Not over till it’s over…
Only two or three days of sailing left to round Cape Finisterre and the dreaded Bay of Biscay fishing boats, commercial traffic, capricious weather… The trio will not have much rest until the warm welcome in Les Sables d’Olonne. Even now, the conditions are quite rough this morning in their respective positions, steady 25 knots, 30-35 knots gusty, 4 metre swell at 9 seconds.
Yet they are still on a strong pace: 130 miles for Abhilash, 150 for Simon and 170 for Kirsten. Kirsten is now gaining on Simon, reducing the gap to 60 miles, and Abhilash after repairing his starboard runner, has gybed to the east. He shows the new runner works and will be avoiding a no-wind zone moving east to his north tomorrow. Smart move!
Behind him, Jeremy has passed the Equator, taking the fleet into the Northern Hemisphere and currently crossing the doldrums at… 6 knots! The fleet’s record holder for foul weather could well sign the fastest crossing of the dreaded zone, and take the best time between Hobart and Les Sables. Michael crosses the 20°South and changes wind regime : some downwind at last for Nuri! The end of purgatory?
Edward Walentynowicz arrived in Les Sables to welcome the leaders, Damien Guillou is expected at the end of the week, Arnaud Gaist is north of the Azores, 600 miles behind the pack, Guy Waites is at 31°S, enjoying the fair weather after weeks in the southern ocean. He could arrive at the end of June in time for the prize-giving ceremony and be welcomed by his GGR fellow entrants and friends. How amazing would that be?!
