IMOCA-Race: ECOVER BtoB 2007 www.transatecoverbtob.com - www.imoca.org - Übersicht Press release Saturday 1 december 2007 Hot Inside ! The fleet of the Transat Ecover-BtoB has split into two groups after 48 hours of racing: the first is bunched tightly together for a passage of the equator scheduled for Sunday evening, the second already stretches back from Maisonneuve and latecomer Aviva... Under the sticky, stifling heat of the equatorial climes an unforeseen parameter can be added to the already hectic schedule ahead of our solo sailors: whilst you have to be on deck to adapt the sail area and trim in line with the slight variations in the E’ly tradewinds, whilst you often have to be in front of your computer screen to download the weather files, whilst you regularly have to take a little break to recuperate, you also have reindex on virtually permanent watch to ensure your own safety and that of the boat! You have to keep a look out for the eight leaders, who are neck and neck after two days at sea, but also for the considerable amount of shipping off the Brazilian coast: "I have an enormous tanker homing down on me at eighteen knots whilst I’m heading towards it at ten knots… Fotos: onEdition 2007© We’re on a collision course! In fact, there are a fair number of boats around as I’m sailing quite close to Recife" indicated Samantha Davies (Roxy). Indeed, though the sailors are alone on their monohull, they are far from isolated on the water. This is the case for the eight frontrunners, who are just a few tenths of a mile apart... as well as for those behind since, other than the 'soloist' Jean-Baptiste Dejeanty (Maisonneuve), who is marking the fleet by gaining easting in order to anticipate the shift of the wind to the East, the leading pack is also progressing in pairs (Roxy and Akena Vérandas) and in a quartet (Spirit of Canada, Great American III, Cervin EnR, Aviva). Herds of Bretons? Up front, the race has the air of a Solitaire du Figaro! Eight boats are sailing within sight of each other, not prepared to let the others past. This is evident by the hierarchy this Saturday afternoon, which reveals just one little option early this morning: "There was a little upset in the situation this morning when Generali shifted slightly upwind: as the tradewinds aren’t totally regular, there was a little more pressure to the East and even with just one or two miles of lateral separation, he was able to get the better of us..." specified Michel Desjoyeaux (Foncia). Marc Guillemot (Safran) explained the phenomenon to us: "You get ahead and you lose ground. At the moment, I’ve fallen into a zone of calm and there are only 9 knots of wind! It's not very important now because we are all in contact with each other, but we're already thinking about what is going to happen in three days time once we've crossed the doldrums..." Indeed, the racers are concerned about the arrival of a front from the West Indies, which has recently swept across the Caribbean. With this in view, the point of impact in the inter-tropical zone of convergence is capital! For the time being the leading group are following each other like sheep, watching each others’ moves and positioning themselves for the long term rather than for an immediate pole position. Afraid of making a move too soon and losing vital ground, they are instead reindexing in contact with each other in order to check that the trimming is good, that the speeds are identical and that they're on a similar heading. Under the cover of darkness it may be time for them to make a move because not only is there little moonlight to see where your rivals are hiding but also no position reports supplied by the organisation of the Transat Ecover-BtoB between 1700 and 0500 GMT. Half a day (a whole night below the equator) to thread your way along on a particular option in the hope that Sunday morning will have a positive outcome! In any case, Yann Eliès (Generali) was very happy with his lot this Sunday afternoon. "Good news! I’m making fourteen knots in ‘gliding mode’… The tradewinds are establishing themselves to the East and conditions are ideal for both me and the boat." Kito de Pavant (Groupe Bel) confirmed this as even though he is experiencing problems with the satellite transmission of his positions (the reason for which he wasn’t ranked this Saturday at 1300 hours GMT), he is indeed in the leading group: "You couldn’t dream of better sailing conditions! In addition, the whole world is in the same place… We’re slipping along effortlessly, the seas are less messy but we're already thinking about the nasty doldrums." In this way, though the battle is fierce for clawing back a few metres and gaining the upperhand, the top eight players aren't showing any significant differential: same speed, same heading and the same intense