In the final stage of their Jules Verne Trophy circumnavigations, both Sodebo 3 and IDEC Sport face a possible record smashing storm.
Approaching the Azores, Sodebo 3 of Skipper Thomas Coville and his crew are 640 nm ahead of record breaking pace.
Estimated arrival is between Saturday evening, 24 January and Sunday, 25 January.
Thursday 22 January at 23:00 hrs (UK) they were sailing at 28 knots with 1,368 nm to go of the route back to Quessant, France, with the intention to pass south-east of the Azores.
Wind is building, presently 17 knots with 2.7m waves, increasing to 40+ knots as they approach Storm Ingrid off Portugal and the Bay of Biscay. The plan seems to be to keep a 90°TWA as they encounter the worst on the final approach.
They are 38 days and 3 hrs into their attempt to break the circumnavigation record set by Francis Joyon on IDEC Sport in 2017 of 40 days 23 h 30 m 30 sec.
Just ahead of them are the all female crew of the Famous Project CIC on IDEC Sport, who are at day 54 of their circumnavigation, which has been plagued by a damaged mainsail hoist.
Having to nurse their damaged boat through the gathering Storm Ingrid.
As conditions worsen they are sheltering near Terceira in the Azores rather than tempting fate. Storm Ingrid is set to rage over the next 48 hours off the Iberian Peninsula and as far as the tip of Brittany.
On Saturday morning they hope they will they will be able to brave the still rough conditions to head directly for Ushant and the coveted finish line, which they could cross on Monday morning, 26 January.
At the north of Terceira in the Azores, they have their torn main secured at the second reef and are sailing at 10 knots in 30+ knots of wind and waves of 4.9m (expected to reach between 8 and 9.5 meters) with 1,101 nm still to sail.
