Leader Caudrelier has reason to smile as he climbs towards the NE’ly Trades
In a video broadcast yesterday afternoon, the leader of the ARKÉA ULTIM CHALLENGE-Brest Charles Caudrelier reported that the his last few days along the Brazilian coast have been difficult.
But the skipper of Maxi Edmond de Rothschild now is into moderate breezes, much more favorable conditions to accelerate his progress northwards. He remains 1,600 miles ahead of Armel Le Cléac’h who is second and 2,000 miles ahead of Thomas Coville in third, who continues to follow the coast of Argentina.
Caudrelier, shirtless and trying his best to profit from the warmth, smiled, “It’s been several days since I have given any news, the last few days have been difficult. The weather was getting worse day by day, which meant we had to make a lot of effort for little real gain. The wind conditions were quite changeable, the boat demanding, the sea, the wind irregular. I just couldn’t just get the boat to move forwards like I wanted!”
But now he is into warmer weather and flat seas, “It’s really nice, apart from the fact that I’m suffering a bit from the heat. I’m not going fast but it’s going faster than the routings and we’ve made good progress since yesterday. Things are going well.”
“The sea has finally calmed down, the east and south-east wind has also gone away, even if what he has now remains unstable,” explains Guillaume Evrard, assistant race director. “Now Charles will get closer to the coast and pass the Horn of Brazil to escape the lightest and unstable winds. He should get into the doldrums from this evening and pick up northeast winds within 48 hours.”
Behind Caudrelier, Armel Le Cléac’h (Maxi Banque Populaire XI) and Thomas Coville (Sodebo Ultim 3) continue to progress along the South American coast. “They are in fairly light downwind,” explains Evrard. “They have to deal with an anticyclone which is centered on Buenos Aires. It is to the North-East of Maxi Banque Populaire XI and to the South of Sodebo Ultim 3. Having to get past it should see Thomas lose ground slightly compared to Armel during the day.
Calmer for Antho’, tough again for Eric
While Caudrelier is suffering from the heat of the tropics, the ambient temperature exceeding 30°C, Anthony Marchand (4th) and Éric Péron (5th) it’s less than ten degrees. Marchand, skipper of Actual Ultim 3, had to face some pretty harsh conditions yesterday.
“Today, it will be a little more moderate,” explains Evrard. ”He is at the back of a very disturbed front with SW’ly wind which should take him as far as Cape Horn. “And he also has to relearn how to sail with a boat that heels a little more.”
1,200 miles further to the west, Éric Péron continues his route “in a fairly lively northwest flow”. “He is on the verge of a serious depression. The wind will get stronger during the day and it seems likely he will be overtaken by the weather phenomenon.”
Evrard concludes: “It’s going to be tough again for Éric!”
