Class40 leader Telecom Italia finds new breeze

by OC Events on 28 May 2008 Soldini's torture in the high-pressure ridge off the coast of North America came to an end late on Monday night and as the 12 hour position blackout lifted, Telecom Italia had hooked into the new south-westerly breeze and was charging westwards with the finish in sight.

74 miles behind Soldini, Boris Herrmann in second place had changed down to staysail and first reef as the breeze began to build at around 0700GMT: 'I'm a bit under pressured at the moment with this sail plan, but soon it will be perfect.' One reason for early preparation was fatigue. 'I'm a bit tired this morning,' confessed Herrmann, although the cause was unexpected: 'The telephone is ringing all the time and I couldn't sleep.' With the finish line just 270 miles away, excitement is building in the Beluga Racer supporters club: 'My sponsor called, the ex-owner of the boat also called and some friends. The time difference between here and Europe is not ideal,' he explained as the sun began to rise behind the German Class40 at 1030GMT. Asked if his sponsor was happy, Herrmann's reply was deadpan: 'I think so, yes. They told me I had to win and I think that still could be a bit difficult, but even if I don't, I think they'll be happy with the result.'

The 27 year-old German is uncertain about the weather ahead: 'If I look at my routing, just before I arrive in Marblehead tomorrow, the wind will die, but it is difficult to predict.' There is one scenario that Herrmann would like to avoid: 'Several years ago, I spent my birthday floating around on my Mini Transat in the bay off St. Malo,' he recalls. 'Tomorrow is my birthday and I really don't want to spend the day drifting around just in front of the finish line.' This afternoon, Beluga Racer trails Telecom Italia by 85 miles, a loss of 11 miles since dawn, as Soldini continues to deliver the highest speeds in the fleet at 10.6 knots with 188 miles remaining to the finish line.

In third place, 49 year-old Thierry Bouchard was weary for less social reasons: 'I'm really pretty tired,' he admitted, the fatigue in his voice clearly audible. 'The last few days have been really tough and this shows in the position polls, which are a bit average at the moment.' Far from cursing his Akilaria 40, Mistral Loisirs - Pole Sante ELIOR, Bouchard shoulders the burden of blame: 'It's not the boat, it's me. I just can't make it go any faster.' Bouchard has maintained 2nd or 3rd place since Day 8 of The Artemis Transat and 19 days in the front three have taken their toll: 'Two more tacks to the finish line.' he said wistfully before signing-off. However, aware that the entire fleet receive The Artemis Transat Class40 update, the wily Frenchman may be dabbling in psychological warfare as Mistral Loisirs - Pole Sante ELIOR has increased her lead over 4th place Groupe Royer since speaking with the race office, remaining 21 miles ahead of Louis Duc.

By contrast, Fujifilm's skipper was in typically bullish form this morning: 'If you speak to Mistral Lois..whatever he's called, tell him I'm coming to get him,' Alex Bennett told the race office earlier. The breeze filled in at around 1800-1900GMT last night for Fujifilm and the decision to reposition south has been a winner: 'We've put 50 miles on Miranda [40 Degrees] and I don't know if she's had any issues on board, but it looks like we've done it.' Yesterday, Fujifilm and Groupe Royer were within sight of each other as a high-pressure ridge engulfed the fleet: 'We reeled him in during the afternoon and then parked-up,' Bennett explains. 'I managed to work to windward of him so I got the south-westerly breeze first and then he shot off north with the spinnaker up!' This move by Louis Duc, claims Bennett, is a bad mistake and he plans to keep Fujifilm on - or just south - of the direct route to Marblehead to be in a good position when the wind turns to the north-west as he approaches the finish. Perhaps Duc didn't like the close company, but the young French sailor has since curbed his enthusiastic flight north and leads Bennett by just seven miles, four miles of latitude further north. This morning, Fujifilm was in 15-20 knots of SW breeze sailing with one reef and the genoa flying on a furler with makeshift repairs: 'Every mile we do with this sail configuration is a bonus,' Bennett admits. 'It [the repaired furler] could fall down at any moment, or it could last the entire race. The lashings holding it together look bullet proof to me.'

Miranda Merron confirms that keeping 40 Degrees north was an unlucky call: 'The others have found a lot more wind than was showing [on the weather files], they got picked up, so their route seems to have worked more than mine,' she wrote this morning. Since 0600GMT yesterday, 40 Degrees has dropped from fourth place to seventh after committing to the northern option. 'That's the annoying thing about this sport, one different 'take' on the weather and you are flung down the leader board!' Merron's decision was based on text book weather analysis and she remains pragmatic over the outcome: 'It is not like I took a radical route, the way I came looked like a perfectly sensible option but it hasn't worked.' However, unsticking from the light airs yesterday was exhausting and she has taken drastic measures to combat fatigue: 'I had officially run out of energy,' she admits, 'and I was talking to myself a bit just so that I wouldn't cock up any manoeuvres.'

Prevoir Vie joined 40 Degrees in the north and Benoit Parnaudeau is very relaxed about the decision: 'Everything is cool right now,' he reassured the race office via satellite phone. 'The sea is flat, the sun is shining and the boat is sailing herself.' This afternoon, Prevoir Vie is in eighth place, 14 miles behind 40 Degrees. 'I'm spending some time in my bunk, then I get up, check the sails, check the sky and then get some more rest.' Parnaudeau may give the impression that he is just along for the ride, but the competition in the race is personally essential: 'I really love this race,' he declared this morning. 'It's because there have been so many elements involved; some really big surprises with the weather, constant tactical options and the positions in the fleet are always changing dramatically.'

Trailing Parnaudeau by 44 miles this afternoon, Groupe Partouche has held ninth or tenth place the majority of the race with a brief appearance in seventh place five days ago. 'Ever since the start of the race, my tool kit has always been open,' a very frustrated Christophe Coatnoan told the race office earlier. 'My engine was overheating, I blew out a headsail in the storm a couple of days ago and now I've got a small leak around the keel.' The leak is not serious and the water is removed with minimal sponging, but Coatnoan is unable to push the boat close to the limit.

In 11th place, Simon Clarke and Clarke Offshore Racing trails Groupe Partouche by 57 miles and continues hard on the wind, having hitched north overnight: 'I could have done without losing another 20 miles last night, which is really frustrating,' he told the race office this morning. 'I couldn't risk staying down there if the breeze ran out, so I climbed north.' Becoming isolated from the fleet is obviously hard on Clarke, although there is no hint of self-pity nor any complaints of bad luck or bad breeze: 'It's a real shame for Miranda,' he said earlier with obvious feeling. 'She's been proved wrong with her move north yesterday, so she's the one you should feel sorry for. She had a bloody good race and then lost it all yesterday.' Denied involvement with the heat of battle 80 miles to the west, he is keeping a close eye on the fleet while making the best speed to the finish: 'I might be wrong, though. She might just squeeze back in.'

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