Arkéa Ultim Challenge - Brest day 14 morning update

Caudrelier charge continues with 820 miles 24hr run

Skippers on the ARKÉA ULTIM CHALLENGE-Brest are into their second weekend at sea since starting from Brest on Sunday 7th January. Leader Charles Caudrelier has maintained speeds in excess of 35kts through the night to notch up a 24 hrs run of 825 nautical miles now in the Indian Ocean. He is widely predicted to make a very fast crossing to Cape Leeuwin. Thomas Coville should pass the Cape of Good Hope in the evening while Armel Le Cléac'h and Anthony Marchand are working clear of the Saint Helena high pressure. Éric Péron, who is pointed at the latitude of Brazil, should be able to take a more direct route across the Saint Helena anticyclone and 'cut the cheese' (as the French call cutting across the system rather than round).

Charles Caudrelier is well into the Indian Ocean and, while he expressed his sympathy at the time for the fate of Tom Laperche, he will no doubt be quietly relieved to be clear of the tip of South Africa where there is a heightened risk of hitting debris and sea mammals. The conditions are ideal with winds just over 20 knots of wind allowing him to keep the high speeds in relatively flat water "He has a nice angle along the ZEA (ice exclusion zone)," says Pierre Hays from race direction HQ in Brest. He has ideal conditions for going fast and covering distance. He should continue on this tack at least until tomorrow morning, Afterwards, the models are a little different and it could go a little north."

Coville at the Cape of Good Hope this evening

Behind, Thomas Coville, now in second on Sodebo Ultim 3, has a different wind regime. He should pass the Cape of Good Hope in the evening, probably between 1900hrs and 2100hrs UTC. "He still has a little less than 500 miles to go," says Hays. "He will have some options over the next few days, as there are two weather systems coming together," confirms the assistant Race Director, " Thomas could either go north or continue to follow the ZEA."

Victim of damage last Thursday, Tom Laperche saw Thomas Coville overtake him from the South yesterday. The skipper of SVR-Lazartigue is progressing at around fifteen knots and continues to head towards Cape Town where his technical team will be. "It is still difficult to estimate his arrival but it could be next Tuesday," comments Hays.

The ZEA slightly has been slightly modified

More than 1,300 miles further west, Armel Le Cléac'h (Maxi Banque Populaire, 4th) and Anthony Marchand (Actual, 5th) continue to work round anticyclone, skirting the ZEA. "They are progressing at around twenty knots with a North-Easterly regime. They wind will move a little to the which will be a little more favorable in terms of speed."

Éric Péron continues his descent off the Brazilian coast. The skipper of ULTIM ADAGIO had to deal with a mainsail sheet problem which had kept him up through Thursday to Friday as his router, David Lanier, explained yesterday. He was then able to regain speed and continue his progress in the South. Above all, the current weather conditions should allow him to follow the direct route and not ga ll the way round the anticyclone like Anthony Marchand and Armel Le Cléac'h but to head directly towards the Cape. So Péron will benefit from a slightly shorter and more direct route to the first big milestone of his race.

And race direction slightly modified the ZEA (the ice exclusion zone) yesterday as icebergs were spotted south of Kerguelen. "It prevents boats from passing south of Kerguelen but it should not impact them much since they should all go north," concludes Pierre Hays.

Follow the race tracking on www.arkeaultimchallengebrest.com/en