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Yours tropically
The tropics in all their splendor. All fifteen boats remaining in the fleet of the Solidaire du Chocolat are getting a true taste of the extremes of sailing in tropcial latitudes, where the only thing you can be certain of is uncertainty. Out in the lead, Initiatives-Novedia (De Lamotte-Hardy) are riding high in a fifteen knot north-east flow. Off her stern, Telecom Italia (Soldini-D'Ali) and Cheminées Poujoulat (Jourdren-Stamm) are match racing within a mile within a mile of each other _ after three weeks at sea! Further astern, from the Caribbean Sea to the open ocean, the teams are facing up to very changeable conditions, dishing up squalls of zones of little or no air at all. Either one or the other !
When the going is good, the rich get richer. As each day passes, those further downfield lose a little more ground. Since the first boats entered into the Caribbean, the fleet has been divided into three groups : the three leaders, the fours chasers and the eight who are still out in the open ocean.
Place your bets
Out in the lead, the there who have made a breakaway may well be take the first three places. But in which order? There are still 1000 miles to go in what are uncertain conditions in view of the tropical low by the name of Ida on its way. It is currently leaving the Yucatan peninsula via the north-west but is likely to generate pockets of wind on the course these three are steering. If we are to adhere to the old yacht racing adage that « being out front makes you clever », Tanguy de Lamotte and Adrien Hardy are demonstrating how value has nothing to do with age. Both know only too well that there is no room for mistakes. The slightest foot wrong and the chasers will simply move in to take the advantage, whatever the conditions. Telecom Italia and Cheminées Poujoulat are pretty much neck and neck after three weeks racing. With the leading pack pushing to get the best out of their boats, the chasers are snapping at their heels waiting for the slightest occasion to upset the hierarchy. It is quite possible that the 110 mile advantage held by the young fleet commanders on board Initiatives-Novedia can simple fade away. It is still anybody’s game off the coast of the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Jamaica. Place your bets!
Meanwhile, back in the Atlantic…
In the Atlantic crews four, five, six and seven in the rankings have now arrived in the Caribbean. Cargill MTTM (Seguin-Tripon), Palanad II (Wright-Brennan), Desafio Cabo de Hornos (Cubillos-Bravo Silva) and 40 Degrees (Harding-Merron). Although a little behind the first three boats, something around 300 to 500 miles, their speed is in keeping with their ranking. Proof that conditions favour the leaders at the moment. Conditions are hollowing out up front, whereas the north-east flow filling out the spinnakers and increasing the number of gybes, is increasing in strength from the west.
The Atlantic crowd are having a tougher ride. As a squally storm is forming, the crews are having some electrical experiences. There is a storm brewing and it is blowing a little uncertainty into this part of the fleet. Maneuvering is the order of the day. Sails have to be adjusted to suit the ever-changing conditions, varying from small puffs of wind to violent gusts, the competitors are working hard to pull through and out on the other side. They can’t wait to get to the Saint Barts gate making the end of the Atlantic and the start of the stretch along the coast of the islands paving the watery way to Progreso.
You will recall that the Finnish team Tieto Passion (Rompannen-Ohman) retired from the race to Gustavia when they discovered a crack in the keel housing of their boat. Groupe Picoty (Fournier-Criquioche) is the next boat expected to appear off Sugar Loaf mountain tonight. They still have 1500 miles to sail before reaching the Yucatan peninsula.
When the going is good, the rich get richer. As each day passes, those further downfield lose a little more ground. Since the first boats entered into the Caribbean, the fleet has been divided into three groups : the three leaders, the fours chasers and the eight who are still out in the open ocean.
Place your bets
Out in the lead, the there who have made a breakaway may well be take the first three places. But in which order? There are still 1000 miles to go in what are uncertain conditions in view of the tropical low by the name of Ida on its way. It is currently leaving the Yucatan peninsula via the north-west but is likely to generate pockets of wind on the course these three are steering. If we are to adhere to the old yacht racing adage that « being out front makes you clever », Tanguy de Lamotte and Adrien Hardy are demonstrating how value has nothing to do with age. Both know only too well that there is no room for mistakes. The slightest foot wrong and the chasers will simply move in to take the advantage, whatever the conditions. Telecom Italia and Cheminées Poujoulat are pretty much neck and neck after three weeks racing. With the leading pack pushing to get the best out of their boats, the chasers are snapping at their heels waiting for the slightest occasion to upset the hierarchy. It is quite possible that the 110 mile advantage held by the young fleet commanders on board Initiatives-Novedia can simple fade away. It is still anybody’s game off the coast of the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Jamaica. Place your bets!
Meanwhile, back in the Atlantic…
In the Atlantic crews four, five, six and seven in the rankings have now arrived in the Caribbean. Cargill MTTM (Seguin-Tripon), Palanad II (Wright-Brennan), Desafio Cabo de Hornos (Cubillos-Bravo Silva) and 40 Degrees (Harding-Merron). Although a little behind the first three boats, something around 300 to 500 miles, their speed is in keeping with their ranking. Proof that conditions favour the leaders at the moment. Conditions are hollowing out up front, whereas the north-east flow filling out the spinnakers and increasing the number of gybes, is increasing in strength from the west.
The Atlantic crowd are having a tougher ride. As a squally storm is forming, the crews are having some electrical experiences. There is a storm brewing and it is blowing a little uncertainty into this part of the fleet. Maneuvering is the order of the day. Sails have to be adjusted to suit the ever-changing conditions, varying from small puffs of wind to violent gusts, the competitors are working hard to pull through and out on the other side. They can’t wait to get to the Saint Barts gate making the end of the Atlantic and the start of the stretch along the coast of the islands paving the watery way to Progreso.
You will recall that the Finnish team Tieto Passion (Rompannen-Ohman) retired from the race to Gustavia when they discovered a crack in the keel housing of their boat. Groupe Picoty (Fournier-Criquioche) is the next boat expected to appear off Sugar Loaf mountain tonight. They still have 1500 miles to sail before reaching the Yucatan peninsula.
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