MACIF and IDEC SPORT engaged in a thrilling wrestle off the coast of Ireland. They casually displayed skill by manrouvering between the Loire estuary and Belle-Ile, by extricating the first, last night, of the quiet area and showing their opponents. After their transfer to starboard tack that night (close to the heart of the No. 1 depression) the two leaders were able to sail up to 20 knots in the north winds that blow on the back of the vortex. At the same time, they came head to head and approached the direct route. The battle against the Queen Mary 2 is not so humiliating for these sailors, who are accustomed to record breaking.
Behind, SOBEDO ULTIME are not very happy . They are not out of the race but received a first upper cut that really hurts. Vincent Riou was worried that his two opponents benefited favourably for these next two hours and so they are concerned.
For ACTUAL, it's even worse. After successfully sailing along the coast of Brittany, they are struggling to compete with their competitors. Their laborious exit out of the quiet area proved to be a fatal blow. Pushing towards the North, they eventually caught up with the North Westerly wind and will continue to make the bows steam in the next 36 hours.
The strategy of the next few hours is not a smooth one and has surely has been the topic of much with the teams. Before the depression D2, that was punctured last night by Queen Mary, 2 joins D1, the Atlantic will provide a time-out for the crews. It will be the great and long-awaited Northwestern descent that is expected to reduce the gap of Queen Mary 2. Stay North? Speed to shift South? The idea of sailing under the HP Center yesterday is not looking so good, (green line), the prospect of a beating the Ice Exclusion Zone is close. (pink line). Diverting a few icebergs on the South East, the whims of the Labrador current have forced the race Committee to stretch the famous forbidden zone. The amendment was sent to competitors and It is now for them to play...