Gitana 13 update - The Route de l’Or

by Gitana S.A media on 30 Jan 2008
On Wednesday 16 January, at 11:29.11 (UT), Gitana 13 crossed the line at the foot of Ambrose Lighthouse, the starting point for some of the most legendary record attempts, including the one begun today called the Route de l’Or.

No fewer than twelve yachts set out on this trail from 1854 to 1994, but only six of them ever reached San Francisco after it. The record dates back to 1998, when Yves Parlier and his crew finished the Route de l’Or in 57 days, 3 hours and 21 minutes.

Lionel Lemonchois and his crew on the Gitana 13, a 33-m-long maxi-catamaran kitted out by Baron Benjamin de Rothschild, embarked on their 2008 record-breaking spree at 8.00 pm French time. The Gitana Team’s program this year will include legendary trails from New York to London and the Asian coastline.

This world tour will stretch from January to October 2008 and involve six challenges, namely:

The Route de l’Or (The Gold Race) (New York to San Francisco via Cape Horn)
The North Pacific (San-Francisco to Yokohama)
Yokohama – Dalian
Dalian – Taipei
Taipei – Hong-Kong
The Route du Thé (the Tea Race) (Hong-Kong to London)

Latest report on their progress:

Off the coast of Buenos Aires.

Since Sunday afternoon, Gitana 13 has taken advantage of a sustained southeasterly wind to once again chalk up boat speeds more in keeping with its potential. Still cruising along the Uruguayan coast and nearing Argentina—the route chosen to keep a good distance from the Saint Helena high-pressure system—Lionel Lemonchois and his nine-man crew are preparing to enter another zone of unstable winds.

After several days during which they covered a small number of miles, the maxi-catamaran fitted out by Baron de Rothschild reached its stride again yesterday. “What a pleasure it is to do another day of 600-plus miles,” said Dominic Vittet, the onboard navigator. “It had been awhile since we’ve experienced that, it’s good for our morale knowing that we’re again picking up the pace. We’re still being careful, in order to protect the boat, but we’re also in a race against the clock to get from New York to San Francisco as quickly as possible!” said Vittet.

The clear sailing along the Latin American coast will be interrupted on Tuesday when the team encounters a stormy low-pressure system. The loss of speed is already perceptible this morning, as Gitana 13 jibed toward Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina. Fortunately, the maxi-catamaran should only be affected by this system for a few hours. According to Sylvain Mondon’s forecast, Lemonchois and his crew could enter catch another set of solid high-pressure system winds in the evening to help carry them toward Cape Horn.

The Gitana 13 crew - New York to San Francisco
Lionel Lemonchois (Skipper / helmsman / officer of the watch)
Dominic Vittet (navigator)
Thierry Duprey du Vorsent (helmsman / officer of the watch)
Ludovic Aglaor (helmsman / officer of the watch)
Olivier Wroczynski (adjuster / IT officer)
Fred Le Maistre (adjuster)
Nicolas Raynaud (adjuster / video officer)
David Boileau (N°2 / adjuster / fittings)
Léopold Lucet (N°1 / administration)
Florent Chastel (N°1 / adjuster)

http://www.gitana-team.com/en/