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Guillemot’s team reported early this morning that trouble with his keel which had been bothering him since the Azores had got worse. Since yesterday the keel had been moving in the fore and aft plane and giving the skipper cause for concern. Early this morning it had slipped several centimeters down into the keel box and he was forced to try to make a fix by securing it with ropes to the mast and a winch, but early this afternoon he realized suddenly that the ropes were slack. He no longer had a keel.
In fact, Guillemot, reported on a call late this afternoon, he was prepared for this eventuality and was almost relieved that the keel had gone since it was no longer threatening to damage his hull, and he at least now knows the magnitude of his problem. Guillemot suffered keel ram trouble in the 2007 Transat B to B race and had to block his keel in place to stop it moving.
Discussions have been ongoing with with Guillaume Verdier, one of Safran’s designers, and Guillemot this afternoon reported that he is making 9-11 knots with a triple reefed main and staysail and is determined to end his incredible race. In fact he lead this Vendée Globe early on the first evening of the race but went on to slide badly into the pack when he got stuck in the wind shadow of the Canaries
Guillemot, sounding tired and stressed this evening, says he is determined to complete this race whatever place he ends up in. He now has full windward ballast tanks and says he is taking it as easily as possible. Conditions are choppy but he has around 12-13 knots of wind. He has less than 980 miles to sail.
His nearest rival for third place Sam Davies has been making good speed in brisk conditions and had caught to within seven miles of the compromised Safran. Guillemot’s primary desire is simply to finish, but he still has over two days worth of redress to his credit.
The duel between Brian Thompson, GBR (Bahrain Team Pindar) and Dee Caffari, GBR, (Bahrain Team Pindar) looks like it may go the wire, or at least be settled in light winds in the Bay of Biscay as they approach the finish. She has closed to within 47 miles now although neither are moving at pace this afternoon. Caffari, at 7.8 knots, is still closing down her compatriot who should emerge first from the new high pressure system, but is making 4.1 knots this afternoon and averaged less than three knots between 0930hrs and 1430hrs.
It is increasingly difficult today to forecast the next ETAs because of a high-pressure area taking over in the Bay of Biscay. The competitors are going to have to sail a long way north to try to get around this zone. Samantha Davies (Roxy) is now not expected to finish before Saturday and thinks it may well be Sunday before she crosses the finishing line. For Marc Guillemot (Safran), finishing on Monday is a possibility, if he does not slow down too much in the high. As for Brian Thompson (Bahrain Team Pindar) and Dee Caffari (Aviva), we should probably count on them arriving within 48 hours of Monday lunchtim