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10.01.2011 Back to news
"Careful of staying on course!"
 | © Groupe Bel |
Each mile has to be earned in this Barcelona World Race and although the “Laughing Cow®” is running at more than 19 knots in the Atlantic, ahead the Dick-Peyron duo is widening the gap. “Everything in its own time” explains Seb; “The Cow” will first have to get into harness and before she attacks the nearest contenders. While landlubbers are hurrying to the ski slopes, Kito and Seb are enjoying a little surfing between two ideal spots - the Canaries and Cape Verde, with guaranteed sensations and enjoyment!
Invigorating enjoyment!
While waiting for the doldrums and the strategic choices they imply, the race is inflicting an infernal rhythm on the sailors, who have had to change their habits significantly after eleven days at sea. A leading wind, and some good surfing, which ought to be right up Sébastien’s street, the “round-the-worlder”, who admitted before the start of the race that he enjoys sailing in a good breeze, “yesterday evening, we changed to a small spinnaker and one reef in the mainsail and we won a few miles, which feels good! I think that we were carrying a little more canvas then our friends. Early this morning, the wind strengthened a little more and we hoisted the gennaker. There’s a 22 to 26 knot windspeed and a fairly short sea. I must admit that things are a little testing at the moment. We’re not far from digging with large sprays of water on the bow, but Groupe Bel is going fast and the sensations when steering are fabulous! The pilot wouldn’t hold her during the night, so we had to change watch every 2 hours and the one who was on stand-by slept in his foulies in the gennaker stacked at the back, ready to get back into action.”
Repeated sail changes and continuous watches; in these conditions, sleep is light and wet! Between two waves on deck, the two sailors try to rest a little since there’s still a long route ahead. “As soon as we see that one of us “has had it”, we change watch. A little music, a good cup of coffee and we’re off again!” said Seb at midday, with the racket of the waves hitting the monohull in the background.
Black is black
As if the weather wasn’t difficult enough, it was in the pitch black that very alert Kito and Seb made progress: “The helmsman can only see the lights of the countless stars, the phosphorescent herringbone pattern on the belly of the spinnaker and the electronic dials lit up in red. Apart from this, it's pitch black and you need to be quite skillful to charge along at 20 knots on a very precise course, with so little to go on” Kito described in his message during the night. “To succeed, you have to really feel the yacht, go with her and use the electronics for assistance based on the real wind. You really have to be careful not to go off course”, added Seb.
Everything in its own time
After passing the Canaries this weekend, Groupe Bel is expected in Cape Verde this evening. For Kito and Seb who registered one of the best averages with 19.4 knots, at 10:00 hours this morning, the objective is to continue towards the Equator while gaining the odd mile: “We are following our course, without taking what the others are doing into account, and we are trying to go as fast as possible without taking unnecessary risks. Then it will be the doldrums, which is forecast to go well for the leaders of the fleet”, concludes Sébastien.
The song of the week by DJ O’dhiggan: “Changes” by Jimmy Hendrix, ideal for surfing in the trade winds.
This week’s good idea: The “Sharing Smiles Map”, every Bel Group worker can send their smile to support their favorite crew. Kito and Seb will receive smiles from the four corners of the world. That should motivate them! See http://sharingsmilesmap.com/
Ranking on 10/01 at 15:00:
1 - Virbac-Paprec 3 / Jean-Pierre Dick & Loick Peyron, 22 473 miles distance to finish
2 - Foncia / Michel Desjoyeaux & François Gabart, 54 miles distance to leaders
3 - Estrella Damm / Alex Pella & Pepe Ribes, 218 miles distance
4 - Mirabaud / Dominique Wavre & Michèle Parret, 240 miles distance
5 - Mapfre / Iker Martinez & Xabi Fernandez, 291 miles distance
6 - Neutrogena / Boris Herrmann & Ryan Breymaier, 307 miles distance
7 - Groupe Bel / Kito de Pavant & Seb Audigane, 318 miles distance
7 - Président / Jean Le Cam & Bruno Garcia, 338 miles distance
8 - Gaes / Dee Caffari & Anna Corbella, 464 miles distance
10 - Renault / Pachi Rivero & Antonio Piris 590 miles distance
Invigorating enjoyment!
