After two weeks at sea, it’s now becoming extremely close on the Brest Atlantiques, as the fleet approach Cape Town.
Maxi Edmond de Rothschild of Franck Cammas and Charles Caudrelier, currently leading the race, were first to arrive at the Ice Exclusion Zone and found themselves caught under the Saint Helena high, and this forced to tack with a light wind behind them.
They have had to make six gybes and are expected to arrive at Cape Town on Wednesday evening.
While behind them MACIF, in second position by 135 miles, made two gybes. Thanks to the gradual move northwards of the high, Actual Leader and Sodebo Ultim 3 were able to sail straight ahead without gybing at all.
This will be the second and final race mark, and where the fourth trimaran, Sodebo Ultim 3, is expected to stop about ten hours later.
What will happen in the next 24 hours?
Sodebo Ultim 3 of Thomas Coville and Jean-Luc Nélias will stop to take a closer look at the damage to their starboard rudder before sailing round Robben Island.
They’ll leave the island on the port side before attacking the return route to Brittany.
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