Resisting the Trade Wind Fields

THE NINTH NIGHT

The competitors of the Transat Paprec continue their progress across the heart of the Atlantic. After experiencing stable and mild conditions, the wind picked up at the end of the day, leading to a lively night filled with strong sensations — and a few scares. Today looks set to stay intense, while the weather forecast for the end of the week could force some major strategic decisions. As of the 7:00 a.m. rankings, Charlotte Yven and Hugo Dhallenne (Skipper Macif) have taken the lead, ahead of Cap St Barth (Cindy Brin and Thomas André) and Wings of the Ocean (Alexis Thomas and Pauline Courtois).

Of course, vigilance is still required: eyes forward, one hand on the tiller, one hand on the sheets. Weather files are carefully studied, and checking the keel for entangled sargassum remains a routine. But something feels different across the fleet now that everyone has switched their course towards Saint-Barth last Sunday. Conditions were far more forgiving yesterday. At last, skippers could rest a bit more, dry their gear, and even take the time to cook. But the race is far from forgotten: "We’re flying at full speed," joked Charlotte Yven (Skipper Macif), while Thomas de Dinechin (Almond for Pure Ocean) added, "We’re full throttle across the Atlantic."

"A Highly Charged Night"

Indeed, the wind strengthened by the end of the day, offering thrilling moments aboard the Figaro 3s. On board Humains en action, Anaëlle Pattusch and Hugo Cardon recorded gusts close to 25 knots. "We hit speeds over 20 knots," said a delighted Romain Bouillard (Décrochons la lune). "We’re starting to get early signs of trade wind squalls," added Davy Beaudart (Hellowork).

"They had a highly charged night with 22 to 25 knots on the weather files and average speeds over 15 knots," noted Yann Chateau from the race management team. The result: "We witnessed a few minor mishaps," including Selencia Cerfrance (Maël Garnier and Catherine Hunt, spinnaker problem) and Solan Ocean Racing (Maggie Adamson and Calanach Finlayson, spinnaker issue or a gybing mishap).

Heading Towards a New Strategic Decision?

Among the leading boats, Martin Le Pape and Mathilde Géron (Demain) continue on a more southerly route than their competitors. "It feels like those further north are moving a bit faster, but we should start to see some new gybes later today."The northern option is gaining followers: Skipper Macif (Charlotte Yven and Hugo Dhallenne), who took the race lead this morning, was followed by Cap St Barth (Cindy Brin and Thomas André). The fleet is expected to continue progressing in a steady north/northeasterly wind throughout the day, with slight easing by the end of the night.

However, even though the end-of-week weather situation has improved according to recent forecasts, it remains "very particular," according to Yann Chateau. The reason: low-pressure systems setting up, which will need to be navigated "within two to three days." "These are very large systems, so the routing options either pass far to the south or far to the north." The skippers are already considering these moves. "It’s possible that their decision — north or south — will become clear by the end of the day."

NEWS FROM THE FLEET

"This might be one of the last nights in rough conditions. After that, it’s sunshine awaiting us — and we can’t wait!" Tiphaine Rideau (Les Banques alimentaires) summed up the mood across the fleet. Nevertheless, sargassum is becoming an increasing concern among the teams. "We started seeing them near Madeira, and now there’s more and more," reported Laure Galley (DMG MORI Academy). "We didn’t expect to encounter them so early in the race."Chloé Le Bars was even caught on video by Adrien Simon trying to remove sargassum from the keel of FAUN.

Despite it all, the fleet seems in high spirits at the start of the week. Cindy Brin and Thomas André (Cap St Barth) joked about "always having Région Normandie alongside." Jules Ducelier and Sophie Faguet enjoyed a gourmet moment with a sandwich of white bread, cured ham, and cheese, while Hugo Dhallenne studied the weather while eating couscous and ratatouille.