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31.01.2011 Back to news
The Red Cowboys take on the Indian
 | © Kito de Pavant/Groupe Bel |
This second edition of the Barcelona World Race has already been underway for a month! And to celebrate this fact, Kito and Seb officially entered the Indian Ocean. Having passed the first gate, the Aghulas gate, the pair are now heading in the direction of the French Crozet Islands, and still very much in the hunt. Following a stressful weekend of negotiating a very rough and disorderly Indian Ocean, Kito and Seb are currently trimming the sails while the autopilot steers, in a southerly wind flow which is definitely not playing ball. Groupe Bel is still in 4th place, less than 700 miles off the lead. They have gained a few miles on 3rd placed Estrella Damm, who are now a mere 17 miles ahead. Today (Monday), Groupe Bel is once again under the influence of a ridge of high pressure, making speeds of 8 to 12 knots, and, against all expectations, the next few hours will see them sailing upwind in light airs!
KITO DE PAVANT’S WORDS TO HIS TEAM ON MONDAY 31st JANUARY at 1200:
“It’s quite pleasant on deck! Since this morning the wind has dropped. We have just 5 knots and we are making 8 knots of boat speed. It will continue to get lighter, with the breeze coming from east southeast during the day, so we will be sailing upwind. After that we will be reaching for a week or so in a chilly southerly wind flow. We have to take a fairly northerly route due to the presence of icebergs, and so we are not sailing in the usual downwind flow that we would expect to find in the Indian Ocean. Fortunately, the routing for the coming week has us taking a fairly northerly course, but after the Amsterdam gate, things look more complicated. There is nevertheless much to fight for, and we are having a superb battle with the three Spanish boats (Mapfre, Estrella Damm, Renault). Also, with the gaps between the boats, we find ourselves in different weather systems, and there are tactical options to be taken. I’m looking forward to getting going again, so that we can enjoy the downwind sleigh ride that I was promised! In the meantime, fatigue is rising after a month at sea. We have been giving it everything we’ve got.”
MESSAGE FROM SEB AUDIGANE DURING THE NIGHT OF THE 30th TO THE 31st JANUARY
“It’s three o’clock in the morning (French time) on Groupe Bel, and dawn was half an hour ago here in the Indian Ocean. The air is cold and dry. We are reaching in southerly breeze towards the Crozet Islands. All is quiet on board, Kito has just turned in and is sound asleep. I am shaking off sleep and enjoying a good mug of hot chocolate, keeping an eye on the sails and the course. All is well, and the autopilot is doing a fine job in the steadier wind conditions. Yesterday’s albatrosses appear to be having a lie-in. France has won the Handball World Championship. It’s going to be a beautiful sunny day on Groupe Bel.”
KITO DE PAVANT’S WORDS TO HIS TEAM ON MONDAY 31st JANUARY at 1200:
“It’s quite pleasant on deck! Since this morning the wind has dropped. We have just 5 knots and we are making 8 knots of boat speed. It will continue to get lighter, with the breeze coming from east southeast during the day, so we will be sailing upwind. After that we will be reaching for a week or so in a chilly southerly wind flow. We have to take a fairly northerly route due to the presence of icebergs, and so we are not sailing in the usual downwind flow that we would expect to find in the Indian Ocean. Fortunately, the routing for the coming week has us taking a fairly northerly course, but after the Amsterdam gate, things look more complicated. There is nevertheless much to fight for, and we are having a superb battle with the three Spanish boats (Mapfre, Estrella Damm, Renault). Also, with the gaps between the boats, we find ourselves in different weather systems, and there are tactical options to be taken. I’m looking forward to getting going again, so that we can enjoy the downwind sleigh ride that I was promised! In the meantime, fatigue is rising after a month at sea. We have been giving it everything we’ve got.”
MESSAGE FROM SEB AUDIGANE DURING THE NIGHT OF THE 30th TO THE 31st JANUARY
“It’s three o’clock in the morning (French time) on Groupe Bel, and dawn was half an hour ago here in the Indian Ocean. The air is cold and dry. We are reaching in southerly breeze towards the Crozet Islands. All is quiet on board, Kito has just turned in and is sound asleep. I am shaking off sleep and enjoying a good mug of hot chocolate, keeping an eye on the sails and the course. All is well, and the autopilot is doing a fine job in the steadier wind conditions. Yesterday’s albatrosses appear to be having a lie-in. France has won the Handball World Championship. It’s going to be a beautiful sunny day on Groupe Bel.”
DJ O’ddighann’s playlist for the week: “Leaving Trunk” by Taj Mahal, “One Meatball” by Calvin Russel, and “Susie Q” by Creedence Clearwater.
RANKING MONDAY JANUARY 31 AT 15:00 HOURS (UTC +1):
1 - Virbac-Paprec 3 / Jean-Pierre Dick & Loick Peyron, 16 869 miles distance to finish
2 - Mapfre / Iker Martinez & Xabi Fernandez à 589 miles to leader
3 - Estrella Damm / Alex Pella & Pepe Ribes, 706 miles
4 - Groupe Bel / Kito de Pavant & Seb Audigane, 727 miles
5 - Renault / Pachi Rivero & Antonio Piris, 874 miles
6 - Mirabaud / Dominique Wavre & Michèle Parret,1232 miles
7 - Neutrogena / Boris Herrmann & Ryan Breymaier, 1321 miles
1 - Virbac-Paprec 3 / Jean-Pierre Dick & Loick Peyron, 16 869 miles distance to finish
2 - Mapfre / Iker Martinez & Xabi Fernandez à 589 miles to leader
3 - Estrella Damm / Alex Pella & Pepe Ribes, 706 miles
4 - Groupe Bel / Kito de Pavant & Seb Audigane, 727 miles
5 - Renault / Pachi Rivero & Antonio Piris, 874 miles
6 - Mirabaud / Dominique Wavre & Michèle Parret,1232 miles
7 - Neutrogena / Boris Herrmann & Ryan Breymaier, 1321 miles
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