La Charente-Maritime/Bahia Transat 6,50 D-1, reset…

Analysis of the second stage by Denis Hugues – Race Director
« The second stage takes the yachtsmen into the southern hemisphere. They’ll head down towards the Canaries, where they won’t be required to pick up any proof of passage. There’ll be a few opportunities to get ahead of the game between the islands of the archipelago, where the winds often pick up speed. But they’ll have to watch out for the significant becalming effect caused by the mountainous terrain on some islands (Tenerife, whose highest point stands at 3700 metres, creates a becalming effect for up to 30 nautical miles). The competitors will then find themselves following the trade winds to Cape Verde, where the Minis’ position as they sail through the archipelago will decide which direction they take to go through the famous Doldrums. The marker point is still between Maio, the easternmost island in the archipelago, and San Antao, the westernmost. This course mark will enable the fleet to group together for safety reasons. They’ll then have to position themselves as well as possible to approach the Doldrums, the inter-tropical convergence zone where the winds from the northern hemisphere meet those of the southern hemisphere. It’s a particularly tricky buffer zone where the boats can be without wind for hours and then suddenly get caught up in a 50-knot squall! You therefore need to be on your toes the whole time to make sure you get out of the area as fast as possible. Some competitors may be caught out on the way through, and there may be a few surprises. Once across the Equator, and having made the traditional offering to Neptune (sailors’ tradition oblige), the competitors will pick up the southeast trade wind that will take them to Salvador de Bahia. The ideal route is to go as far west as possible on the Equator and the Doldrums and emerge as far to the east as possible: a Kafkaesque situation, as the dominant winds in the southern hemisphere will be east and south-east! In 2003, there were a number of surprises three days from the finishing line. Some of the favourites lost their masts as a result of a stationary front over Salvador de Bahia that created a very strong swell … Nothing is every finished! Obviously, all the competitors, from first to last, will be awaited with the same eagerness on the jetties of Salvador de Bahia!”

Weather trends… by Météo Consult.
The presence of depression from Morocco to Guinea will lead to the development of unstable current sector NNE in the direction of Canaries. These depressions will stop the evolution of high near Azores. Low to moderate, wind will be strengthened between the Canaries and Cape Verde. This will promote the speed and will force competitors to many gybes. They should however be very careful because it will remain conducive to the development of thunderstorms.

Thursday, October 13, 2011
Low flows slightly unstable NNE force 3 towards the open sea. Sunny weather. The wind strengthens to 4 Beaufort at night.

Friday, October 14, 2011
The wind becomes more organized sector NNE 4 Beaufort. The air mass becomes unstable to the NW of the Canary Islands. This increases risks of storms.

Saturday 15 and Sunday October 16, 2011

With the approach of the Canary Islands on Saturday, may be wind turn to NE. With The passage of the Canaries, the instability is growing. The air becomes very unstable south of the Canaries. The risk of thunderstorms and strong gusts becomes higher in the afternoon and at night. If wind conditions remain through next Sunday, the air mass could becomes very unstable with strong thunderstorms and severe squalls.

Trend for next week
Persistence of the NNE moderate winds for the start of week, stronger near Cape Verde. The instability will decrease.

Figures and gaps:
28 minutes between Sébastien Rogues and David Raison (747 - TeamWork Evolution) and 1 hour 32 minutes between Sébastien and Jorg Riechers (753 - Mare.de). They are 20 prototypes in 12 hours...
On the side of series, Benoit is 51 minutes ahead of Clement Bouyssou (514 - Douet Distribution) and 1 hour 28 minutes ahead of Davy Beaudart (Innovea Environnement). They are 16 within 12 hours ...
Yet, nothing is definitive - in both categories - when you still have more than 3,100 miles to cross!

Tomorrow at 1:30 p.m. local time, or 2:30 p.m. in France.
It is precisely at 1.30 p.m that the fleet will leave Funchal, to sail to Salvador de Bahia.

Prototypes ranking – 1st leg La Rochelle/Funchal – 33 boats
1. Sébastien Rogues (719 – Eole Generation – GDF SUEZ), 8d 20h 46m 43s
2. David Raison (757 – TeamWork Evolution), 8d 21h 15m 8s
3. Jorg Riechers (753 – Mare.de), 8d 22h 10m 7s

Series ranking – 1st leg La Rochelle/Funchal – 46 boats
1. Benoît Mariette (599 – Odalys Vacances), 9d 8h 31m 39s
2. Clément Bouyssou (514 – Douet Distribution), 9d 9h 22m 56s
3. Davy Beaudart (674 - Innovea Environnement), 9d 9h 59m 18s

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