ W	2.7	167	4.3	178	2795.9	67.69
22	176	ROWSE Jesse	Reality	28 31.18’ N	017 23.09’ W	3.4	162	3.8	187	2797.6	69.39
23	395	FEUEURSTEIN Marine	Un océan de couleurs	28 34.43’ N	017 26.62’ W	3.5	218	3.7	177	2799.2	70.92
24	625	CHARMET Nicolas	La Ligue contre le cancer	28 28.52’ N	017 4.52’ W	4.8	166	3.3	199	2802.6	74.33
25	439	VIEILLE Caroline	Fondation Jérôme Lejeune	28 51.84’ N	017 46.00’ W	0.8	33	4.4	168	2807.4	79.16
26	396	JORDAN Staale	STORMY	28 32.95’ N	016 59.11’ W	4.8	157	4.4	173	2808.7	80.44
27	132	DESFEUX Maxence	Matmut	28 42.50’ N	017 11.52’ W	2.8	294	3.9	176	2812.3	84.06
28	437	MURA Gaetano	GRF 91	28 46.69’ N	017 20.51’ W	5.7	205	3.3	205	2812.5	84.3
29	500	WOOD Andrew	www.solochallenges.com	28 28.35’ N	016 11.56’ W	2.9	253	3.4	159	2825.1	96.88
30	664	PIMENTEL Izabel	Petit Bateau	29 8.92’ N	017 35.81’ W	5.5	175	5.1	178	2826.7	98.42
31	727	MARIN Gérard	GAES 727	28 3.88’ N	014 38.96’ W	2.3	227	2.7	160	2849.6	121.4
32	756	CARACCI Andrea	Speedy Maltese	28 3.05’ N	014 36.64’ W	2.1	226	2.6	162	2850.2	122
33	684	WEIJL Toni	GAES 684	28 8.87’ N	014 38.44’ W	1.8	236	2.6	159	2853.9	125.7
34	615	VERRIER Mathieu	ZYGOMAR	28 18.13’ N	014 53.01’ W	2.6	162	4.1	135	2854	125.8
35	432	HAIZE Xavier	Interface Concept	32 38.72’ N	016 54.64’ W	0	297	4	47	3031.7	303.4


