- A breakage aboard HBF-Reforest’Action forces her to become the first Class 40 boat to abandon the race
- Sam Davies chases the IMOCA leaders whilst Leyton wins a night-time duel in the Ocean Fifty.
HBF-Reforest’Action has withdrawn from the race. Kito de Pavant and Gwen Gbick saw their bowsprit explode under the pressure of the gennaker while sailing at 20 knots. Without this piece of rigging, it is impossible to hoist the headsails that are essential for the rest of the race.
With the front of the fleet having compressed overnight, Britons Brian Thompson and Alistair Richardson are 17th in the leading pack.
However there’s a chasing group, that includes Croatia Full of Life co-skippered by former world champion skier Ivica Kostelic and Japan’s Masa Suzuki aboard Milai, who are steaming in and could really mix up the leaderboard.
IMOCA fleet leader LinkedOut is widening the gap on its two closest rivals Charal and Apivia. The doldrums have so far, not slowed the leading 60 footers too much although there’s still a long 250 miles ahead of them before they escape.
Briton Sam Davies on her older generation boat, Initiatives Coeur, is in fourth place 200 miles behind the leader whilst USA’s Charlie Enright is 100 miles further back in 11th on board 11th Hour Racing Team’s Malama.
In the Ocean Fifty the 50-foot multihulls have been on a speed run towards their waypoint at Fernando de Noronha. 60 miles behind the leader Primonial is a three-way battle for second between Koesio, Leyton and Solidaires en Peloton-ARSEP.
With 35 knots on the speedo, the Ultime Maxi Edmond de Rothschild is clocking up the miles towards their second course mark, San Pedro and San Paulo, which they will have to leave to port before setting course for Martinique.
The challenge for the leaders will be to negotiate a second passage through the doldrums which is still not very stable and could well slow them down on the final stretch of the course.
Transat Jacques Vabre – Positions 18 November at 10:00 hrs UK
CLASS40
1. Volvo – Distance to destination 2330,84
2. Redman – Distance to destination 2342,90
3. Edenred – Distance to destination 2349,71
OCEAN FIFTY
1. Primonial – Distance to destination 1951,83
2. Leyton – Distance to destination 2006,23
3. Koesio – Distance to destination 2009,12
IMOCA
1. LinkedOut- Distance to destination 2716,27
2. Charal – Distance to destination 2765,9
3. Apivia – Distance to destination 2773,5
ULTIMES
1. Maxi Edmond de Rothschild – Distance to destination 2765,51
2. Banque Populaire XI – Distance to destination 3149,26
3. SVR – Lazartigue – Distance to destination 3259,3
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