A leader who has made good his escape despite being handicapped by the lack of a mast wand, a competitor who has been systematically dropping places in the chasing pack, daily averages which don’t correspond with the weather conditions on the race zone... The questions were flying around this Saturday as to the reasons for these seemingly inexplicable differences… barring technical problems aboard. The first to reveal all during the radio session at the Paris Boat Show was Marc Guillemot (Safran): "Whilst hoisting sail this morning, I heard a loud 'crack': the end of the keel cylinder shaft which enables you to cant the keel had broken. It took me an hour to insert a blocking pin into the head of the keel which was swinging around. I even gybed involuntarily during this manoeuvre and I was sent flying. I felt pretty groggy and I've got quite a few bruises. A big calm zone is on its way though and even if we're not really racing anymore my aim is to finish and qualify for the Vendée Globe..."

Next up was Yann Eliès (Generali) who was leading the fleet yesterday, conceding over thirty miles this Saturday afternoon but keeping his woes close to his chest! “I've lost some ground on Loick as I have shifted across a bit to where he is.  The boat is not at 100% either as I've got a few sail issues, which I don't intend to share with you! (laughs). The situation is virtually ideal with trades for returning to Brittany, just about on the same tack the whole way. A Friday/Saturday finish would be tip top!” For the leader of the fleet, the seascape is slightly different, Loïck Peyron (Gitana Eighty) observing that he was progressively working his way into the Azores High: "The wind is gradually easing and I'm pleased to have got away from the fleet again. It's good to get worked up sometimes! I think I was actually better off without my mast wand yesterday (the latter broken). A big squall hit but I kept everything up and was heeled right over going through it. If I’d have known the wind speed I'd have probably been too frightened to do it! It looks like we're moving in the right direction in relation to the high pressure and we should get through it but it will be very close. I've been fine physically since the start but there will be a bit of work to do on the boat over the winter.”

 

Behind them the race rhythm is not letting up either as the boats have really been put to the test since the doldrums with some powerful tradewinds. Dee Caffari (Aviva) sounded in great shape nonetheless and managed to do just about all the radio session in French!: "I’m a bit tired. The wind has dropped and the conditions are better. There's a load of water washing over the deck and the wind is very shifty and it’s very uncomfortable. I've got some small problems and cannot fix them until the weather has improved more and the wind has dropped. There's a hole in my mainsail but I’m doing ok and 'c'est parti mon Kiki’!’ Jean-Baptiste Dejeanty (Maisonneuve) was also able to be contacted to explain his dip in the ranking over the past few hours: "I’m not doing well. I’ve got massive problems. I’m unable to use any of my headsails. It's a right bloody mess. The solent got pulled out 3 days ago and I've got no use of my genoa or staysail either. It was a great race until I lost a stay and narrowly avoided dismasting. I've got power problems too and other small issues but all those I can deal with. Right now I'm heading towards Brittany under mainsail and ORC alone. I've never retired from a race and I don't want to start now. I did envisage making a stopover but neither option will get me home any quicker so I'll just stick with it. I just hope this doesn't happen during the Vendee Globe!"

Armel Le Cléac'h (Brit Air) meantime is still under jury rig making just three knots as he waits for a charter yacht to supply him with diesel and freshwater. Bernard Stamm (Cheminées Poujoulat) is one of the only ‘limping boats’ to have made up some ground over the past few hours: "The wind has dropped a little but we’re still on the same point of sail with eased sheets: it’s slamming less, it’s calmer and I think that Mike Golding must have more worries than me for me to be able to pass him like that! I have a few little concerns too but nothing that affects the boat speed too much. I have broken my mainsail traveller car but I've rigged up a repair and it hasn't slowed me down a lot..." In short, the only solo sailor without any issues is British sailor Samantha Davies (Roxy): "I’m doing well and it's good to be on the water. I've got 20 knots of wind but it has been dropping off for 2 or 3 days now. I've got 13 knots of boat speed under 1 reef and staysail. I'm trying to catch Yannick (Bestaven), which is really motivating. He’s going really fast though so I’m battling to stay in touch and I can’t see him anymore. I’m trying everything though. I’m happy but frustrated not to be the boat in front!"

Whilst the leaders have nearly sailed two thirds of the course and are sailing off the Canaries, hardly any of our solo sailors are free from damage, to a greater or lesser extent: three days against the wind in choppy seas weigh heavy on the structures, the sails, the appendages, the rigs... and the sailors. A number of them will go into ‘preserving gear' mode but the competition stakes remain high and the easing high pressure should enable each of them to get some respite and recharge their body batteries a little. Attempts at resolving at least some of the technical issues may also be part of the game plan. After the storm, which will sweep across the coast of Brittany on Sunday, the solo sailors should be greeted by downwind conditions to complete this Transat Ecover-BtoB, which will have taught the sailors and shore crews alike a good number of lessons...

Quotes from the boats:

 

Armel Le Cleac’h (Brit Air): “I’m making headway slowly. I’ve been motor-sailing under jury rig for the past 2.5 days using my remaining starboard outrigger and a little storm sail. The latter doesn't really serve any purpose other than making the boat a bit more stable. I'm making 3 knots towards the NW and closing a little on Cape Verde, though it's still 400 miles away! It'll be a good week before I get there so a yacht is liaising with me from Saint Vincent to supply me with diesel and water, so I can make the island later on.

 

Marc Guillemot (Safran): “It’s a right mess down below but the keel's still there!! I've called Kito (de Pavant), not to frighten him but simply to warn him about the problem in case there's a fault in the system given that we have the same boats.”

 

Yann Elies (Generali): “I was away with the sandman there as I’ve just finished hoisting the sails and tidying up a bit after 3 fairly intensive days.  Conditions have eased a little. I’ve got 16/17 knots of wind and it's not slamming anymore. It's also a little less wet. It certainly makes a pleasant change from crawling around on all fours down below.”

Translation Kate Jennings