Fundació Navegació Oceànica Barcelona

The accordion effect is now into its third day and it continues to push the Charente Maritime / Bahia Transat 6.50 fleet together. As the skippers enter the Doldrums at the Equator they play victim to the capricious nature of the weather in the area, which this year is honouring it’s infamy. A mere glance at the average speed reports between two position readouts reveals a variation between averages of 0.9 knots and 6 knots in the area the French like to cal ‘le pot au noir’, or the ‘black pot’.
 
Difficult Doldrums and the hope for the trades

This is one of the toughest tests in the Mini Transat. Sudden storms that brew gusts of 20 knots mean a speedy change of spinnaker; cold showers that pass in a matter of minutes followed by exasperating patches without wind where temperatures on deck can rise to suffocating levels (it is worth noting that the Equinox was just 25 days ago and the sun falls almost vertically on the zone); shifts that mean sail changes, followed by more changes as tactics evolve or because of a long list of possible etceteras. These are all incidences where the solo skipper, sailing with just radioed information broadcast by the race organisers and no electronic devices, sails right at the edge of physical and mental limits, creating an almost obsessive desire to reach the south-eastern trade winds.

For the moment, the precious trades are keeping the fleet waiting, and it won’t be until tomorrow when the Saint Helena anticyclone shifts East that the first sailors will reach them. During the entire day yesterday and last night, leader Thomas Ruyant witnessed a new threat to the stern of his vessel as a strong Matt Trautman sailed decisively South. In front the Frenchman has an area with very little breeze, which should probably disappear with the anticyclone’s shift tomorrow. In any case, Ruyant’s lead doesn’t look so seriously threatened, as his most immediate pursuers, with the exception of Remi Aubrun, who is 100 miles further West, are all following his tracks and are headed for the same funnel.

The Spaniards continue to close in

Among those pursuers are six Spaniards benefiting from the aforementioned ‘accordion effect’, who have managed to move in further during yesterday afternoon and last night. Anna Corbella, currently the best placed of the six, in sixteenth place in the Prototypes Division, continues to make excellent progress and has reduced the difference with the top group in the fleet by almost 23 miles, putting her now at 64 miles from the leader. 17.5 miles behind her is Juan Carlos Sanchís, who has cut the gap down by 52.25 miles and Gerard Marín who has moved 58.7 miles closer to the leader. All positions refer to the 06:00 GMT position reports today. Toni Weijl has reduced the gap the most in the Protos, by moving 60 miles closer to the leader.

In the Series División Hugo Ramón has also moved 60 miles closer to the leader, currently a solid Charlie Dalin who was 54 miles in front of the Spaniard’s bow this morning. Ramón has opted for a similar tactic to Remi Aubrun and is the furthest West in his Division and in the fleet. Due to his position further back in the fleet, Joel Miró was the Spaniard to have reduced the gap with the leader by the most today: no less than 78.62 miles in the last 24 hours.

Rankings 05:00 GMT.
Prototype Division:                                                     

1.    Ruyant, Thomas / Faber France (FRA), 1,337.7 miles from finish.
2.    Delesne, Bertrand / Entreprendre Durablement (FRA), 7.63 miles from leader.
3.    Matt Trautman / Mini Mac (Sudáfrica) 8.22 miles from leader.
 ....
16.  Corbella, Anna / Gaes Solidaria (ESP), 64.59 miles from leader.
17.  Sanchis, Juan Carlos / Somni – Gaes Solidaria (ESP), 82.12 miles from leader.
18.  Marin, Gérard / Gaes Solidaria (ESP), 86.75 miles from leader.
….
21.  Weijl, Toni / Gaes Solidaria (ESP), 97.64 miles from leader.
33 entries.
 
Series Division:

1.    Dalin, Charlie / Cherche Spansor- charliedalin.com (FRA), 1,393.33 miles from finish.
2.  Apolloni, Ricardo / Ma Vie pour Mapei (FRA), 3.24 miles from leader.
3.   Lobato, Francisco / Roff Tmn (ITA), 4.69 miles from leader.
....
17. Ramon, Hugo / Nassau – Gaes Solidaria (ESP), 53.85 miles from leader.
…
33. Miró, Joel / Gaes Solidaria (ESP), 172.93 miles from leader.
47 entries