In the thick of it

The Mini Transat Series and Proto leaders are now mid-Doldrums

Wednesday October 14th 2009, Author: James Boyd, Location: United Kingdom

Image above courtesy of Expedition and Predict Wind

Positions at 0500

Pos	SlNo	Skipper	Boat	Lat	Long	Spd	Crs	Spd	Crs	DTF	DTL
						Last sched		24 hrs
			PROTOS
1	667	RUYANT Thomas	Faber France	07 14.04’ N	027 32.90’ W	2.9	193	5.8	198	1395.7	0
2	716	SCHIPMAN Henri Paul	MAISON DE L'AVENIR URBATYS	07 17.52’ N	027 23.51’ W	4.8	191	6.1	190	1402.7	6.95
3	754	DELESNE Bertrand	ENTREPRENDRE DURABLEMENT	07 21.06’ N	027 26.48’ W	4.8	175	5.9	191	1404.7	8.98
4	419	TRAUTMAN Matt	MINI MAC	07 40.06’ N	028 3.46’ W	4.6	192	7.7	188	1408.5	12.74
5	679	LEDIRAISON Stéphane	CULTISOL - MARINS SANS FRONTIERES	07 32.29’ N	027 22.66’ W	4.8	196	6.5	193	1416.5	20.8
6	618	AVRAM Olivier	Cap Monde 2	07 36.75’ N	027 24.19’ W	5.5	204	6.5	194	1420	24.28
7	617	DESPRES Fabien	SOITEC	07 37.10’ N	027 18.46’ W	5	206	6.4	192	1422.6	26.89
8	719	BOIDEVEZI Nicolas	DEFI GDE	07 44.93’ N	027 24.10’ W	7.3	200	6.9	186	1427.6	31.83
9	348	BRASSEUR Pierre	Région Nord Pas de Calais / Ripolin	07 54.47’ N	027 45.70’ W	6.1	187	6.7	194	1428.2	32.52
10	198	PICAULT Sébastien	Kickers	07 58.46’ N	027 50.32’ W	5.4	181	7.6	184	1430.3	34.58
11	346	BOURGUES Laurent	Prim'Soins	07 49.24’ N	027 27.00’ W	5.9	178	6.9	190	1430.4	34.67
12	630	AUBRUN Rémi	AT Children's Project	08 29.11’ N	028 38.69’ W	6.3	202	7.8	200	1443.8	48.06
13	614	COLIN Franck	LOUKKOUMMAMA	08 8.19’ N	027 37.40’ W	6.4	185	7.1	189	1444	48.31
14	412	CUINET François	PLAN Jardin	08 10.48’ N	027 41.92’ W	6.2	209	7.1	196	1444.5	48.8
15	756	CARACCI Andrea	Speedy Maltese	08 26.97’ N	027 22.98’ W	4.6	206	7.7	194	1466.8	71.07
16	385	CORBELLA Anna	GAES 385	08 54.92’ N	027 50.55’ W	6.9	182	8.1	192	1483.2	87.49
17	403	SANCHIS Juan Carlos	SOMNI - Gaes Solidaria	09 31.21’ N	027 13.25’ W	6.1	184	7.7	188	1530.1	134.4
18	291	STEPHANT Sébastien	Déphémérides pour une mer propre	09 33.08’ N	027 15.42’ W	6.3	163	6.7	192	1531.1	135.4
19	727	MARIN Gérard	GAES 727	09 47.74’ N	027 25.80’ W	4.7	194	7.6	199	1541.2	145.5
20	247	VASSEUR Arnaud	l'association Capucine	09 48.99’ N	027 8.21’ W	4.1	224	7.3	200	1548.5	152.8
21	684	WEIJL Toni	GAES 684	09 57.78’ N	027 19.23’ W	7.1	186	7.4	192	1552.9	157.2
22	724	TUTMARK Chris	Mini Anarchy	10 4.91’ N	027 14.31’ W	9.2	174	7.6	190	1561.3	165.5
23	736	RIOUX Antoine	Nouvelle-Calédonie	10 5.40’ N	027 7.88’ W	8.4	175	7.4	188	1563.9	168.2
24	395	FEUEURSTEIN Marine	Un océan de couleurs	10 15.68’ N	026 51.68’ W	7.9	192	7.1	200	1579.3	183.6
25	176	ROWSE Jesse	Reality	11 0.65’ N	027 39.89’ W	7.7	197	6.9	199	1605.8	210.1
26	625	CHARMET Nicolas	La Ligue contre le cancer	11 8.30’ N	026 20.39’ W	7.6	190	7	195	1639.6	243.9
27	437	MURA Gaetano	GRF 91	11 25.32’ N	026 21.76’ W	6.4	190	6.6	202	1654.9	259.2
28	664	PIMENTEL Izabel	Petit Bateau	14 6.24’ N	024 40.11’ W	4.9	196	4.6	208	1841.7	446
29	615	VERRIER Mathieu	ZYGOMAR	16 7.16’ N	025 33.49’ W	6.8	214	2.4	215	1935.7	539.9
30	476	GERMOND Fabrice	stratus	16 10.22’ N	025 26.60’ W	6.8	221	2.1	211	1940.7	545
31	396	JORDAN Staale	STORMY	16 53.17’ N	024 59.50’ W	0	168	0	206	1990	594.2
32	439	VIEILLE Caroline	Fondation Jérôme Lejeune	16 53.18’ N	024 59.51’ W	0	97	4.2	214	1990	594.3
33	132	DESFEUX Maxence	Matmut	16 53.19’ N	024 59.51’ W	0	154	0.9	239	1990	594.3
AB	500	WOOD Andrew	www.solochallenges.com	Pilot
AB	432	HAIZE Xavier	Interface Concept	Electronics
AB	753	RIECHERS Jorg	Mare.de	Keel




