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2008/02/04 - 09h10
An average of 26 knots
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| Jules Verne Trophy |
| Slipping along on seas yet to build too much and pushed by a fine 20-25 knot NW'ly breeze, Groupama 3 is gaining easting at
high speed, even though further repositioning to the South was necessary this Monday morning.
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Still sailing along the southern edge of the Saint Helena High, the giant trimaran is benefiting from the propelling effects
of a low, which is circulating at 55° South. And to remain in this good vein of wind, which is enabling Groupama 3 to benefit
from fairly smooth seas and a steady wind, the crew has had to put in several little hooks in their trajectory over the weekend.
The objective of Franck Cammas and his nine crew is in fact to remain between these two phenomena (high pressure to port,
low pressure to starboard), along a 1015 mb isobar, situated at the 38°30 South.
As a result conditions are still
very manageable in terms of racking up some fine days like that of yesterday, where they grazed 640 miles at an average of
over 26 knots! Of course each gybe to the South at 90° to the normal course causes them to lose ground in relation to Orange
II (the latter still over 600 miles behind), but these manoeuvres are unavoidable if Groupama 3 is to maintain a good angle
in relation to the wind. The Saint Helena High extends as far as the South of the Cape of Good Hope, from where the trimaran
will rapidly be able to continue its course towards the Indian Ocean, which it is likely to reach from Wednesday...
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