| Groupama 3 is approaching the Indian Ocean and the passage offshore of the Cape of Good Hope is still scheduled for this Sunday night. The favourable wind, which has been propelling Franck Cammas and his nine crew along for the past two days, is beginning to run out of breath. As such the giant trimaran is expecting to lose a little speed on Monday, prior to being hit by a N’ly gale… |
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The situation has been beginning to get increasingly manageable since Franck Cammas and his men hoisted the heavy airs gennaker around 1100 hours UTC, with one reef in the mainsail. In fact, the cold front that Groupama 3 hooked onto 48 hours ago hasn’t managed to get past them. Indeed, because its progress has been slowing since 1200 UTC, the breeze is easing progressively without necessarily proving disadvantageous to the giant trimaran, which should be able to spend the rest of today at average speeds bordering thirty knots. Navigator Stan Honey, in collaboration with Sylvain Mondon from Météo France, is reflecting on the best trajectory in which to enter into the next weather system: a stiff N’ly wind blowing across from the Mozambique Channel…“We’ve been hammering along for the past couple of days! It’s not been very comfortable with a very jerky motion. The boat is in perfect condition, as are we… It is grey though, with little visibility and no moon at night. It’s been quite difficult to helm well when you can’t see anything: you really have to be on the alert, have a good feel for the trimaran so you know the best place to position her and avoid falling into a hole at over thirty-five knots, or even forty! It’s both a subtle and an exciting exercise. It’s a luxury to be on a boat which gives you such a thrill and such pleasure…” indicated Thomas Coville at the 1130 UTC radio link-up with Groupama’s Race HQ in Paris.
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