			SERIES
1	435	DALIN Charlie	Cherche Sponsor - charliedalin.com	08 29.36’ N	027 30.24’ W	4.8	186	7.4	190	1466.3	0
2	472	MACAIRE Xavier	Masoco Bay	08 36.92’ N	027 22.59’ W	5.5	186	7.3	191	1476.2	9.83
3	607	LOBATO Francisco	ROFF TMN	08 50.21’ N	027 57.42’ W	5.8	175	7.9	190	1476.5	10.17
4	426	APOLLONI Ricardo	MaVie pour MAPEI	08 41.54’ N	027 19.93’ W	5.3	175	7.1	189	1481.4	15.1
5	438	BOND Oliver	ARTEMIS	09 19.71’ N	027 55.67’ W	7.2	178	7.7	198	1505	38.64
6	539	MEYNIEL Henri	BEVEAC CONSULTING	09 1.22’ N	026 56.47’ W	6.3	195	6.6	199	1508.5	42.16
7	626	PEDOTE Giancarlo	Prysmian	09 26.38’ N	027 56.50’ W	6.6	179	7.5	197	1511.1	44.71
8	686	DEL ZOZZO Luca	Corradi	09 22.18’ N	027 21.81’ W	4.5	177	6.5	202	1518.6	52.29
9	552	ROGUES Sébastien	EOLE GENERATION-GDF SUEZ	09 35.04’ N	027 20.72’ W	6.8	180	7.3	198	1531.1	64.71
10	483	SELLIER Fabien	Surfrider Foundation	09 48.66’ N	027 22.16’ W	6.4	189	7.2	200	1543.3	76.98
11	455	DEBLED Antoine	RégionsJob.com	09 55.04’ N	027 19.75’ W	8	186	8	190	1550.1	83.79
12	722	ROLLAND Pierre	D2 MAREE HAUTE	09 54.43’ N	027 7.07’ W	6.6	215	7	204	1554	87.62
13	587	MC GOLDRIK Simon	Compositeworks	10 6.93’ N	027 39.72’ W	6.8	196	7.3	203	1554.8	88.44
14	657	BURTE Grégory	CNTL - Marseille	10 0.36’ N	027 19.89’ W	7.7	176	7.2	193	1555.1	88.75
15	219	GALLAND Matthieu	Groupe SETEC	10 2.85’ N	027 19.43’ W	7.4	186	7.2	201	1557.6	91.24
16	504	PROCHASSON Mathis	Manupoki - Avico	10 2.44’ N	027 17.25’ W	7.5	181	7.3	201	1557.9	91.59
17	468	LECUNA Jérome	I Feel Good	09 9.37’ N	024 57.41’ W	6.4	179	6.8	177	1568.1	101.7
18	450	RAMON Hugo	NASSAU - GAES	10 41.75’ N	028 3.91’ W	7.2	207	7	209	1580.8	114.4
19	440	WILLIS Keith	Rattle and Hum	10 47.40’ N	027 45.60’ W	7.8	195	7.1	195	1591.5	125.1
20	446	RENAUD Emmanuel	Koati	10 23.53’ N	026 35.85’ W	7.2	194	6.5	197	1592.4	126
21	538	KLEIN Daniela	538 Tacchificio Monti	10 40.42’ N	027 0.74’ W	7.4	200	7.1	205	1599.2	132.9
22	582	AUBRY Hervé	Ville de Pornichet	10 41.86’ N	027 0.20’ W	7.3	198	7	205	1600.8	134.4
23	672	SCRIZZI Alexandre	PHOENIX	10 16.08’ N	025 48.75’ W	5	187	6.4	203	1604.2	137.8
24	507	TOSI Luca	GOLDEN APPLE	10 41.38’ N	026 31.71’ W	7.3	193	7	203	1610.5	144.1
