Tricky Indian Ocean

Cammas and the Groupama boys still struggling to overtake Orange 2

Groupama 3 continues to struggling in the Indian Ocean and against her virtual opponent Orange 2 she has made no inroads over the last 24 hours. This morning as she passes the remote Indian Ocean islands of Crozet and Prince Edward, she remains 377 miles behind the Jules Verne Trophy record holder.

Having made fast progress on an ENE heading overnight, Groupama 3 gybed at 0600 GMT and since then has been relatively slow.

Sylvain Mondon from Météo France provided his analysis: "After giving everything a try since Monday evening, Groupama 3 is watching the northerly wind slip away just ahead of her. Indeed, despite very good speeds since Tuesday night, obtained thanks to the return of the front from the west, the northerly wind couldn't be reached, though it was very close on a couple of occasions (less than 20 miles to the East). For the first time since leaving Brest, a `door' has closed just ahead of Franck Cammas and his crew, despite their unremitting effort and determination to try absolutely everything to avoid this..."

Groupama's progress against Orange 2 is not being helped by her having to sail a course so much further north than her rival. At this point in the Indian Ocean, Peyron and his crew were 350 miles to the south leaving Prince Edward Island and Crozet to port.

The next 24 hours look set to be light for Groupama 3 in the lighter winds behind the front and if she continues to head east it could be another 48 hours before she finally catches it. Alternatively if she is very slow over this period then she will be caught up in the building northwesterly preceeding the next front/depression approaching from the west. Not ideal.