heat… "I’ve fashioned together a little air vent to get some air down below because it's torrid down there, especially given the amount of work there is to do! The wind is capricious; it shifts a few tenths of a degree in direction and by a few knots in strength... That is just enough to keep you on your toes. For now, we're on a direct course towards Port la Forêt, but it'll soon be decision time for entering the doldrums" observed Loïck Peyron (Gitana Eighty). In fact, we'll know a little more about the approach of this zone by each of our solo sailors by the end of the weekend. However, given that each of them are doing their own routing without the help of anyone on shore and the fact that the weather files will be identical and that they're within a stone's throw of each other, what could possibly encourage them to leave the group? It's hot up front, it's hot inside, it's hot outside... and the situation isn't going to get any better with the passage of the equator on Sunday! Mike Golding (Ecover III): “I am getting back into the routine of solo sailing after a year away from it, so far no more than a couple of 20min sleeps as with boats all around it is too risky to sleep longer - not just from the point of view of colliding but also because conditions are changing and the boat needs constant attention is we are going to stay in the frame. It's a bit of a deadlock right now as all the boats seem quite even on this point of sail. I'm still struggling to understand what configuration is best for these conditions with the new boat - clearly I haven't found the sweet spot yet. Still will get there and it will be fascinating to see what strategies are employed in the Doldrums and beyond in a few days time, it's an interesting forecast - we had a "shocker" here on the way down - lets just hope that the Doldrums are kinder this time around!” Dee Caffari (Aviva): “After the frustrations of yesterday I have settled into my life alone onboard Aviva. A clear sky allowed me to fly a full index and Solent again today but tonight has left me fully powered up with one reef back in the indexsail. The wind is trying to lift us which is great and has reduced the need to keep tacking and should allow us to clear Recife. I was pleasantly surprised today to find the fleet not to far away from me so I hope to make up some ground tonight. Derek Hatfield (Spirit of Canada): “It has been a fairly uneventful first 24 hours alone on Ecover. The race start looked good for me until I was locked in behind another boat’s bad air for five minutes - this put me well behind and needing desperately to catch-up. By the first mark on the South point of the reef outside Salvador Ecover had moved into the leading group of boats. Now 24hours later, whilst there has been some extension from the lead boat, Safran - I can just about see everyone in the lead group.” Transat Ecover B to B Ranking 14:00 (French time) 1 Generali Elies Yann at 3706.80 from the finish 2 Gitana Eighty Peyron Loick 2.50 miles behind 3 Ecover Golding Mike 2.90 miles behind 4 Foncia Desjoyaux Michel 3.30 miles behind 5 Brit'Air Le Cleach Armel 4.10 miles behind 6 Safran Guillemot Marc 5.30 miles behind 7 Cheminées Poujoulat Stamm Bernard 8.60 miles behind 8 Maisonneuve Dejeanty Jean-Baptiste 57.10 miles behind 9 Roxy Davies Samantha 60.70 miles behind 10 Akena Veranda Boissiere Arnaud 66.20 miles behind 11 Spirit of Canada Hatfield Derek 84.50 miles behind 12 Great American III Wilson Rich 88.20 miles behind 13 Cervin EnR Bestaven Yannick 90.40 miles behind 14 Aviva Caffari Dee 109.00 miles behind NL Groupe Bel De Pavant Christophe Downloads http://blanconegro.extranet-e.net/public/GENERALI_071129_02.jpg Générali / Yann Eliès Copyright : Vincent Curutchet / DPPI http://blanconegro.extranet-e.net/public/GITANA_80_071129_01_HR.jpg Radio sessions 01/12/07 Listen and download the radio sessions by clicking below http://www.transatbtob.com/page-event-media-audio-event-vacations.html http://www.transatbtob.com/page-event-media-audio-event-vacations.html Next ranking 01/12/07 - 18h00 Sur www.transatecoverbtob.com http://www.transatecoverbtob.com RADIO SESSIONS As from November 30th and until the race’s arrival, radio sessions with the competitors will take place, daily, at 3:00 pm (french time). These radio sessions will be broadcasted, live, on the race’s website every day a 3:00 pm. As from November 30th until December 9th, the radio sessions will be opened to the public and will take place, live, on the Brittany region’s booth (STAND Hall 1 N92-R111) at the Paris boat show. Rights free photos for non commercial and press use only - 10x15 cm max. Compulsory Copyright : V.Curutchet / DPPI Press Contact Agence Blanco Negro e-mail : media@transatbtob.com Kate Jennings E-mail : katejennings@free.fr Copyright © 1996-2016 - SEGEL.DE