Press release • 10 July 2012
The Gift that Keeps on Giving
For the leaders of the KRYS OCEAN RACE the frontal system that
they have ridden since Saturday night continues to prove the
gift, which keeps on giving.
Before leaving New York, initial predictions suggested that the
five MOD70's would benefit for at least three to four days, but
as the leaders now contemplate negotiating the north east side
of the Azores high pressure system, it now seems likely they
will have every chance of curving progressively towards Ireland,
the Scillies gate and then to the finish line in Brest with
hardly any reduction in speed.
Sébastien Col, tactician and helm from FONCIA, even suggested
today that the most favourable weather files had them reaching
the finish with no gybes.
With the S-SW'ly winds still hitting over 30kts this afternoon,
their fourth since leaving Manhattan, the speeds of the three
leading MOD70's continue to be impressive. Spindrift racing have
clocked up another day of more than 700 miles on the mid
afternoon rankings, holding their average speed just under 30kts
So far Spindrift racing's remarkable 711.9 miles sailed over 24
hours, set Monday, is the highest run yet.
Yann Guichard and his team, which has lead since Sunday night,
still managed to increase their margin on the chasing duo today.
With around 1300 miles to sail to the finish, Spindrift racing
was holding an advance of 50 miles this afternoon ahead of Seb
Josse and crew on Groupe Edmond de Rothschild with FONCIA 13
miles behind them in third.
Foncia's Sébastien Col told the live radio call today that their
best option should present itself as they pass over the Azores
high pressure system. Depending on its evolution as the more
southerly boat of the leading trio, FONCIA may find a better,
reaching angle sooner whilst their two opponents may find
themselves slowed, on a more downwind, open angle.
But patience has, to some extent, been part of the FONCIA
strategy, Col acknowledging on today's radio vacation with KRYS
OCEAN RACE HQ in Brest, that both Spindrift racing and Groupe
Edmond de Rothschild have continued with better wind strength
and angle.
Col said: " We are slightly slower than them and just have to try
to sail the boat as fast as we can. With this little
disadvantage we try to cross the high pressure not too far
behind these two guys, and then try to catch places after."
The mood reindexs stoic, mostly upbeat on fourth placed Musandam
-Oman Sail. They have adapted well to their compromised
predicament, managing to replace their damaged port foil with
the starboard one, a delicate manoeuvre in 25-30kts of wind
which required all the strength of three crew plus one helping
the lift on a halyard.&xnbsp; Though they had tried to sail without a
foil, they had found the boat liable to nosediving. But in their
new configuration they were making a decent 26 knots average
this afternoon, but were some 122 miles behind FONCIA.
The leading boats are expected Friday, spearing right into the
first day of the massive Tonneres de Brest maritime festival.
The 20th anniversary international gathering of mariners and
craft of all shapes and sizes is expected to attract somewhere
around 800,000 visitors to Brest's seven kilometres of
waterfront festivities and runs 13th to 19th July.
Quotes:
Sébastien Col, FONCIA, tactician, trimmer, helm: "Today FONCIA is
sailing just above Spindrift and Groupe Edmond de Rothschild,
our target is the waypoint to the north of the high pressure
which we will reach in approximately 24 hours.&xnbsp; We are sailing a
little slower than Groupe Edmond de Rothschild and Spindrift
because we are a bit more south than them and have a little bit
less wind and they have a better angle and so that means we are
slightly slower than them so just have to try to sail the boat
as fast as we can. With this little disadvantage we try to cross
the high pressure not too far behind these two guys, and then
will try to catch places after. We are targeting only one gybe
to approach the Scilly Islands. One of the best routages we have
actually shows that we have no gybes, and so that even suggests
it will be very fast for the end of the race."
Ryan Breymaier, No 1, Musandam-Oman Sail: "We are going well at
the moment - pretty much full speed. When the foil failed, we
had to take it out because there was a lot of turbulence and
drag and the boat was very slow – about 22 knots – though when
it came out completely, the bow dug in a lot so we had to reduce
sail. We didn't feel comfortable trying to change the foil from
one side to the other during the night but now we have the foil
from the starboard side on the port side, which makes things
normal again. The guys are getting tired as it weighs 100kgs and
takes three crew plus one on the halyard every time we change it
over, but hopefully we will only have to do it twice more during
the race."
Check latest position reports at:
[http://www.krys-oceanrace.com/en/race-data.html]
Latest photos:
[http://www.krys-oceanrace.com/en/pictures.html]
Latest videos:
[http://www.krys-oceanrace.com/en/videos.html]
Latest audio files:
[http://www.krys-oceanrace.com/en/audio.html]
13 or 14 July: Estimated Finish
14 July: KRYS OCEAN RACE Prize Giving
16 JULY 2012
BREST CITY RACES
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