Some 1,800 miles from the finish in Brest, leader Charles Caudrelier sees a tough, potentially hazardous finish in prospect.
Two depressions will follow one another across the Bay of Biscay, bringing quite fierce conditions. These have been looming large on the agenda for Caudrelier and the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild routing team for a good few days now.
Should he risk getting into these big systems, with a potentially 8 meter sea or not?
As a consequence right now Caudrelier’s ETA, varies depending on the risk they assume . . . Friday 23 February if he passes it or Monday 26 if he does not pass through it.
Monday Caudrelier revealed he has some damage that he has had since the very early days and spoke of his ideals of prudence and precautions which will be implemented before he finishes.
Then at 2300 and 2800 miles behind, Thomas Coville and Armel Le Cléac’h are progressing towards the northern hemisphere.
The equator is still 800 miles ahead for Coville’s Sodebo Ultim 3. In the southern oceans, Anthony Marchand (Actual Ultim 3) and Éric Péron (ADAGIO), are closing in on Cape Horn, which Marchand should round during Tuesday night and Péron on Wednesday morning.
After a little more than 48 hours of technical stopover in Rio de Janeiro, ARKÉA ULTIM CHALLENGE-Brest skipper Armel Le Cléac’h and his ULTIM Maxi Banque Populaire XI have returned to the race track.
He docked out from Rio at a little after 16:30hrs UTC and resumed racing in third place at 17:38hrs UTC.
Le Cléac’h’s technical stopover lasted a little more than two days since it began on Friday, in the bay of Rio de Janeiro at 14:17hrs on Friday.
On site they had five members of the technical team who were already waiting for Armel Le Cléac’h with the two replacement rudders that were transported from France.
