Ahead of Cheyenne

Olivier de Kersauson on a roll through the Indian Ocean

Day 24
Position at 2317GMT: 49°28S 94°36E
24 hour run: 532 miles
Average speed: 22.16 knots

Two consecutive 24 hour runs of 532 (Fri-Sat) and 538 (Thurs-Fri) have seen Geronimo pull out a few crucial miles over the relative position of Steve Fossett's Cheyenne. Olivier de Kersauson's Cap Gemini Schneider Electric sponsored trimaran is now more than 100 miles ahead of the American cat, although when one considers how long legged these giant multihulls are, this lead represents bearly anything and could easily be lost in a morning.

Ahead the weather situation is becoming a little more complex. A giant high pressure system is currently located off the whole of south Australia and along the southwest side of this a number of depressions are forming one of which will provide less than optimum conditions for Geronimo prior to it being absorbed by the giant depression on the northeast corner of which Geronimo is riding. Fortunately the depression is relatively shallow and small compared to the weather system you find in the Southern Ocean and the French tri should soon be basking in the favourable westerlies along the south side of the high.

“The sea’s good, it’s getting a bit bigger, but we’re surfing well” described skipper Olivier de Kersauson the skipper, who was also singing the praises of the work done by his weather router Pierre Lasnier and the valuable contribution made by Alain Lamal and the team of observers on the Kerguelen Islands. “Alain has been working on the Kerguelens for nearly 30 years and we meet when he comes to the Institut Polaire in Brest. These guys have a special feel for their region of the world - a very realistic analysis and an important one for us”.