Banque Populaire team has confirm that the ULTIM Maxi Baque Populaire XI has suffered damage to the central rudder after an incident.
In a message distributed late Thursday morning, the Banque Populaire team confirmed that Armel Le Cléach’s ULTIM Maxi Baque Populaire XI, has suffered damage and is diverting to a Brazilian port.
He has been lying in second place since racing in the Pacific. According to the team, “Several options are being studied to diagnose the damage and to consider how to approach the rest of the race”.
He had to make a technical stopover in Recife, Brazil on 16th January during the outwards phase of this solo multihull race round the world.
Second placed Armel Le Cléac’h had been gaining on race leader Charles Caudrelier, reducing the gap by more than 1100 miles before he reported the damage and change of course.
ARKEA ULTIM CHALLENGE-Brest leader Charles Caudrelier on Maxi Edmond de Rothschild is still slowed, sailing at 11kts off the Brasilian coast, some 100 miles SE of Recife with just over 600 miles to make to cross the Equator.
Caudrelier’s problematic ascent of the Atlantic should progressively become more straightforward as he gets into a better breeze tonight.
The third skipper, Thomas Coville (Sodebo Ultim 3), back in the Atlantic and on the homeward route was 400 miles behind Le Cléac’h when he diverted.
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