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2010/02/25-08h06
Virtual crossover
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| Jules Verne Trophy 2009 - 2010 |
| With Groupama 3 approaching the South of New Zealand, Franck Cammas and his men have crossed back over the virtual trajectory
of Bruno Peyron and his crew with five years separation. And on the same track, the giant trimaran had a 235 mile lead over
the reference time set by the maxi-catamaran in 2005...
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The opening stage of the Pacific is going rather well: at 1800 UTC last night, Groupama 3 crossed the wake that Orange 2 carved
out five years earlier and this Thursday at 0500 UTC, they'd added a further 90 miles to their lead! At that point Franck
Cammas and his nine crew were within sight of Auckland Island, which they ended up skirting to the South of, still making
an average speed of between 28 and 30 knots... It's an island Marc Guillemot is familiar with since he moored there during
the last Vendée Globe to repair his mainsail track which had pulled itself off the mast. The island is just a small, remote
piece of rock at 51° South, which solely accommodates elephant seals and from time to time scientific missions. However, it
is a place synonymous with civilisation since the crew haven't seen land since setting out from Ushant on 31st January!
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Aurora AustralisFurther South in latitude, the nights have shrunk considerably for the crew of the giant trimaran who, from tomorrow, Friday,
will cross the symbolic International Date Line. As a result Groupama 3 will gain an extra day and twelve hours separation
from their home port. Following on from that she will have to traverse the largest ocean on the planet, but already, thanks
to this new trajectory in the Furious Fifties, Franck Cammas and his men are shortening the course towards Cape Horn. Indeed
the closer the boat is to the Antarctic, the shorter the distance around it will be. A degree of difference in latitude practically
corresponds with a hundred miles less to cover...
Ultimately the weather conditions have proven to be less harsh
than forecast since the W to SW'ly wind has remained at between 25 and 30 knots on what are more settled seas. The next stage
of the programme promises to be just as fast since Groupama 3 is benefiting from the low ahead of them to gain ground to the
SE as they prepare for a front to catch up with them this weekend. For once (practically for the first time since the Southern
Atlantic), the skies have cleared and the crew are able to observe the Aurora Australis, which rises up from the Antarctic.
This incredible show of lights and reflections emerging from the fifth continent heralds a lead of over 325 miles on the reference
time at this stage in the Jules Verne Trophy.
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