This night, as they left the Northern western flow, the four competitors left -once and for all the vast system of low pressure which developed in the West of Europe.
During the night, as they approached the quiet zone which developed in the North of the Azores anticyclone, the wind dropped again seriously. Undoubtedly, it will not threaten Queen Mary 2’s performance, who has crossed, under some rain this morning, the enormous front generated by the depression D3, and now is ahead of the boats.
Lining up
The first ones to put their bows in this ridge, lost, of course, some miles on their competitors. It is the case of Macif on IDEC sport, then IDEC sport on Sodebo Ultim ', and even of Sodebo Ultim ' on Actual, who took advantage of this lifetime opportunity to win a hundred miles on the trio.
But this morning, the elastic stretched the other way. First one to get into the slack, but also first one to be out of it, Macif lengthened the stride and begins its long port tacks towards the boundary ice zone which he should reach it on Friday morning towards 8HTU. Others follow with some delay before they reach as well the best of the Southwest-West wind and hope to limit catastrophes with the previous boat. All would certainly like to take the leader's place, but at the moment, it is not easy, in this 200 miles wide corridor, to imagine another strategy or the slightest small attack which could allow a small gap and sow doubt in the leader’s head.
Between the routing of yesterday (Wednesday) and the one from today, the strategy diverges especially after the ice zone where the Bermuda’s anticyclone is uncertain as the weather forecasts changes regularly. (Red Circle: expected boat positions on Saturday at 12 am).
It will be necessary to be patient because some opportunities could be given and could make it harder for Macif who is far from winning the race. First uncertainty, François Gabart plans a rotation of the wind in the Northwest at the very moment when he will reach the restricted zone. This maneuver could be perfect unless the seesaw takes a long time to come. It could force him to tack, while the wind would still be southwest.
Obviously, behind, without admitting it clearly, we are waiting for a “faux pas”. By later entering on the ZEG, IDEC sport and Sodebo Ultim "will have additional room to maneuverer and could reduce the gap with the leader.
In this part of the race where the weather forecasts can be quite random, anything is possible. The depression could accelerate or that the Bermudian anticyclone, which should migrate northward in the next days, could change trajectory and make way for a new disturbance off New York…
In brief, no panic. Routings up to the Verazanno bridge come and go according to the not so reliable files. Still a few regatta days to know really who is going win
Dominic Vittet