Caudrelier extends lead around world

(January 22, 2024; Day 16) – Charles Caudrelier, leader of the ARKEA ULTIM CHALLENGE-Brest, is passing the NE corner of the Kerguelen Islands exclusion zone, racing on a SE’ly course at around 35 knots as he plunges towards the ice exclusion zone. The skipper of 32-metre Maxi Edmond de Rothschild is expected to pass Cape Leeuwin in two days and Tasmania, gateway to the Pacific, a day or two later.

Caudrelier is some 1400 miles ahead of second placed Thomas Coville on the 32-metre Sodebo Ultim as the two skippers lead the fleet in the Indian Ocean. “When you pass the Cape of Good Hope, you enter the world of albatrosses,” said Coville. “This is their world, not ours. It’s rather like entering a ring-fenced area. It’s a very special moment.”

While positioned in third, Tom Laperche has been on course to Cape Town for repairs. He arrived early this morning, but was met by a wall of winds gusting to 50 to 60 knots along the coast. It was impossible to consider any kind of access the port, so his 32-metre SVR – Lazartigue had to stay on standby, hove too into the wind, waiting for better conditions.

The wind eventually died down, and four members of the team boarded the giant ULTIM later in the morning. Securing the boat and analyzing the damage are their two missions at the moment. Laperche was sent ashore so that he could rest and recover with some good sleep. With the wind still blowing heavily, the technical team has not yet been able to dock the giant multi in the port of Cape Town.

In fourth and fifth, Armel Le Cléac’h (Banque Populaire XI) and Anthony Marchand (Actual Ultim) are getting closer to the south after a long, circuitous detour round the west of the Saint Helena High. The two skippers are alongside each other, riding in in a small strip of wind against the ice exclusion zone

“We are finally heading East with the Cape of Good Hope coming up ahead soon, and it will be nice to get that left it behind us,” noted Marchand. “It’s starting to get colder and colder. The nights are very short, which is great.”

In sixth is Eric Péron on his 31-mtre Trimaran Adagio, the only boat without foiling appendages. “My route crossing the South Atlantic means that we can be faster on our trajectory towards the Cape of Good Hope, but there isn’t much wind,” he remarked. “The boat is doing well and I have managed to get some rest. It’s good that there are times when we can ease off. This is a long race and we need to keep at it.” He is 4200 nm off the lead.

Details: https://arkeaultimchallengebrest.com/en

The Ultim Class trimarans have a maximum length of 32 meters and a maximum width of 23 meters.

The solo speed record around the world was set in 2017 by François Gabart (FRA) on the 30m Macif trimaran in a time of 42d 14h 40m 15s for an average speed of 21.08 knots. This yacht has been rebranded and will be raced by Marchand.

Entrants:
• Charles Caudrelier (FRA), Maxi Edmond de Rothschild (2017 Verdier 32/23)
• Thomas Coville (FRA), Sodebo Ultim 3 (2019 VPLP/others 32/23)
• Tom Laperche (FRA), Trimaran SVR-Lazartigue (2021 VPLP 32/23)
• Armel Le Cléac’h (FRA), Maxi Banque Populaire XI (2021 VPLP 32/23)
• Anthony Marchand (FRA), Actual Ultim 3 (2015 VPLP 30/22)
• Éric Péron (FRA), Trimaran Adagio (2014 VPLP 31/21)*
* Only entrant without foiling appendages

Five rules from the Sailing Instructions:
• The start line is kept open for 168 hours and the finish line is closed after an elapsed time of 100 days after the start time, that is to say 16th April 2024.

• The skippers can communicate and exchange with their teams on shore, so they have the freedom to get weather information and be routed by their team on shore and get technical help and advice to help with technical problems.

• The solo skippers can stop but there are two distinct operations. A technical stop is unassisted and requires the sailor to drop anchor, take a mooring, or tie up alongside an anchored or moored boat with no external help. There is no time penalty for a technical stop. But for a technical stopover (escale technique) where one or more crew or technical team come on board to help, there is a mandatory 24 hours minimum. This does not apply to the start port of Brest where all means are authorized to reach or leave the port within a radius of 50 miles.

• For the first time in ocean racing, zones where there are known to be a high concentration of whales and sea mammals are determined. Establishing these zones should both protect the marine wildlife and reduce the chance of a collision. These zones are around the Azores, the Canaries, south of South Africa, the Kerguelens, and parts of the Antarctic.

• There are ice exclusion zones to protect the skippers and their boats.

Source: OC SPort Pen Duick