|
|
2008/02/08 - 09h30
120 miles lost!
|
| Jules Verne Trophy |
| The haemorrhage of miles is beginning to subside since Groupama 3 has only lost 120 miles over the past 24 hours after conceding
over 300 miles in two days... And in being able to take a SE'ly course from tonight, Franck Cammas and his men will be able
to reposition themselves on a more effective course.
|
The zone of high pressure, which has slipped under the African continent is in the process of calming the seas generated
by a very large low, which passed to the South of Prince Edward Island yesterday. The nasty S'ly swell, which was kicking
up waves abeam of the giant trimaran, is decreasing in size all the time and the crew will find conditions more manageable
and the sailing more pleasant. However, in return for the calming seas, the 20-25 S'ly breeze is beginning to ease as it backs
to the SE, which will force Groupama 3 to sail upwind for a few hours.
As a result this Friday shouldn't be an excellent
day in terms of progress across the water but Orange II wasn't very fast over this stage of the course either. Their small
lead may well diminish in fairly reasonable proportions then. The weekend will enable the crew to get back onto the record
pace again as a new low will generate SW'ly breezes. On a SE'ly heading, Groupama 3 will be able to pick up its skirts and
make an average of nearly thirty knots over a messy but manageable sea. Most importantly, Franck Cammas and his crew will
slip along towards the Kerguelen Islands and therefore reduce the amount of ground to cover on their loop of the Antarctic
by sailing along 45-50° South rather than 40° South as they are today...
|
|
|
|
|
