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The biggest remaining suspense is in the Class40 division where the top five are separated by less than 50 nautical miles. And as of this morning Achille Nebout (Amarris) has built a lead of about 19-miles lead over Guillaume Pirouelle (Sogestran – Seafrigo).


The trade winds are finally making a comeback: the Azores High is re-establishing itself, though the winds remain modest—so the long, downwinds across the ocean are not quite there yet


Axel Tréhin, skipper of the 40-foot Exalt, who is continuing his crossing despite severe chest pain and a suspected lung infection, he is now receiving antibiotics.



 

It is certainly good news that the trade winds are slowly establishing themselves and that is meaning something closer to normal service. But many solo skippers are currently contending with sometimes fickle crosswinds.


With pressure hovering around 1022 hPa this Friday, the high-pressure system is gradually reclaiming its territory. On their southwestern flank, the easterly to southeasterly winds are building back up. Sailors who have opted for more northerly routes are reaching—or even sailing close-hauled.


Among the IMOCA fleet, Nico d'Estais (Café Joyeux) couldn't ask for anything better. Currently in ninth place—the first boat with daggerboards is less than 200 miles from Pointe-à-Pitre, is making nearly 20 knots, with Arnaud Boissières (APRIL Marine) about 70 miles behind.

"It’s great to finish in conditions like these. At least it feels like the Route du Rhum rather than a transatlantic race to England! Right now, I’m at 115 degrees to the wind, pushing hard toward the northern tip of Guadeloupe. It’s fantastic—we’re moving fast—though it’s still a pretty brutal way to end the race but Cali [Arnaud Boissières] is right behind me with his foils. I’m keeping the intensity higher than I would if he weren't there. And for now, I’m managing to keep up the pace!"


The skipper of Café Joyeux is also looking forward to a very special reunion with the "Butterfly Island" (Guadeloupe). "I remember the scent of the earth and the forests the moment you pass Pointe Montagnier. And I’ll be arriving almost exactly eleven years to the day after my Mini Transat 6.50. It’s a wonderful way to bring things full circle


In the Class40 fleet, the battle for the top spots continue.  Achille Nebout (Amarris) remains in the lead, but Guillaume Pirouelle (Sogestran – Seafrigo) hasn’t had his final say yet—and there are others pushing hard right behind them.  

“Right now, we’ve got between 12 and 15 knots—a bit more than forecast. The boat is gliding along at 12 knots in a light sea. It’s actually quite pleasant! But there are some contenders behind me moving fast," said Pirouelle this morning, “You might find yourself with more or less wind than a boat just fifteen miles away, without really knowing why. Given the current gaps and the upcoming lap around Guadeloupe, the whole situation could still be completely reshuffled. It’ll all come down to the finish line!"


Of the international skipper in the top 20 of the class Spain’s Pep Costa (VSF Sports) is in a steady eighth, Luca Rosetti of Italy is 12th (Macaferri Futura), having a great battle with Czech’s Milan Kolacek (Inland Roots Ocean Soul) who is five or six miles behind in 13th. Italian Andrea Fornaro on Influence 2 is 16th and Belgium’s Jonas Gerckens (Belgium Ocean Racing Curium) 16th and Australia’s Rupert Henry (Eora) is now inside the top 20, 17th and 46 miles behind the Belgian.

 

Axel Tréhin (Exalt) has reported a medical problem, severe chest pain, accompanied by difficulty breathing and, subsequently, bouts of high fever. In consultation with the race doctor and the diagnosis is pneumonia. He is on antibiotics.


 



Ireland’s Pamela Lee (#Empowher)—who was already forced to make a stop in the Azores—is seeing her technical troubles persist. "My wind-measuring instruments have stopped working. I had been using the backup system since yesterday, but that has now failed as well. I’m sailing completely blind. It’s incredibly frustrating. I worked so hard to get here, invested so much in this race, and now I have to face this challenge on top of everything else."


But way, way back up the course there is still Laurent Etheimer (Fifty Fifty) and Charlie Capelle (Acapella – Proludic – La Chaîne de l’Espoir) two sailors are preparing to head back out to sea, departing from Lagos, Portugal, and Mohammedia, Morocco. Their stopovers allowed them to avoid the worst of a tropical depression in their small multihulls.

"Once we chose the southern route, stopping was the only real option—that was certain," explains Eithemer. "You could always wonder if the northern route might have been feasible, but now it’s time to look ahead. The trade winds are starting to set in. After a light-wind transition toward the Canary Islands, we should finally encounter the kind of conditions you expect on a transatlantic crossing!"

21 hours ago
4 min read

Four out of the six class winners are now known: following Tom Laperche (Ultim), Basile Bourgnon (Ocean Fifty), and Corentin Horeau (IMOCA), local hero Damien Seguin secured the title in his Rhum Multi class last night. Now only the Class40 and Rhum Mono classes have yet to be decided.

