ARKEA ULTIM CHALLENGE-Brest solo round the world race leader Charles Caudrelier sailed into the Pacific Ocean last night after setting a new solo record time for the passage of the Indian Ocean between Cape Agulhas in South Africa and the longitude of Tasmania.
On the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild Caudrelier passed Cape South East, the Tasmanian longitude at 00:03:10hrs UTC Sunday morning.
With a passage time of 8d 8h 20′ and 36′, the 49 year old French skipper broke Thomas Coville’s 2016 record by 3hrs 57 minutes. Caudrelier’s average speed in the Indian Ocean has been a remarkable 30.7kts.
The absolute record for the Indian Ocean is held by Francis Joyon at exactly seven days.
Joyon sailed IDEC Sport with a crew of six and, unrestricted by any ice limits such as the AEZ imposed on this course, sailed very much further south and therefore covered a shorter distance.
And, also subject to approval by the WSSRC, Charles Caudrelier has already set one transoceanic record on this race.
On Thursday January 25, the skipper of Gitana Team also set a new best solo reference time between Ushant and Cape Leeuwin. He improved on the time established by François Gabart in 2017 by 1d 8h, 25′ 55”
Caudrelier was making a steady 32 knots Sunday morning in the Pacific and sees his lead grow to nearly 1900 miles over second placed Thomas Coville (Sodebo Ultim 3) who is about 110 miles from Cape Leeuwin Sunday evening.
Armel Le Cléac’h (Banque Populaire XI) continues to close on second placed Coville.
Saturday at 15:04hrs UTC Anthony Marchand returned through the reference gate to complete his technical stopover and resume racing. His technical team members took full advantage of the 24 hours minimum stopping time and removed Actual Ultim 3’s damaged port foil, but also repaired anything else that needed attention.
He crossed paths with Adagio which was on its way in to Cape Town.
Since Éric Péron said he would make a stopover, his technical team has been hard at work. Coach Elliott Le Dem headed to South Africa on Friday; the same day, the part to be replaced in the rudder system was delivered after machining.
Next day boat captain Loïc Le Mignon left Brest for Cape Town, the part in his suitcase. And Saturday, Éric Péron reached Cape Town, which he was expected to leave at 17:57hrs UTC this Sunday, in accordance with the 24 hour minimum, which he and his team fully expect to have adhered to.
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