While waiting for the doldrums and the strategic choices they imply, the race is inflicting an infernal rhythm on the sailors, who have had to change their habits significantly after eleven days at sea. A leading wind, and some good surfing, which ought to be right up Sébastien’s street, the “round-the-worlder”, who admitted before the start of the race that he enjoys sailing in a good breeze, “yesterday evening, we changed to a small spinnaker and one reef in the mainsail and we won a few miles, which feels good! I think that we were carrying a little more canvas then our friends. Early this morning, the wind strengthened a little more and we hoisted the gennaker. There’s a 22 to 26 knot windspeed and a fairly short sea. I must admit that things are a little testing at the moment. We’re not far from digging with large sprays of water on the bow, but Groupe Bel is going fast and the sensations when steering are fabulous! The pilot wouldn’t hold her during the night, so we had to change watch every 2 hours and the one who was on stand-by slept in his foulies in the gennaker stacked at the back, ready to get back into action.”
Repeated sail changes and continuous watches; in these conditions, sleep is light and wet! Between two waves on deck, the two sailors try to rest a little since there’s still a long route ahead. “As soon as we see that one of us “has had it”, we change watch. A little music, a good cup of coffee and we’re off again!” said Seb at midday, with the racket of the waves hitting the monohull in the background.
Black is black
As if the weather wasn’t difficult enough, it was in the pitch black that very alert Kito and Seb made progress: “The helmsman can only see the lights of the countless stars, the phosphorescent herringbone pattern on the belly of the spinnaker and the electronic dials lit up in red. Apart from this, it's pitch black and you need to be quite skillful to charge along at 20 knots on a very precise course, with so little to go on” Kito described in his message during the night. “To succeed, you have to really feel the yacht, go with her and use the electronics for assistance based on the real wind. You really have to be careful not to go off course”, added Seb.
Everything in its own time
After passing the Canaries this weekend, Groupe Bel is expected in Cape Verde this evening. For Kito and Seb who registered one of the best averages with 19.4 knots, at 10:00 hours this morning, the objective is to continue towards the Equator while gaining the odd mile: “We are following our course, without taking what the others are doing into account, and we are trying to go as fast as possible without taking unnecessary risks. Then it will be the doldrums, which is forecast to go well for the leaders of the fleet”, concludes Sébastien.
The song of the week by DJ O’dhiggan: “Changes” by Jimmy Hendrix, ideal for surfing in the trade winds.
This week’s good idea: The “Sharing Smiles Map”, every Bel Group worker can send their smile to support their favorite crew. Kito and Seb will receive smiles from the four corners of the world. That should motivate them! See http://sharingsmilesmap.com/
Ranking on 10/01 at 15:00:
1 - Virbac-Paprec 3 / Jean-Pierre Dick & Loick Peyron, 22 473 miles distance to finish
2 - Foncia / Michel Desjoyeaux & François Gabart, 54 miles distance to leaders
3 - Estrella Damm / Alex Pella & Pepe Ribes, 218 miles distance
4 - Mirabaud / Dominique Wavre & Michèle Parret, 240 miles distance
5 - Mapfre / Iker Martinez & Xabi Fernandez, 291 miles distance
6 - Neutrogena / Boris Herrmann & Ryan Breymaier, 307 miles distance
7 - Groupe Bel / Kito de Pavant & Seb Audigane, 318 miles distance
7 - Président / Jean Le Cam & Bruno Garcia, 338 miles distance
8 - Gaes / Dee Caffari & Anna Corbella, 464 miles distance
10 - Renault / Pachi Rivero & Antonio Piris 590 miles distance
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