 

The biggest remaining suspense is in the Class40 division where the top five are separated by less than 50 nautical miles. And as of this morning Achille Nebout (Amarris) has built a lead of about 19-miles lead over Guillaume Pirouelle (Sogestran – Seafrigo).


The trade winds are finally making a comeback: the Azores High is re-establishing itself, though the winds remain modest—so the long, downwinds across the ocean are not quite there yet


Axel Tréhin, skipper of the 40-foot Exalt, who is continuing his crossing despite severe chest pain and a suspected lung infection, he is now receiving antibiotics.



 

It is certainly good news that the trade winds are slowly establishing themselves and that is meaning something closer to normal service. But many solo skippers are currently contending with sometimes fickle crosswinds.


With pressure hovering around 1022 hPa this Friday, the high-pressure system is gradually reclaiming its territory. On their southwestern flank, the easterly to southeasterly winds are building back up. Sailors who have opted for more northerly routes are reaching—or even sailing close-hauled.


Among the IMOCA fleet, Nico d'Estais (Café Joyeux) couldn't ask for anything better. Currently in ninth place—the first boat with daggerboards is less than 200 miles from Pointe-à-Pitre, is making nearly 20 knots, with Arnaud Boissières (APRIL Marine) about 70 miles behind.

"It’s great to finish in conditions like these. At least it feels like the Route du Rhum rather than a transatlantic race to England! Right now, I’m at 115 degrees to the wind, pushing hard toward the northern tip of Guadeloupe. It’s fantastic—we’re moving fast—though it’s still a pretty brutal way to end the race but Cali [Arnaud Boissières] is right behind me with his foils. I’m keeping the intensity higher than I would if he weren't there. And for now, I’m managing to keep up the pace!"


The skipper of Café Joyeux is also looking forward to a very special reunion with the "Butterfly Island" (Guadeloupe). "I remember the scent of the earth and the forests the moment you pass Pointe Montagnier. And I’ll be arriving almost exactly eleven years to the day after my Mini Transat 6.50. It’s a wonderful way to bring things full circle


In the Class40 fleet, the battle for the top spots continue.  Achille Nebout (Amarris) remains in the lead, but Guillaume Pirouelle (Sogestran – Seafrigo) hasn’t had his final say yet—and there are others pushing hard right behind them.  

“Right now, we’ve got between 12 and 15 knots—a bit more than forecast. The boat is gliding along at 12 knots in a light sea. It’s actually quite pleasant! But there are some contenders behind me moving fast," said Pirouelle this morning, “You might find yourself with more or less wind than a boat just fifteen miles away, without really knowing why. Given the current gaps and the upcoming lap around Guadeloupe, the whole situation could still be completely reshuffled. It’ll all come down to the finish line!"


Of the international skipper in the top 20 of the class Spain’s Pep Costa (VSF Sports) is in a steady eighth, Luca Rosetti of Italy is 12th (Macaferri Futura), having a great battle with Czech’s Milan Kolacek (Inland Roots Ocean Soul) who is five or six miles behind in 13th. Italian Andrea Fornaro on Influence 2 is 16th and Belgium’s Jonas Gerckens (Belgium Ocean Racing Curium) 16th and Australia’s Rupert Henry (Eora) is now inside the top 20, 17th and 46 miles behind the Belgian.

 

Axel Tréhin (Exalt) has reported a medical problem, severe chest pain, accompanied by difficulty breathing and, subsequently, bouts of high fever. In consultation with the race doctor and the diagnosis is pneumonia. He is on antibiotics.


 



Ireland’s Pamela Lee (#Empowher)—who was already forced to make a stop in the Azores—is seeing her technical troubles persist. "My wind-measuring instruments have stopped working. I had been using the backup system since yesterday, but that has now failed as well. I’m sailing completely blind. It’s incredibly frustrating. I worked so hard to get here, invested so much in this race, and now I have to face this challenge on top of everything else."


But way, way back up the course there is still Laurent Etheimer (Fifty Fifty) and Charlie Capelle (Acapella – Proludic – La Chaîne de l’Espoir) two sailors are preparing to head back out to sea, departing from Lagos, Portugal, and Mohammedia, Morocco. Their stopovers allowed them to avoid the worst of a tropical depression in their small multihulls.

"Once we chose the southern route, stopping was the only real option—that was certain," explains Eithemer. "You could always wonder if the northern route might have been feasible, but now it’s time to look ahead. The trade winds are starting to set in. After a light-wind transition toward the Canary Islands, we should finally encounter the kind of conditions you expect on a transatlantic crossing!"

 
 
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