			SERIES
1	435	DALIN Charlie	Cherche Sponsor - charliedalin.com	28 15.82’ N	019 16.55’ W	6.1	201	5.8	192	2741.5	0
2	483	SELLIER Fabien	Surfrider Foundation	27 45.00’ N	016 55.36’ W	6.3	185	5.2	178	2768.2	26.68
3	219	GALLAND Matthieu	Groupe SETEC	28 11.23’ N	017 23.75’ W	4.9	202	4.3	184	2779.5	37.95
4	722	ROLLAND Pierre	D2 MAREE HAUTE	28 12.22’ N	017 25.90’ W	5.6	185	5	169	2779.5	37.99
5	472	MACAIRE Xavier	Masoco Bay	28 33.10’ N	018 11.83’ W	2.7	185	4.1	186	2780.7	39.19
6	438	BOND Oliver	ARTEMIS	28 14.37’ N	017 24.70’ W	4.9	202	4.1	185	2781.9	40.39
7	607	LOBATO Francisco	ROFF TMN	28 5.20’ N	017 2.49’ W	2.3	163	4.3	167	2782.9	41.33
8	539	MEYNIEL Henri	BEVEAC CONSULTING	28 4.04’ N	016 57.55’ W	4.9	158	4.6	166	2783.9	42.39
9	686	DEL ZOZZO Luca	Corradi	28 3.88’ N	016 54.18’ W	5.6	152	4.5	178	2785.2	43.68
10	671	AQUE Brice	CNTL - SCUBE SAILS	28 5.36’ N	016 56.94’ W	4.1	163	4.9	167	2785.4	43.81
11	626	PEDOTE Giancarlo	Prysmian	28 6.00’ N	016 56.10’ W	4.3	155	4.2	190	2786.3	44.72
12	504	PROCHASSON Mathis	Manupoki - Avico	28 7.68’ N	016 59.31’ W	3	137	4.3	175	2786.4	44.84
13	468	LECUNA Jérome	I Feel Good	28 10.04’ N	017 2.61’ W	3.5	187	5.4	164	2787.1	45.54
14	587	MC GOLDRIK Simon	Compositeworks	28 7.99’ N	016 56.92’ W	2.6	136	4.3	179	2787.7	46.13
15	552	ROGUES Sébastien	EOLE GENERATION-GDF SUEZ	28 8.23’ N	016 55.95’ W	1.9	163	4.3	181	2788.3	46.74
16	455	DEBLED Antoine	RégionsJob.com	28 13.47’ N	017 5.40’ W	3.7	136	5.1	166	2788.8	47.25
17	514	CASTELNERAC Bertrand	www.bcombio.com	28 8.79’ N	016 53.91’ W	1.6	152	4.4	180	2789.6	48.1
18	507	TOSI Luca	GOLDEN APPLE OF THE SUN	28 9.14’ N	016 54.20’ W	2.1	169	4.5	180	2789.8	48.29
19	426	APOLLONI Ricardo	MaVie pour MAPEI	28 8.32’ N	016 51.50’ W	0.8	176	4.4	169	2790.3	48.72
20	672	SCRIZZI Alexandre	PHOENIX	28 10.96’ N	016 55.38’ W	3	186	4.5	173	2790.9	49.38
21	697	FRANCOIS Amaury	GROUPE QUALITEL	28 10.61’ N	016 52.49’ W	2.3	128	4.1	180	2791.8	50.3
22	450	RAMON Hugo	NASSAU - GAES	28 15.83’ N	016 59.65’ W	4.3	186	5	166	2793.4	51.88
23	538	KLEIN Daniela	538 Tacchificio Monti	28 29.17’ N	017 25.55’ W	3	189	3.7	200	2794.9	53.31
24	445	MEYER Fabien	Roxane / Les Boucles de la Marne	28 17.91’ N	016 58.02’ W	2.3	213	4.4	175	2795.9	54.4
25	389	LAURENT Emmanuel	Domaine des Thômeaux	28 59.83’ N	018 34.82’ W	4.2	201	4.9	189	2796.6	55.1
26	599	RAVOT Yves	PARRAINER UN ENFANT	28 38.90’ N	017 43.44’ W	3.8	252	3.4	209	2796.7	55.15
27	236	BERTHO Sandrine	HAMTARO	28 21.51’ N	017 1.85’ W	3.1	222	4.5	174	2797.4	55.84
28	655	HORSFIELD Craig	Skyweb Express	28 31.24’ N	017 22.64’ W	3.2	158	3.7	190	2797.8	56.3
29	657	BURTE Grégory	CNTL - Marseille	28 58.33’ N	018 22.48’ W	5.4	195	3.8	193	2799.7	58.19
30	582	AUBRY Hervé	Ville de Pornichet	28 33.50’ N	017 21.76’ W	2.5	204	3.6	195	2800.2	58.67
31	602	JACOBSON Robert Rosen	NED 602	28 38.79’ N	017 27.23’ W	2.4	198	3.7	210	2802.8	61.29
32	446	RENAUD Emmanuel	Koati	28 38.74’ N	017 25.93’ W	2.3	158	4	173	2803.3	61.75
33	704	GESI Simone	DAGADA'	28 28.35’ N	016 58.88’ W	5.9	165	4	182	2804.7	63.12
34	228	CHAMPION François	POGOMAN	28 27.56’ N	016 55.67’ W	4.1	275	4.1	178	2805.3	63.71
35	733	VERTES Marc	SHEBANG	28 33.82’ N	017 9.49’ W	4.9	161	4.4	171	2805.3	63.78
36	676	LAGRANGE Jean Christophe	ZOUKATI	28 43.28’ N	017 30.59’ W	1.6	187	4.2	180	2805.6	64.02
37	682	LINDLAHR Andreas	UMPALUMPA	28 42.50’ N	017 27.92’ W	1.6	168	4.3	173	2805.9	64.36
38	368	LEMAITRE Simon	BUFFALO	28 29.26’ N	016 55.89’ W	5.3	172	4.3	174	2806.7	65.13
39	440	WILLIS Keith	Rattle and Hum	28 36.16’ N	017 4.99’ W	2	225	4	178	2809.2	67.65
40	659	DUNIAM Geoffrey	Mad Spaniel	28 39.35’ N	017 10.79’ W	1.8	244	3.7	180	2809.8	68.21
41	571	MIRMAN Philippe	CEPAT	28 44.72’ N	017 21.53’ W	4	169	4.4	174	2810.4	68.82
42	480	COLMAN Conrad	Hottyper.com / geneious.com	28 42.06’ N	017 9.85’ W	3.7	224	3.3	204	2812.6	71.01
43	641	CARDONA Rémy	La Solidarité Mutualiste	28 53.55’ N	017 22.91’ W	6.3	224	3.7	193	2817.8	76.22
44	622	ROUGER Nicolas	EXA / LE MARSEILLAIS / Peschaud	28 38.39’ N	016 44.92’ W	3.8	172	4.4	166	2819.4	77.9
45	338	MAIBAUM Norbert	Coconut Run	28 56.67’ N	017 19.48’ W	5.6	216	4.6	173	2821.9	80.34
46	557	RICHARD Olivier	MINUTE	28 35.75’ N	016 5.53’ W	2.3	164	3.8	161	2834.2	92.64
47	544	ROSSI Andrea	JRATA-CASINO LUGANO	29 5.03’ N	017 4.26’ W	4.6	211	2.6	202	2835.3	93.75
48	677	MIRO Joel	GAES 677	28 11.38’ N	014 33.47’ W	1.5	143	2.7	158	2858.6	117

