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16.02.2011 Back to news
Like Groupe Bel, Virbac Paprec 3 announce a pit stop into Wellington
 | © Gilles Martin-Raget |
Who will be first to exit the Strait is less certain – Jean-Pierre Dick and Loick Peyron (FRA) last night announced they will be making a 48-hour technical stopover in Wellington to repair mainsail batten cars. The team were off Queen Charlotte Sound at 0600hrs this morning.
The surprise announcement will have big implications for the front of the fleet, in which Virbac-Paprec 3 have held pole position since January 23. After a slow evening, second-placed MAPFRE has shaken off the light winds overnight and was this morning back up to 14 knots, sailing past Resoluton Island, off New Zealand’s South Island. Meanwhile in third Estrella Damm was entering the centre of the high pressure zone and has slowed to less than 4.5 knots overnight.
Groupe Bel, the only other team to announce a stopover, have maintained over 9 knots on their more north-easterly position, while fifth-placed Renault Z.E. became the latest boat to officially enter the Pacific by exiting the East Australian ice gate at 0115.
In this morning’s 0500hrs (CET) position report, the boat with the fastest average VMG overnight was Forum Martim Catala, as the rear group also escapes the clutches of a high pressure system which had slowed them. Meanwhile across the middle of the fleet there was an even match with Mirabaud, Neutrogena and Hugo Boss each averaging 12.8 knots. Mirabaud and Neutrogena remain separated by just 23 miles, while Hugo Boss has maintained their advantage of 178 miles over GAES Centros Auditivos.
The surprise announcement will have big implications for the front of the fleet, in which Virbac-Paprec 3 have held pole position since January 23. After a slow evening, second-placed MAPFRE has shaken off the light winds overnight and was this morning back up to 14 knots, sailing past Resoluton Island, off New Zealand’s South Island. Meanwhile in third Estrella Damm was entering the centre of the high pressure zone and has slowed to less than 4.5 knots overnight.
Groupe Bel, the only other team to announce a stopover, have maintained over 9 knots on their more north-easterly position, while fifth-placed Renault Z.E. became the latest boat to officially enter the Pacific by exiting the East Australian ice gate at 0115.
In this morning’s 0500hrs (CET) position report, the boat with the fastest average VMG overnight was Forum Martim Catala, as the rear group also escapes the clutches of a high pressure system which had slowed them. Meanwhile across the middle of the fleet there was an even match with Mirabaud, Neutrogena and Hugo Boss each averaging 12.8 knots. Mirabaud and Neutrogena remain separated by just 23 miles, while Hugo Boss has maintained their advantage of 178 miles over GAES Centros Auditivos.
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