Arkéa Ultim Challenge - Brest day 12 morning update

The Big South has struck but Caudrelier charges on at near record speeds

While Tom Laperche (SVR Lazartigue) suffered damage to his daggerboard and case at around 0430hrs this morning and the blue trimaran has been slowed back to 13-14 kts, positioned some 1200 nautical miles west of Cape Town, race leader Charles Caudrelier (Maxi Edmond de Rothschild) has been making high average speeds, seemingly teasing the existing solo 24 hours record of 851 miles set in November 2017 by Francois Gabart.

The collision with an unknown object has put a sudden end to the great duel between Caudrelier and the race's youngest skipper, 26 year old Laperche. Reports from the team say the daggerboard well is damaged and a significant water ingress has occurred. The ingress has been stabilized, probably consolidated by watertight compartments and a pump which will be evacuating the water coming into the boat. The damage, just at the gateway to the big south, changes priorities for Laperche who is now in safety mode supported by Race Direction, the SVR- Lazartigue team and Mer Concept.

Maintaining average speeds of over 35 knots for many hours, Charles Caudrelier is extending his lead rapidly. At 0600hrs UTC this Thursday morning he had made 835 miles over the last 24 hours. He is threatening the 24-hour solo distance record which is still held by François Gabart, established on his solo round-the-world record set at 851 miles. But, for sure, having lost his closest rival now Caudrelier will be shaken and pacing himself as required rather than harbouring any thoughts of records.

Coville's challenge

Caudrelier's nearest competitor is now Thomas Coville who is making good progress in his northwest, 566 miles behind Maxi Edmond de Rothschild. The skipper of Sodebo 3 is still doing his best to stay as far ahead of the low pressure front as possible, a system which he might be able to ride all the way to the Kerguelens. Coville may gybe south to make the most of the southwest wind that strengthen in the next few hours. And under the Cape of Good Hope and eastwards the ice safety barrier will mean multiple gybes. Eight years ago, during his own 49 days solo round-the-world record, Coville achieved the incredible feat of completing 21 gybes in 24 hours on this same part of the globe, when he was looking to take advantage of a thin corridor of favourable wind. That is a legendary sequence that he will not need to repeat, but he is a sailor famous for his incredible focus and work ethic At 1700 and 1870 miles behind the leader, Actual Ultim 3 and the Maxi Banque Populaire XI are struggling slightly with an anticyclone to their south. Its center should cross their course which will require them to head more directly south rather than SE. But there they will then be able to ride a new depression which is coming in from the west.

Adagio in the south!

And last night, Éric Péron crossed the equator. "It is an important crossing for me with the change in direction of the Coriolis force (ed note websearch 'Coriolis effect'), which influences the wind, the water, the current," said the skipper of Adagio. "It is also the gateway to the South Atlantic, the Indian Ocean, the start of a great a new adventure."

Péron revelaed he offered King Neptune several triangles of his favourite chocolate, who "wasn't very cool with us today", by offering him one or two triangles of his favourite chocolate.

Follow the race tracking on www.arkeaultimchallengebrest.com/en