The day after second placed Thomas Coville’s finished in the Ultim Challenge round the world race, attention is now focused on the Maxi Banque Populaire XI which is expected to finish on Sunday. In the South Atlantic, Anthony Marchand (4th) and Éric Péron (5th) are still battling in very light winds.
Now there are two masts protruding proudly above the Quai du Commandant Malbert in Brest, those of the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild and Sodebo Ultim 3. And the next should be that of Armel Le Cléac'h’s Maxi Edmond de Rothschild.
Armel Le Cléac’h has had it tough recently having faced a leak in the main hull. He had to work all night from Wednesday to Friday to get going again and was back up to speeds of around twenty knots. Armel’s average has been 24.4 knots over the last 24 hours and at 29.4 knots at 0800hrs UTC morning.
“Armel is maintaining consistent speeds and continues to get past the Azores anticyclone,” explains Pierre Hays, assistant race director. “For him there is a south westerly wind at the moment. This weekend, it will be more of a sustained northwest flow with 20 to 25 knots to reach Brest.”
The Marchand-Péron match continues
In the south Atlantic it is still just as complicated for Anthony Marchand and Éric Péron. Marchand is on the Brazilian coast, Péron is offshore to the East but both have very little wind.
“Actual Ultim 3 takes advantage of the effects of the coastal breezes to progress but it is pretty random and irregular,” explains Hays. “The trade winds are just not getting there and the calm should last until the end of Sunday.” As for the ULTIM ADAGIO, “ Eric has a weak wind corridor and he should find a little easterly wind as the day progresses”. The match continues between the two skippers who are only 370 miles apart in terms of distance to the finish, but Antho’ is 450 miles further north in terms of latitude.
