“The sun has just come up. Late last night, the wind was very unstable, which was really odd, as it varied a lot in just a few minutes. For now, it seems to have settled down a bit more. We’re pleased to be where we are. We have the feeling that we’re progressing well, even if there is a lot of trimming to do on the boat, which makes it all the more interesting. Over the past 24-48 hours, we have managed to claw back quite a few miles, and as we are keen racers, that is bound to cheer us up aboard!”
A huge battle for the giants
This morning, François Gabart has every reason to be pleased about his blue rocket. “It feels like we’re alone on the ocean in fairly flat seas,” added Tom Laperche’s co-skipper. But more important than the weather situation, which is “nice and warm” down at the latitudes they are sailing at, it is above all the ability of his ULTIM to sail upwind that is particularly pleasing. “Tacking upwind in these boats, when the wind eases off, we lose in terms of angle to where we want to go, but the speeds remain quite incredible. We are upwind in trade winds that are not that strong, but we are flying at twenty knots, practically the whole time,” added François Gabart, keeping up the pace in the battle of the giants.
Still out in front, Banque Populaire XI, the first to switch to the starboard tack yesterday, still appears to have the same potential she has had since the start from Le Havre on 29th October. Armel le Cléac’h and Sébastien Josse continue to set a fast pace in this race between the giants, with gaps widening and closing with each issue of the rankings.
Further back, Sodebo Ultim 3 and Actual Ultim 3 are also engaged in a tough battle with only around fifty miles separating them in terms of distance to the finish. It is still all to play for, but the most striking thing today is the capacity of these boats to take off upwind, as they make their way towards Ascension Island. According to François Gabart, it will be in around 24 hours from now that they will round this island lost in the middle of the South Atlantic, before beginning their climb back up towards Martinique, sailing downwind, which should see them flying high once again.