Gitana 13 expected tomorrow morning

Lionel Lemonchois and his crew to arrive in London at the end of their Route du The record attempt from Hong Kong

After 41 days at sea, Gitana 13 is tackling the very last section of her epic record on the Route du The from Hong Kong to London. Lionel Lemonchois' LCF Rothschild Group-backed maxi-catamaran are continuing their passage eastward up the English Channel and are now just 160 miles from the finish. Gitana 13’s arrival is scheduled between tonight and tomorrow morning, Thursday 25 September.

The last day at sea, especially at the end of such a long voyage like the Route du The, is always very special… Still in record mode the ten Gitana crew are continuing to maintain their watches while making headway in less than ideal conditions in their race against the clock.

In the steady northeasterly headwinds Gitana 13 is rarely able to exceed 15 knots. Sailing along in the lee of the English coast since Tuesday evening in order to protect themselves from the lumpy seas and benefit from a small coastal influence orientating the wind more favourably, the maxi-catamaran was this morning just a few miles off the Isle of Wight.

More attentive than ever to Gitana 13’s progress, router and meteorologist Sylvain Mondon commented on their current strategy: “These two combined elements have been enabling Gitana 13 to make a long port tack from the Eddystone Lighthouse (off Plymouth Sound). This fairly favourable tack will take them along the majority of the way along the coast but this will turn into a beat to get up to Dover.

The final hours in the North Sea and along the River Thames may well be downwind and less testing on the crew.

From the chart table of Baron Benjamin de Rothschild's maxi-catamaran, Dominic Vittet spelled out the scenario of these final hours at sea: “In the afternoon, the northeasterly air flow will head us progressively as it shifts round to the east. This will force us to make a series of tacks again as we cross the English Channel. After Eastbourne, we should thus be able to pick our way towards Le Touquet before climbing up to Dover. Our passage around the southeast tip of the United Kingdom will finally bring an end to the interminable beat which has been par for the course since the equator!”

The end of Gitana 13’s voyage is approaching… Tonight or tomorrow morning, Lionel Lemonchois and his men will make their entrance into the River Thames, and tomorrow morning will be at the foot of Tower Bridge.