Headlines

October 23. 2009

First foreigners ?

There were 14 nationalities and 33 non-French iin that The Charente-Maritime/Bahia Transat 6,50. The first of them to finish with this adventure should be the South African Mat Trauttman and his plan Magnen "Mini Mac". Matt, who been part of the head of the fleet before the doldrums should be ranked 12th in the leg. Then comes another foreigner ,great revelation of the race, the Portuguese Francisco Lobato (ROFF TMN) which is currently sailing 3rd for Series boats, and who, with his outstanding performance between the Charente-Matitime and Funchal, will become a beautiful Series' overall winner tomorrow night in Bahia.

October 23. 2009

Ricardo Apolloni is ok

No need to worry about the positioning of Ricardo Apolloni (Ma Vie pour Mapei) on the mapping. His beacon has not actvated his position the last tim but he is ok.

October 22. 2009

Lobato's weird road

What is Francisco Lobato (ROFF TMN) doing? On Wednesday, the Portuguese had taken a n extreme East option, before a come back south overnight. Alright, he found more pressure thatn his friends... but he, also, has lost more than 30 miles. Charlie Dalin (Cherchesponsors-charliedalin.com) which is on a direct route to Bahia is 93 miles ahead. He is third before  the Italian Ricardo Apolloni (My Vie pour Mapei) and remains under the threat of Giancarlo Pedote (Prysmian). Another weir route is the one of Oliver Bond (Artemis). He also left very  much  East, more than Lobato. But, it seems that he has not found what he had gone to get.  For some time fourth,he is now relegated to the 15th rank, 216 miles from Dalin.

October 22. 2009

The come-back of Finot-Conq

The victory of the Proto "Faber France" (No. 667 of 2006), is also the come back of the Finot-Conq at the top in The Charente-Maritime/Bahia Transat 6,50.
Thomas brings the fifth victory to the architect's duo, after the success of Philip Vicariot in 1989, Damien Grimont in '91, Yvan Bourgnon in 95 and Armel Tripon in 2003.

October 22. 2009

Delesne and Schipman some more...

In view of Salvador, Bertrand Delesne (Entreprendre Durablement) is expected at 16h30 French  Time according to different estimations. He could be preceded by HP Schipman (Maisons de l'avenir Urbatys), a quarter of an hour before him only, and thus boost his second rank at overall. His 3 hours and 35 seconds ahead of Thomas Ruyant that arrived this morning, will be over at  14h19 minutes and 09 seconds (French Time).

October 22. 2009

Fight for a podium

Henri Paul Schipman (Maisons de l'Avenir Urbatys) fiercely defends his second rank. He is at mid-day 34 miles from the arrival and sails at 9.42 knots. He is expected at 15h39 (French Time) to the finish line in Salvador. Bertrand Delesne (Entreprendre Durablement) is sailing at top speed and he is 43 miles from the finish at 9.72 knots and is expected at 16h26 (French Time).  Stéphane Le Diraison (Cultisol Marins sans frontières) will follow him and should arrive at 19h15.

October 20. 2009

They literally fly

Overspeed mode in the last 24 hours for the main protagonists of the race, the records of distance sailed in 24 hours are impressive. The leader Thomas Ruyant (Faber France) sailed yesterday 262,5 miles at 10.5 knots average speed. Stéphane Le Diraison (Cultison Marins sans frontière), which clings to the leading triumvirate, had sailed yesterday, 265 miles at 11 knots average. HP Schipman (Maison de l'avenir Urbatys) did 259.4 miles at 10.8 knots. And Francis Cuinet (Plan jardin) definitely does very welle on his plan Bouvet 2002 with a beautiful day at 240.7 miles (10 knots avg.). Bertrand Delesne (Entreprendre Durablement) and NNicolas Boidevezi (defi GDE) remain the kings of the race with, respectively, 273.1 miles (11.4 kts) and 272.9 thousand (11.4 kts.) on last September the 17th for the first and October the 10th for Boidevezi.

October 20. 2009

5 still in the Doldrums...

They are still 5 to be stuck in the Doldrums and follow the sinuous and winding roads... And the speed does not facilitate the search for the southerly wind. 3.9 knots for Staale Jordan,  Fabrice Germond is 1.57 (Stratus), 0.95 for Caroline Vieille (Fondation Jérôme Lejeune), 0.32 for Emmanuel Laurent (Domain des Thomeaux) and 0.25 for  Maxence Desfeux (Matmut)... And at the meantime, their mates are moving in the right direction at high speed. We might tell you then, again, that the instructions of race specify that the finish line is open for 10 days - not more - after the first of each category arrived.

October 20. 2009

Charlie widens the gap...

Inexorably, Charlie Dalin (Cherche sponsor - charliedalin.com) is widening the gap with the pack of pursuers... He is fast and on the right route. Two ingredients that make the difference and the differences are... the splits with Francisco Lobato (ROFF TMN) and Ricardo Apolloni (Ma vie pour Mapei). 21 nautical miles behind the first, 37 nautical miles for second, what is the magic ingredient used by Charlie that sails, regularly, 1 knot faster than the others? A headsail specially tailored for the reaching? To be continued... That will be interesting to ask him once in Salvador...

October 19. 2009

What about the ladies...

Quick update on the positions of the 6 girls participating to The Charente-Maritime/Bahia Transat 6,50.

Series boats: Daniela Klein (538 Tacchificio Monti) is 18th,1 028 miles from the finish and 128 miles of the leader; Sandrine Bertho (Hamtaro) is 33rd, 1 119 miles from the finish and 219 miles of Francisco Lobato (ROFF TMN ).

Prototypes: Anna Corbella (Gaes 385) is the first girl. She is ranked 17th, 973 miles from Salvador and 282 miles from Thomas Ruyant (Faber France). Marine Feuerstein (Un océan de couleurs) is 22nd at 1036 miles from the finish and 345 miles behind the leader. The Brazilian Izabel Pimentel (Petit bateau) is 27th and is 1326 miles from her country and 635 miles of the leader. Finally Caroline Vieille (Fondation Jérôme Lejeune), after two stops in the Canaries and Cape Verde is in 30th position, 1470 miles from the finish line and 779 miles from the head of the proto's race.