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04.02.2011 Back to news
At sea, on shore!
 | © Groupe Bel |
Fourth at 15:00 hours, 561 miles from Virbac-Paprec 3, Groupe Bel passed the “Crozet” ice gate during the night and got into a good battle with Estrella Damm, which was in their sights and which has gained a slight lead this Thursday. After 8,500 nautical miles (15,740 km), Kito and Seb experienced intense moments as they approached the Kerguelen longitude, and the gap between them and the boat in 2nd position, Mapfre, is diminishing little by little. As regards the weather, Groupe Bel is making headway at between 15 and 22 knots, with bursts of 27 knots, on a reach (on the beam) in a south-south westerly wind of over 25 knots! Mind your backs!
Grégoire, Lucas and all the others have been following Groupe Bel since the start of the race with their teachers and it was with great pride that the 40 pupils enjoyed asking the duo their questions: how life on board is organized, discovering the animals and even the use of the “ghost mode” (stealth mode). Their conversation was well prepared! All this was under the direction of Franck Citeau, Sports manager of the CEM, and the “Figaro racers”, who are currently training and came along to say hello to the crew.
“How did things go today?” said a little voice with a southern accent, full of admiration for his favorite skipper: “The sea is still huge! We are approaching a very active cold front with very violent wind changes. The autopilot is steering, since the boat is a real submarine; she’s passing under the waves at over 20 knots. We are relaying each other in turn. It’s all going a little too fast in my opinion, but we’re remaining cautious! With the racket, it’s really hell. As I am speaking, we’re running at 27 knots! Estrella Damm passed ahead of us again during the night, but we’re still in 4th position and still in the good pack!”
Hello Kito, it’s Marco!
Friends and competitors at sea, Marc Guillemot, skipper of the Safran monohull, and Kito share much in common: their boats are sisterships, designed by the VPLP office and the architect, Guillaume Verdier, and they share their sea stories like their battle in the Transat Jacques Vabre 2009, which Safran won a few hours ahead of Groupe Bel, and the misfortunes of the ocean, Marc Guillemot also having cracked his ribs on the Artémis Transat 2008.
Marco: Kito? It’s me, your competitor, your enemy, your friend at sea and ashore!
Kito: Ah, it’s good to hear you! How is it going?
Marco: What a great fight! You know that on the scale of the globe, Jean-Pierre and Loïck’s 500 miles are nothing! I can imagine the weather you describe fairly well. Our boats are real shakers. It can’t be easy.
Kito: It really isn’t much fun on the water.
Marco: Ashore, it’s difficult to have a true idea of the violence. We sailors should really be mounted on cylinder blocks!
Kito: It’s not easy, particularly with my cracked ribs, but you know what that’s like, you injured yourself in a transatlantic race.
Marco: Let’s talk technical, what do you think of the hydrogenerator?
Kito: We’re really delighted, it’s working very well. We hadn’t tested it much before the start, and up to now we have scarcely used the engine! We still have all our fuel and the main thing is that it doesn’t slow the boat down. We’re really satisfied with the system.
Marco: All the best to you both, kisses to Seb and keep up the good fight!
This week’s playlist by DJ’Odhiggan: ‘Hippy hippy Shake” by Big Soul and “One beer, one scotch, one bourbon” by Georges Thorogood and the Desroyers, also listen to the 70s version by Johnny Rivers
Grégoire, Lucas and all the others have been following Groupe Bel since the start of the race with their teachers and it was with great pride that the 40 pupils enjoyed asking the duo their questions: how life on board is organized, discovering the animals and even the use of the “ghost mode” (stealth mode). Their conversation was well prepared! All this was under the direction of Franck Citeau, Sports manager of the CEM, and the “Figaro racers”, who are currently training and came along to say hello to the crew.
“How did things go today?” said a little voice with a southern accent, full of admiration for his favorite skipper: “The sea is still huge! We are approaching a very active cold front with very violent wind changes. The autopilot is steering, since the boat is a real submarine; she’s passing under the waves at over 20 knots. We are relaying each other in turn. It’s all going a little too fast in my opinion, but we’re remaining cautious! With the racket, it’s really hell. As I am speaking, we’re running at 27 knots! Estrella Damm passed ahead of us again during the night, but we’re still in 4th position and still in the good pack!”
Hello Kito, it’s Marco!
Friends and competitors at sea, Marc Guillemot, skipper of the Safran monohull, and Kito share much in common: their boats are sisterships, designed by the VPLP office and the architect, Guillaume Verdier, and they share their sea stories like their battle in the Transat Jacques Vabre 2009, which Safran won a few hours ahead of Groupe Bel, and the misfortunes of the ocean, Marc Guillemot also having cracked his ribs on the Artémis Transat 2008.
Marco: Kito? It’s me, your competitor, your enemy, your friend at sea and ashore!
Kito: Ah, it’s good to hear you! How is it going?
Marco: What a great fight! You know that on the scale of the globe, Jean-Pierre and Loïck’s 500 miles are nothing! I can imagine the weather you describe fairly well. Our boats are real shakers. It can’t be easy.
Kito: It really isn’t much fun on the water.
Marco: Ashore, it’s difficult to have a true idea of the violence. We sailors should really be mounted on cylinder blocks!
Kito: It’s not easy, particularly with my cracked ribs, but you know what that’s like, you injured yourself in a transatlantic race.
Marco: Let’s talk technical, what do you think of the hydrogenerator?
Kito: We’re really delighted, it’s working very well. We hadn’t tested it much before the start, and up to now we have scarcely used the engine! We still have all our fuel and the main thing is that it doesn’t slow the boat down. We’re really satisfied with the system.
Marco: All the best to you both, kisses to Seb and keep up the good fight!
This week’s playlist by DJ’Odhiggan: ‘Hippy hippy Shake” by Big Soul and “One beer, one scotch, one bourbon” by Georges Thorogood and the Desroyers, also listen to the 70s version by Johnny Rivers
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