Sea, Sail & Surf newsRoute du Rhum
The Pressure is on for the Final Shoot Out
jeudi 21 novembre 2002 –
- Ellen MacArthur est à 430 milles de Pointe à Pitre à 16 heures
- Photo : G.Martin-Raget/Promovoile
The tension is mounting. Ellen MacArthur has kept a steady lead on the monohull fleet over the last few days but the 68 mile lead is not enough to assure the successful English skipper of victory. The stress and tension is stronger than ever and it is hard fought up front. Ellen MacArthur and Mike Golding are charging away up front, crunching more than 360 miles in 24 hours, averaging 15 knots ! "It is very difficult and very stressful. I am physically very tired. The level is very high. The high speeds and the wind shifts are hard work. We are charging to the maximum to gain miles, and you can lose them even faster," said Ellen, who tried to sleep last night to be on form for the last miles of this 3540 mile solo race. "You have to be cautious at the end. There is also the risk of the wind dying at the last part close to the island." It is not always easy to be out in front, always looking over your shoulder.
The wind is currently east southeast, and the frontrunners are encountering close reaching conditions, with the wind still fast but at a tighter angle than the recent downwind conditions. The wind is likely to back easterly again closer to Guadeloupe and the big gennakers will once again be rolled out.
The finish will be approached from the south of Guadeloupe. The competitors first have to pass the two islands La Destrade and Petit Terre to the left, then pass a waypoint off Pointe à Pitre, to continue west and round a buoy off Basse-Terre (southwest part of Guadeloupe) before heading back towards the finish line off Point à Pitre. These 82 last miles close to the island of Guadeloupe will take around 7 hours for the monohulls and 5 hours for the multihulls. From the Basse-Terre buoy it will take approximately one and a half to two hours to the finish line. There is always a risk of getting stuck in light winds lee of the island.
Joé Seeten on Arcelor-Dunquerque is fighting hard to hold on to his third place in the IMOCA Imoca #IMOCA monohull class. Seeten is still in control of Roland "Bilou" Jourdain on Sill, but the latter is constantly eating at the miles, and was 90 miles behind at 1500 GMT. Bilou is disappointed not to be up front in the fight with Kingfisher and Ecover (Sill had a 9 hour pit stop in Madeira to repair his torn mainsail) ; "I sure would have wanted to be there battling with the two frontrunners. It is very well done by Ellen, she is a star. She has had a really good race," said the French pre-race favourite.
Nick Moloney Ashfield Healthcare is really showing his potential of speed in the reaching conditions and the Australian skipper pushed hard last night to break away from his opponents in the class 2 monohulls. He did indeed have a really good night and is now securing his lead, being 156 miles ahead of Luc Coquelin on Florys at 1500 GMT. At midday Moloney described his pleasant conditions in the trade winds : "20 knots of wind, small waves, 25 degrees Celsius. Beautiful !"
The three remaining 60-foot trimarans are trying to be cautious helming with one hand and sheets within reach of the other, constantly looking at the bows and the coming waves. But the battle is still full on for the highest steps of the podium.
The news of the night in the trimaran fleet goes to Mark Guillemot on Biscuits La Trinitaine-Team Ethypharm who stole second position. He is roasting Lalou Roucayrol on Banque Populaire who is finally free of the claws of the anticyclone. His light wind struggle lasted more than three days and Lalou Roucayrol lost a lot of time there. Banque Populaire was 55 miles behind Biscuits La Trinitaine-Team Ethypharm at 1500 GMT. Guillemot proved to be the fastest over 24 hours, ringing up 402 nautical miles on the clock, averaging 17 knots.
Four years ago Mark Guillemot missed the third place of the Route du Rhum Route du Rhum #RouteDuRhum on the last night of the race, and he is keen not to lose miles for second this year.
Franck Yves Escoffier on Crêpes Whaou has led the 50-foot multihull fleet since the start. He has broken his autopilot and has to drop his sails every time he needs to rest. He is still 351 miles in front of second positioned Anne Caseneuve on Yachting-Casino.com !
Positions 21/11/02 15:00:00 GMT
Multihull 60’ ORMA
1-Géant-Michel Desjoyeaux-913.2 milles de l’arrivée
2-Biscuits La Trinitaine - Ethypharm-Marc Guillemot-1104.7
3-Banque Populaire-Lalou Roucayrol-1160.3
Monohull 60 IMOCA
1-Kingfisher-Ellen McArthur-433.7
2-Ecover-Mike Golding-502.2
3-Arcelor-Dunkerque-Joé Seten-1032.3
4-Sill-Roland Jourdain-1122.0
5-Garnier Belgium-Patrick De Radiguès-1424.2
6-L’Heautontimoroumenos-Antoine Koch-1445.6
7-60e Sud-Didier Munduteguy-1568.8
8-UUDS-Miranda Merron-1691.4-
9-Millimages-Gédéon-Patrick Favre-1769.1
10-Tir Groupé-Montres Yéma-Mike Birch-1814.9
11-Dinan Pays d’Entreprises-Frédéric Lescot-1920.5
12-Ciments St Laurent-Ocean-Georges Leblanc-2024.7
NL-Leasecom - Ymag-Elie Canivenc
Monohull Class 1
1-Ville de Dinard-Bruno Reibel-2100.0
Monohull Class 2
1-Ashfield Healthcare-Nick Moloney-26 23.64’ N-37 38.44’ W-10.8-270-21/11/02 15:00:00-1512.6-0.0
2-Florys-Luc Coquelin-26 58.88’ N-34 46.12’ W-8.4-251-21/11/02 15:00:00-1669.4-156.8
3-Branec III-Roger Langevin-1698.5
4-Mille Visages-Hervé Vachée-1799.6
5-Laiterie de Saint Malo-Clément Surtel-1830.0
6-Adecco Etoile Horizon-Bob Escoffier-2292.0
Monohull Class 3
1-Storage Tek-Regis Guillemot-29 1713.2
2-Passion Entreprendre-Jérôme Thiriez-2014.6
3-Grain de Soleil-Etienne Svilarich-2202.2
Multihull Class 2
1-Crepes Whaou !-F. Y. Escofier-984.2
2-Yachting-casino.com-Anne Cazeneuve-1335.0
3-Vaincre la Mucoviscidose-Hervé Cleris-1619.2
4-Région Archipel Guadeloupe-Claude Thelier-1627.0
5-Lehning-Lapeyre-LPP-Blanchet-Gourbeyre-P.Y. Guennec-2012.2
Dans la même rubrique
Route du Rhum : The Coconut Aromas of Victory
Route du Rhum : Stay Sharp on the Trade Wind Highway
Route du Rhum : Battle rages on between Ellen and Mike
Route du Rhum : Only 5 out of 18 of the ORMA trimarans still in the race
