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2008/02/15 - 09h04
Footstep following
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| Jules Verne Trophy |
| Three years on, Groupama 3 has adopted exactly the same trajectory as its predecessor this Friday morning! At 53º South,
Franck Cammas and his men have been sailing at an average of over 27 knots since yesterday evening and are gradually increasing
their lead...
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It's surprising that two boats, over a thousand days apart, are in exactly the same wake! And yet Groupama 3, which
has been gradually making ENE'ly since 2100 UT Thursday, is indeed on the same trajectory as Orange II in 2005... with 335
miles differential! However, whilst the maxi catamaran had to make a series of five gybes prior to passing the longitude of
Tasmania, the giant trimaran shouldn't have this problem and will be able to track towards New Zealand in a single move. Given
that Franck Cammas and his nine crew are also sailing an average of three knots quicker, the entry into the Pacific Ocean
may well see their lead extend to over twenty hours.
This would surely be justice after the crew's tribulations
following a less than warm welcome from the Indian! This is especially true since the end of this ocean has been stirred up
once again by a big disturbance, which is slipping along under Australia at a cracking pace, prior to climbing towards Stewart
Island.
Groupama 3 is currently being subject to twenty five to thirty knots of W to NW'ly wind on the shoulder,
the seas fortunately still manageable. This breeze is set to fill in right the way through the weekend as it backs slightly
to the SW. As a result Franck Cammas and his men will have just a single gybe to make shortly after passing off Tasmania,
a passage planned for tonight, that is less than 23 days since leaving Ushant! A chance of another record is in store then:
that of the Indian Ocean crossing between Cape Agulhas and the South of Tasmania, currently held by Orange II in a time of
9 days 11 hours 4 minutes...
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