25	682	LINDLAHR Andreas	UMPALUMPA	10 44.55’ N	026 26.53’ W	7	187	6.8	204	1615.3	149
26	655	HORSFIELD Craig	Skyweb Express	11 5.41’ N	027 23.02’ W	7.2	197	6.7	203	1615.5	149.1
27	236	BERTHO Sandrine	HAMTARO	11 16.91’ N	026 50.79’ W	7	198	6.7	201	1636.9	170.5
28	602	JACOBSON Robert Rosen	NED 602	11 14.72’ N	026 24.61’ W	7.1	254	6.9	204	1644	177.7
29	599	RAVOT Yves	PARRAINER UN ENFANT	11 38.78’ N	027 8.00’ W	7.9	207	6.6	209	1651.9	185.5
30	733	VERTES Marc	SHEBANG	11 36.28’ N	026 49.78’ W	8.4	189	6.7	194	1655.4	189.1
31	228	CHAMPION François	POGOMAN	11 36.95’ N	026 40.12’ W	7.5	189	6.2	194	1659.3	193
32	445	MEYER Fabien	Roxane / Les Boucles de la Marne	11 36.78’ N	026 27.66’ W	6.6	185	6.2	199	1663.5	197.1
33	368	LEMAITRE Simon	BUFFALO	11 49.09’ N	025 25.86’ W	6.2	195	6.4	205	1698.1	231.8
34	677	MIRO Joel	GAES 677	12 37.14’ N	026 34.15’ W	6.9	206	6.2	190	1717.9	251.6
35	480	COLMAN Conrad	Hottyper.com / geneious.com	12 53.52’ N	026 48.63’ W	6.1	208	6.3	202	1728.8	262.4
36	676	LAGRANGE Jean Christophe	ZOUKATI	12 55.54’ N	026 13.83’ W	6.2	194	5.9	198	1742	275.6
37	659	DUNIAM Geoffrey	Mad Spaniel	13 7.25’ N	026 20.38’ W	5.3	217	5.3	204	1750.8	284.4
38	641	CARDONA Rémy	La Solidarité Mutualiste	13 9.82’ N	026 22.49’ W	6	221	5.7	201	1752.5	286.2
39	697	FRANCOIS Amaury	GROUPE QUALITEL	13 18.33’ N	026 37.44’ W	6.5	193	6.3	192	1755.8	289.4
40	514	CASTELNERAC Bertrand	www.bcombio.com	13 36.64’ N	027 18.73’ W	6.6	209	5.8	208	1761.1	294.8
41	622	ROUGER Nicolas	EXA / LE MARSEILLAIS / Peschaud	13 31.82’ N	025 14.60’ W	6.3	206	5.6	193	1796.9	330.5
42	571	MIRMAN Philippe	CEPAT	13 32.17’ N	025 14.46’ W	6.2	203	5.5	194	1797.3	330.9
43	544	ROSSI Andrea	JRATA-CASINO LUGANO	14 12.06’ N	024 55.00’ W	3.9	162	4.3	204	1841.4	375
44	338	MAIBAUM Norbert	Coconut Run	15 2.32’ N	025 9.82’ W	6.4	193	5.5	222	1882.6	416.3
45	557	RICHARD Olivier	MINUTE	15 10.51’ N	025 0.28’ W	6.7	213	5.7	220	1893.6	427.3
46	671	AQUE Brice	CNTL - SCUBE SAILS	16 5.98’ N	025 33.64’ W	7.1	214	2.4	215	1934.5	468.2
47	389	LAURENT Emmanuel	Domaine des Thômeaux	16 53.17’ N	024 59.50’ W	0	0	0	73	1990	523.6
AB	704	GESI Simone	DAGADA'	Pilot
AB	674	BEAUDART Davy	Port à sec Guy Beaudart	Electrics

