Transat Jacques Vabre, tango tropicale
IMOCA 60Level ClassOceanoTransat Jacques VabreVela 18 Novembre 2009 Zerogradinord 0
[singlepic id=4692 w=300 h=204 float=left]Transat Jacques Vabre – Oceano Atlantico – Marc Guillemot, skipper di Safran, appare ormai sicuro di essersi garantito una piazza sul podio assieme a Groupe Bel e a Mike Golding Yacht Racing, ma ciò che attende di sapere è quale sarà l’ordine di arrivo. A 1800 miglia dall’arrivo, infatti, il gruppetto di testa è radunato nello spazio di un centinaio di miglia, mentre chi segue, guidato da Foncia del due volte vincitore della Vendée Globe Michel Desjoyeaux, langue a distanza siderale. A incidere sull’esito della regata sarà senza dubbio l’ultimo tratto, quello che porterà gli equipaggi a navigare attraverso il Mar dei Caraibi, dove il vento è più leggero e l’instabilità più marcata.
Nel corso delle ultime ore, Safran, che arriva verso i Caraibi da una rotta più settentrionale rispetto al grosso della flotta ed è abbondantemente davanti al migliore dei Multi 50, Crepes Whaou, ha riguadagnato terreno su Groupe Bel, staccato ora di 43 miglia.
Gli skipper, Guillemot-Caudrelier-Bénac per primi, stanno approfittando del vento leggero delle ultime ore per recuperare fisicamente dopo le burrasche che hanno contrastato l’avanzamento durante i primi giorni di navigazione. Arrivare in forma all’ingresso nel Caribe è indispensabile per giocarsi al meglio le speranze di successo.
E’ intanto stato recuperato BT. L’IMOCA 60 abbandonato in pieno Oceano da Sebastien Josse e dal suo co-skipper dopo aver subito importanti danni strutturali, non è affondato, nonostante sia rimasto sotto il pelo dell’acqua per tutti questi giorni. La barca è stata rimorchiata nel porto di Vitoria, nell’isola di Terceira. Lo shore team attende la partenza di un cargo per ormeggiarla in banchina e procedere alle operazioni di alaggio.
Per consultare le classifiche clicca qui.
TRANSAT JACQUES VABRE, TROPICAL TANGO
[Transat Jacques Vabre Press Release] Guillemot believes the podium places will be secured between Groupe Bel, Mike Golding Yacht Racing and he and Charles Caudrelier Bernac on Safran by tomorrow, but the final stage through the Caribbean will settle the order.
The small advantage, such as it is, is back with Marc Guillemot and Charles Caudrelier-Bénac as the moods turn tropical and the Transat Jacques Vabre leaders plough onwards towards Costa Rica.
They have a spell of lighter 5-10 knots breezes to negotiate, but on board the leading trio of IMOCA Open 60’s, with Safran now under 2000 miles to go the finish line in Puerto Limon, thoughts during the long starlit nights and pleasant temperatures, are inevitably of a seemingly assured podium place.
Leading co-skipper Marc Guillemot of Safran said as much this morning: “From now on the race will be played out between the three of us”, he volunteered to the early morning radio vacs in Paris. Safran has re-built some small, but hard earned miles against the pursuing duo, 38.4 miles on sister-ship Groupe Bel while Mike Golding and Javier Sanso has successfully regained 20 miles since last night, and were 98 miles behind Safran and were 58 miles shy of second placed De Pavant and Gabart.
Aboard the leading boats there is the knowledge that every mile lost or gained may prove vital, but at the same time Guillemot emphasized how he and co-skipper Caudrelier Bérnac are trying to make sure they are mentally and physically rested as much as possible for the final push through the Caribbean. Forecasts for the final stage of the race show nothing by way of major meteorological potholes on the route in.
From Golding to fourth placed Michel Desjoyeaux on Foncia there are now 300 miles, the best part of 20 hours behind, while Foncia has really underlined their speed and tactical strength moving 89 miles clear of Roland Jourdain and Jean Luc-Nelias on Veolia Environnement.
The changeable conditions have tested 1876’s duo Yves Parlier and Pachi Rivero, as their variable speeds over the last 24 hours show, but their overall averages remain competitive and they hang on to sixth place.
The battle rages between Dee Caffari and Brian Thompson’s Aviva and their Spanish rivals on W-Hotels. The British pair have actually eked out another twelve miles, more than doubling their lead since yesterday night, which will give the two Vendée Globe skippers some satisfaction.
Meanwhile the stricken IMOCA Open 60 BT was on the verge of making it into the safe haven of Victoria in the Azores but a very difficult passage into the harbour there, in big seas and winds, still stands between the salvage team and the completion of a very long and difficult mission with the very waterlogged Open 60.
To read the standings click here.
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