It has been a busy 24 hours in the Charente Maritime-Bahia Transat 6.50 as the boats have been picking their way through the Canary Islands. The competitors have been having to make the best of the wind as it funnels between the islands at the same time as the gradient has been slowly veering round to the west and northwest.

The race in the Proto and Series classes is turning out to be very different this time - in the softer conditions the lighter weight and more powerful Protos have very much superior pace. In the former the lead group of six boats has broken away, having passed between the islands of Gomera and Tenerife yesterday evening. Meanwhile just over 10 miles behind the leader on the water, 7th placed Thomas Ruyant, the pre-race favourite, has chosen a different strategy to the west, leaving all the Canary islands to port, while Tonnerre boat captain, Matt Trautman in ninth place has shaved the western side of Gomera.

There's an even bigger spread in the Series class, where - gasp - Francisco Lobato has lost the lead to Charlie Dalin, who's westerly strategy appears to have paid off, the young naval architect pulling into the lead yesterday afternoon. Dalin is the most westerly in the fleet and being closest to the great circle is also helping him in terms of his ranking. Second placed Fabien Seller is following the same route as the leaders in the Proto class, albeit some 45 miles astern of them, while Mathieu Dalland in third is to the west of Gomera, as is Artemis Ocean Racing's Ollie Bond, who is doing well in sixth place.

And what of Lobato, the amazing Leg 1 series winner who beat most of the Protos in the big conditions heading down to Funchal? Overnight he has dropped to seventh and at the latest sched his boat to the east of Gomera, in its wind shadow making just 2.3 knots between the last two scheds. Ouch.

Former competitor Nick Bubb, doing the Mini Transat this year by armchair in Lymington gives his take: "Today’s going to be really interesting as this evening the fleet should get into the start of those NE trades. I hope Charlie doesn’t get tempted to go too far west as eventually the breeze will be lighter but right now he is gaining miles all the time by virtue of being nearer the rhumb line. Don’t see much chance of a repeat of Lobato’s leg 1 performance, the leading Protos are gone and in what looks like the ideal position to pick up the trades first which are now looking well established. Meanwhile of the guys who went through the Canaries, it’s quite impressive how the leading six protos have pulled away from the rest of the fleet, whilst the small band of brothers out in the east look to have taken a big hit, some even having to take a hike back to the west on port to avoid Fuerteventura and they are definitely in less breeze right now. One thing’s for sure, the next 24 hours are going to be compelling viewing!"

The six boats out to the east continue to be led by Italian Andrea Caracci and at present are off the southwestern tip of Fuerteventura, some 125 miles to the east of where the bulk of the fleet is setting up to pass between Gomera and Tenerife, just as the leading Protos have done.

Over the course of today the leading Protos will see the wind veering to the north and building the further south they head. This doesn't bode particularly well for the westerly boats where the wind will still be in the west and lighter towards the end of the afternoon, while the easterly boats will pick up the shift at the same time as the proto leaders, but by this time they will be some 130+ miles astern of them.