The fleet of 50 Solitaire competitors have been on the downwind run since last night with a steady 15 to 20 knot breeze and steady swell. This long spinnaker run south, whilst exhilarating, has been taxing on the solo sailors who have been averaging 10 knots of boat speed when driving the boats. Gildas Morvan (Cercle Vert) reported "clocking up a 16 knot surf"
and Jeanne Gregoire (Banque Populaire) showed 14-knot instant boat speed this morning. Throughout the day the wind is forecast to back further to the North, then Northeast over the course of the afternoon before decreasing to 10 to 15 knots this evening.
Michel Desjoyeaux (Foncia) moves back into the lead on the last position report but is tailed by Gildas Mahe (Le Comptoir Immobilier) 0.3 miles behind and Thierry Chabagny (Brossard) 0.9 miles. Christophe Lebas (Lola la piscine assemblee), positioned slightly south of the leader moves into 2nd place just 0.3 miles behind with Gildas Morvan (Cercle Vert) in his wake.
Although the line to the mark is straight, sailors have applied a different strategy to their approach. Marc Thiercelin (Siemens) has taken the most extreme Westerly option, which leaves more than a 20 mile lateral gap between him and Jean-Francois Bulot (Credit Mutuel de Normadie - Ville de Caen).
The competitors have been positioning themselves accordingly as the wind rotates round to the NNE in order to prepare for the best angle of approach to the Racon mark. Those who made the move further east early on are on the direct heading for the Racon mark, among them are Distixion and Groupe Celeos. The wind is due to ease for the afternoon and then "we should have between 12 and 15 knots up to the tip of Brittany" explains Sylvain Mondon at Meteo France. The tide turns against the fleet at 7 am tomorrow, which could give the trailing boats a chance to catch up on the close of the race leaving everything to play for right to the end. -- Sabina Mollart-Rogerson
http://www.lasolitaire.com
The Figaro sailors have covered more than half the distance to the finish in Brest since the start yesterday in the Bay of Cork; just 130 miles remain to the close of the second leg with an ETA given of between 06h00 and 09h00 Wednesday morning. The early morning turning tide, light and fluctuating breeze together with the overflow effects from the land will all come into play over the course of the final 58 miles from the Racon mark off Ushant, along to St. Mathieu, on the tip of Brittany, and then to the finish line in front of Brest.
