Ushant bound

Just 10 miles separate the three leaders in the 1000 Milles Brittany Ferries as the Class 40s forge north

Thursday August 28th 2008, Author: James Boyd, Location: United Kingdom
Pos Skipper Boat Latitude Longitude Spd Crs DTF
1 Arnaud AUBRY AUTO MAXI 47 38.44 N 5 08.68 W 7.1 320 º 176 nm
2 Bruno JOURDREN LORD JIMINY 47 42.80 N 5 37.24 W 5.8 327 º 179 nm
3 Tanguy de LAMOTTE NOVEDIA GROUP-SET ENVIRONNEMENT 47 28.64 N 4 29.28 W 7.5 327 º 186 nm
4 Peter HARDING 40 DEGREES 47 23.08 N 5 45.68 W 7 323 º 199 nm
5 Wilfrid CLERTON CGMER 47 18.24 N 5 33.72 W 7.3 328 º 200 nm
6 Erik NIGON AXA ATOUT COEUR POUR AIDES 47 09.68 N 5 22.52 W 7.1 328 º 206 nm
7 Olivier GRASSI GRASSI BATEAUX 47 07.92 N 5 20.16 W 7 330 º 207 nm
8 Pascal DOIN GROUPE PHR 47 03.32 N 5 21.08 W 7.1 334 º 212 nm
9 Gilles DUTOIT TECHNEAU 46 52.28 N 5 20.40 W 7.4 330 º 223 nm
10 Jacques FOURNIER OCEANS ELEVEN 46 48.28 N 4 58.52 W 6.2 332 º 225 nm
11 Marc JOLY VOILES SANS FRONTIERES 46 44.72 N 5 17.72 W 7.2 334 º 230 nm
12 Axel STRAUSS TZU HANG 45 54.24 N 4 54.56 W 7.6 337 º 279 nm
13 Alexis GUILLAUME MERENA 45 51.52 N 4 48.64 W 7.4 337 º 281 nm
14 Christian CHARDONNAL NEURODON.FR 45 44.12 N 4 34.64 W 8 339 º 289 nm
ABD Gonzalo BOTIN TALES 43 27.68 N 3 47.96 W 0 90 º 430 nm
ABD Benoit PARNAUDEAU PREVOIR VIE 46 08.80 N 1 10.04 W 3.1 130 º 637 nm
ABD Christophe COATNAN GROUPE PARTOUCHE 49 56.56 N 0 34.16 E 10 84 º 1047 nm
 
This morning finds the Class 40s competing in the 1000 Milles Brittany Ferries heading north towards Ushant on the final leg of the race back to St Malo. Proving that no one is infallible, overnight there has been a change of leader with Arnaud Aubry and Antoine Carpentier on their Pogo 40 Auto Maxi taking over the top spot from the hardcore Figaro duo Bruno Jourdren and Kito de Pavant on Lord Jiminy.

At the 0600 sched Auto Maxi was some 56 miles SSW of the Raz de Sein on starboard tack in 10-15 knot northeasterlies. However the change in leader may be short lived as the frontruners are lining up for major change in conditions over the next 48 hours. At present the depression over Portugal is shifting south and this has allowed a lobe of the Azores high to slip in to the north of it. Overnight the competitors have been having to negotiate the easternmost tip of this lobe with the wind from the northeast. The wind is expected to back to the north then northeast as they approach Ushant. However in 24 hours time the lobe of high pressure will have receded as another area of high pressure develops over northern France and the south of the UK. So in short conditions look set to be light to moderate and highly volatile.

Out on the race course there appears to be some differing views on how best to handle this. The majority of the fleet have been heading out into the Atlantic as this is the favoured tack, however the present position of the high pressure lobe sees them sailing into less wind. Aubry and Carpentier have remained closer to the French coast where there should be more pressure, while the third placed Tanguys - de la Motte and training specialist Leglatin on on Novedia Group - Set Environnement has chosen a course even closer to the shore.

Peter Harding and Miranda Merron on board 40 Degrees are taking the westerly option but dropped from third to fourth yesterday morning as the Tanguys roared up the fleet from sixth to third (although this is probably also to do with the way the positions are calculated).

The boats should round Ushant this evening.

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