31.01.2010
JULES VERNE TROPHY
(CREWED ROUND THE WORLD VIA THE THREE CAPES)
Time to beat: 50 days 16 hours 20 minutes and 4 seconds
Sunday 31st January – Press release
Groupama - Up and running!
13h 55’ 53’’ UTC: Groupama 3 crossed the start line of the Jules Verne
Trophy off the Créac’h lighthouse in Ushant. Franck Cammas and his nine crew
set off at over twenty knots in a light N’ly breeze on the back of a mass of
rain… This latest record attempt begins with some encouraging, albeit tricky
weather conditions.
Returning to cross the finish line off Ushant before 06h 14’ 57’’ on 23rd
March: such is the objective the ten men aboard the trimaran have set
themselves in order to snatch the round the world record, that is within one
minute of the reference time… Indeed Groupama 3 must complete the course
spanning more than 21,600 miles, in less than 50 days 16 hours 20 minutes;
the reference time for the Jules Verne Trophy set by Bruno Peyron and his
crew in 2005.
Franck Cammas and his nine crew set off at 13h 55’ 53’’ (UTC) on their third
attempt. It would appear to have less favourable conditions than those on
the two previous attempts (January 2008 and November 2009), however the
extremely tight timing for hooking onto the next weather system as they pass
Cape Finisterre and then the Canaries remains positive nonetheless. Indeed
the weather routing gives a rough time of five and a half to six and a half
days for reaching the equator! This translates as a very acceptable time for
maintaining sufficient room for manœuvre with a view to Orange 2’s
trajectory in 2005…
Iberian verdict
The most uncertain phase relates to the passage of Cape Finisterre as the
weather window is a very short one, stretching to three hours tops according
to the weather models! By setting off early, just after the passage of a
fairly inactive cold front with rain, Groupama 3 is increasing her chances
of making the Spanish headland on schedule and then skirting closely round
it. Such a trajectory is shaping up to be pretty favourable since a low has
settled itself in a S’ly position level with the Canaries. As it fills in on
site, it should enable the crew to benefit from a steady N’ly breeze, giving
way to a system of regular tradewinds.
From Monday morning the crew of Groupama 3 will know whether they’ve been
able to respect the timing, but once the uncertainty is over, the giant
trimaran will be able to lengthen her stride… And though the trajectory is
very direct and close to the great circle route, enabling big gains in terms
of optimising the course time, the price is an increase in the number of
manœuvres to be performed. As such the crew, who packed their bags at noon
on Saturday, are likely to be into the thick of the action from the off.
Setting out with full mainsail and solent, they’ll have to swiftly put in a
reef and change down to a smaller headsail as the N’ly breeze picks up in
the Bay of Biscay (up to 25-30 knots). After this it’s a transition phase
off Cape Finisterre which is likely to concern the crew at the end of the
night… This will be the first tricky stage, which they cannot afford to
miss!
The organisation aboard Groupama 3
Three watches of three people:
* Franck Cammas, Loïc Le Mignon, Jacques Caraës
* Stève Ravussin, Thomas Coville, Bruno Jeanjean
* Fred Le Peutrec, Lionel Lemonchois, Ronan Le Goff
* Stan Honey, navigator, off watch
Find all the latest about the Groupama trimarans on:
www.cammas-groupama.com
Translated by Kate Jennings – Expression
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