La troisième nuit de mer de la KRYS OCEAN RACE a été moins musclée que les précédentes: le vent de Sud-Sud Ouest s’est calmé un peu et surtout, la mer s’est mieux organisée. A une journée et demie des Scilly, Yann Guichard et ses hommes mènent toujours le train alors que ses deux dauphins sont à la lutte à quelques milles d’écart.
Il n’y a qu’une seule voie pour rallier Brest en passant par Land’s End : après la grande parabole des deux premiers jours de course, la trajectoire s’inverse pour filer vers l’Angleterre, première marque de parcours à 750 milles des étraves de Spindrift racing, ce mercredi matin.
« On est nettement moins fatigué que la précédente nuit : c’est plus tranquille en ce moment (6h30, heure française) car la mer est plus plate. On va toujours vite mais c’est franchement plus paisible et on recommence à attaquer un peu… On va bientôt pouvoir viser les Scilly car petit à petit, le vent tourne vers le Sud-Ouest. » indiquait Yann Guichard à la vacation radio.
Le trio de tête navigue toujours entre 28 et 30 nœuds de moyenne et si FONCIA a choisi de se recaler mardi soir sur la trace du leader en enchaînant deux empannages, Michel Desjoyeaux et son équipage sont désormais « roue dans roue » avec Sébastien Josse (Groupe Edmond de Rothschild), à environ 70 milles du premier. Pour Sidney Gavignet, la rupture du foil de Musandam-Oman Sail le lendemain du départ de New-York a été un gros handicap jusqu’à ce que l’équipage réussisse à utiliser le foil bâbord pour retrouver une vitesse plus élevée : « On est presque au maximum du bateau puisque le foil tribord ne peut pas être descendu autant que normal. Et nous avons un peu moins de vent que les leaders… »
Les leaders de la KRYS OCEAN RACE vont donc aborder les côtes anglaises dès demain jeudi et la veille radar va s’intensifier car le trafic maritime est intense à l’abord de l’entrée de la Manche. En tous cas, les trois MOD70 en tête de flotte sont dorénavant sur la même route et n’ont pour l’instant pas d’opportunité de prendre un chemin de traverse !
With under 900 miles left to sail to the finish line in Brest of the first KRYS OCEAN RACE, Yann Guichard, the skipper of leading MOD70 Spindrift racing, considers that strategic options for their nearest rivals Groupe Edmond de Rothschild and FONCIA are running out.
With the wind and seas easing slightly Guichard and his crew have maintained their punishing pace, seemingly still averaging that consistent 30kts which no other team has managed to sustain with anything like Spindrift racing’s regularity.
With 750 miles, or about 36 hours, to make to the Scilly Isles, the breeze is rotating back to the SW as they cross the ridge extending from the Azores high. After FONCIA repositioned themselves directly in Spindrift’s wake, taking a short hitch to the north late yesterday afternoon, all three are very much in line now, with a similar course. With his rivals now astern where they represent less of a threat, the Spindrift racing skipper said they have been attacking in the more settled sea state.
Guichard, sounding quietly content when contacted early this morning stated: « We are much less tired than the previous nights: it is quieter at this time (0530hrs UTC/GMT) because the sea is flatter. We’ve always been fast but it’s definitely more peaceful and we start to attack a little. We will soon be able to target the Scilly because gradually the wind turns to the southwest. »
Spindrift racing has close to 70 miles of margin on Seb Josse’s Groupe Edmond de Rothschild, with FONCIA lurking only 11 miles behind them in third.
Time is running out for the leading trio to utilise the KRYS OCEAN RACE’s ‘ghost mode’, which allows the teams to disappear from the tracking for three successive rankings. But it must be used before the longitude of Fastnet Rock and after that line ghost mode racers reappear.
With few tactical options on the table perhaps it will go unused, or maybe a team or teams will use it nonetheless?
From the nav station of Musandam-Oman Sail this morning, Sidney Gavignet reported that they are back sailing at near normal speeds – using their starboard foil in the port box, but have a little less wind than the leading trio.
Yann Guichard, skipper of Spindrift racing:
“Last night was a bit calmer and that the sea was much flatter but the wind is going to build again. We re on a heading for the Scilly Isles, pretty much on a straight line, port tack and the wind should build over the next six hours, back up to average 30 knots. We expect to get to the Scilly by around midday tomorrow.
Strategically there are not all that many options now, it is a matter of keeping up the rhythm and try to maintain the speed. Groupe Edmond de Rothschild and FONCIA are going a little faster, but we are level in terms of speed. We make the most of the daylight to do a boat check and prepare for the strengthening conditions.”
“Next is looking at all the weather files to see how things will evolve with the weather front that we have been on for the last few days on what will be a reach to Brest. We have had a bit of fog and drizzle, it is not quite Breton weather though!”
“ We keep an eye on the radar which really show up the squalls well and then now for the approach will be good for the maritime traffic. In terms of food, we have been stuck with the freeze dried stuff and apart from a few apples at the start have not enjoyed any fresh food.”