The leaders in both the Proto and Series fleets in the Charente Maritime-Bahia Transat 6.50 are this morning into the thick of the Doldrums. This is best demonstrated by a look at the 24 hour speeds for the boats where the lead Protos have been managing around 6 knots, still respectible, while the Series leaders, 70 or so miles astern of them, have averaged around 7.5.

The satellite wind radar image below shows what the boats are currently in the thick of, with the Protos leaders right in the middle of the transition between the northeasterlies and the southerlies marking the exit to the Doldrums. This image indicates though that they still have to get to around 5degN, or 140 miles away for Ruyant before they will emerge.

Among the Proto leaders HP Schipman has regained second place from leg one winner Bertrand Delesne, although it remains close between the top three, separated by just 9 miles. But strongly in the ascendent, having taken a more westerly route into the Doldrums, is Tonnerre boat captain Matt Trautman, who has gone from ninth place and 56 miles off the lead 24 hours ago to 4th place just 13 miles from Thomas Ruyant at the latest sched. Trautman still remains some 40 miles northwest of Ruyant so we will be watching this particular battle play out over the next 24 hours. Also to monitor is 12th placed Rémi Aubrun (up from 14th yesterday) who has taken an even more extreme route to the west.

In the Series class, it is equally close among the leaders where Charlie Dalin is still hanging on to first place. However behind him there has been a shake up with the potent Portugese, Francisco Lobato, now up to third, Riccardo Apollino having dropped from second to fourth, although just 15 miles separates the Italian from Dalin. Alarmingly (and remember out on the water the sailors will have no knowledge of this) Lobato is continuing with his westerly option and seeing how this has paid for Trautman, can we expect to see Lobato gain a similar advantage from his position? The good news, possibly, is that following a similar track to Lobato is Artemis' Ollie Bond, now up to fifth place, some 28 miles astern of the Portugese former Laser sailor.

Generally in the Protos, the front of the fleet is tighter, partly due to compression going into the Doldrums, with the first 14 boats still within 50 miles of the leader, whereas the top 14 are within 89 miles in the Series class.