THE THIRTEENTH NIGHT. The long windless zone that had been capturing the skippers’ full attention is already starting to become a reality with just over 1,000 nautical miles (1,852 km) left to go until the finish. The fleet is tight, and there are many uncertainties. For now, the top three, Wings of the Ocean (Alexis Thomas and Pauline Courtois, 1st), Cap St Barth (Cindy Brin and Thomas André, 2nd), and Skipper Macif (Charlotte Yven and Hugo Dhallenne, 3rd), are holding firm in the lead. But the balance seems so fragile…

Within the fleet, everyone is racking their brains. The windless zone blocking the fleet’s path – a long blue expanse on the map – will change everything. ” The question is how to get around it ,” assures Quentin Vlamynck (Les Étoiles Filantes). ” The files don’t say the same thing, it’s still very open,” emphasizes Estelle Greck (Région Bretagne CMB Espoir). “Clearly, we’ll meet up in six days and keep our fingers crossed!” “It’s going to be a new phase of the race, the battle will be fierce up front and for us too,” adds Tiphaine Rideau (Banques Alimentaires). ” It’s going to make the Transat Paprec even more incredible! ” Romain Bouillard (Décrochons la lune) says the same thing: ” There could be a new start that calls everything into question. The first could finish last and the last first! “

The beginnings of the soft zone are already being felt

So, everyone is working hard like the first day, giving it their all, putting in the watches and, above all, not giving up. For the moment, the forces present seem to have changed little. ” It’s in line with what we said yesterday ,” explains Francis Le Goff. “Everyone is aiming for the same passage to the North to get around this low pressure center .” The fleet continues to tighten up even though this Saturday morning, Wings of the Ocean (Alexis Thomas and Pauline Courtois, 1st), Cap St Barth (Cindy Brin and Thomas André, 2nd) and Skipper Macif (Charlotte Yven and Hugo Dhallenne, 3rd, positioned 10 miles further South) still occupy the provisional podium. Behind, if the fleet seems grouped in the same corridor – Francis Le Goff spoke yesterday of a “small road” – Quentin Vlamynck and Audrey Ogereau (Les Étoiles Filantes, 4th) managed to get closer to the leading trio by being positioned slightly further north. For the rest, most are progressing further south like Demain (Martin Le Pape and Mathilde Géron, 5th), Région Bretagne CMB Espoir (Victor Le Pape and Estelle Greck, 6th), or Laure Galley and Kévin Bloch (DMG MORI Academy, 7th). ” The fleet is quite spread out, there are different options, we will have to wait and see what works ,” says Chloé Le Bars (FAUN, 8th). The beginnings of the windless zone are already being felt. Aboard Décrochons la lune, Romain Bouillard speaks of a ” huge blow” : ” we were making good progress and suddenly zero. Waves, clouds, no wind, and we’re at 3 knots .” He’s not the only one to have experienced “light airs” and very weak wind zones. This has been the case in recent hours for Skipper Macif and Demain.

Soon the “great moment of truth”

The skippers will continue their progress like this until tomorrow morning. Then, a new choice will have to be made. One route recommends gybing to take a direct route to Saint-Barthélemy, skirting the light wind zones. Another opts for a slightly longer but less perilous route to the north. ” This decision will be the race’s big moment of truth,” assures Francis. “The leaders will undoubtedly tend to find a middle path between these two options, even if it means adjusting as they progress .” In any case, there is still ” a certain stability ” regarding the ETAs (estimated times of arrival). The entire fleet should arrive in 36 hours, and the first are still expected on Thursday, May 8. ” Some models suggest an arrival in Saint-Barth as early as the morning or early in the night, ” confides the race director. ” The truth will probably be somewhere in between .”

NEWS FROM THE BOARD

It’s all a question of perspective, even ocean racing. So when Maggie Adamson and Calanach Finlayson play with a selfie stick, you’re guaranteed a thrill: you go under the hull, along the mast, along the bow, and you too get to breathe deeply. It offers a great insight into what sailors are currently experiencing, between sunny spells, squalls, and the fear of getting bogged down.

Quentin Vlamynck and Audrey Ogereau (Les Étoiles Filantes) filmed themselves crossing a squall and then racing at high speeds. Adrien Simon and Chloé Le Bars (FAUN) took stock under an overcast sun while Annaëlle Pattuch and Hugo Cardon (Humains en actions) crossed paths with Mael Garnier and Catherine Hunt (Selencia Serfrance). Davy Beaudart (Hellowork) immortalized the fateful moment when the alarm woke his co-skipper, Julie Simon, Thomas de Dinechin (Almond for Pure Ocean) worked on the weather under the watchful eye of his stuffed animal, “petit bison” and Corentin Horeau (Région Bretagne – CMB Océane) prepared a pasta dish with charcuterie and parmesan that delighted Lola Billy…