Yann Guichard in the latest video from Spindrift 2 on how they can no longer beat the record. They’re going to be in rough conditions as they approach Ushant, so they’ve backed off and are concentrating on sailing well and finishing safely.
Banque Pop’s ghost is getting away. Those stormy conditions north of the Canaries mean S2 still has a chance, maybe, if they can get through the light stuff in the next day without slowing down too much, then just fly for the finish. But realistically, it looks like the record won’t fall this time. The South Atlantic was just too slow.
Wind Santa is not giving very nice presents to Spindrift 2 (brown triangle). The Ghost of BPV Past (blue triangle) is back in the lead, while IDEC (red triangles) has better wind than SP2 (at least for now) in the offshore lane. It looks like the best chance for SP2 is that by taking their lumps early they’ll get a faster route up the Brazilian coast later on.
Spindrift 2 is around Cape Horn and heading north into the Atlantic. They’re 30 days out from Ushant, with 15 days left to get back to the start/finish line. IDEC and Banque Pop’s ghost are still on the Pacific side, so it’s looking hopeful for the record as long as the weather cooperates.
Winds were light for the rounding, which meant Yann Riou was able to fly the drone. There’s a great shot of Yann (usually invisible behind the camera) as it comes in for a landing. And I’m pretty sure that’s Dongfeng alumnus Thomas Rouxel catching it.
It’s nervous time for the Jules Verne Trophy attempt. Spindrift 2 (tan triangle) and IDEC (red triangle) are stuck in a zone of high pressure/light winds (the blue areas on the map), fighting their way south to where they hope to hook into stronger wind (yellow and orange).
Their courses over the last day have been zigzaggy as they gybe back and forth for VMG. Meanwhile, the ghost of Banque Populaire V’s 2011/2012 record circumnavigation (blue triangle) is heading straight for Cape Horn, and has pulled ahead. But BPV has some light going of their own coming up later, as you can see from their projected course going all wonky a few days from now. If S2 and IDEC can get through this light stuff without losing too much distance, they might regain the lead (and their chance at the record) then.
Both boats are east of the South Island of New Zealand, and appear to be taking the northern option across the Pacific. They’re within radar/AIS site of each other (less than 11 NM in the latest tracker update), though that’s with IDEC (still trailing by a skosh) having an additional 2 hours to make up from their earlier start.
IDEC mentions coming within 2 miles of Spindrift 2 at one point (maybe when their tracks crossed back when both boats gybed toward the north?), but apparently they never actually saw each other due to the misty conditions.
The low southeast of them that they’re shooting for at the moment is reportedly moving pretty fast; it’s not clear they’re going to be able to hook into it.
So after racing halfway around the world at speeds up into the high 30s, Spindrift 2 is about to cross no more than 2 or 3 miles ahead of their virtual pace boat. That’s… wild.
Two of these triangles are imaginary, but they all sure seem to be coming together.
Additional explanation for the less-obsessive after a cut.
The dark blue triangle to the north is Maxi Banque Populaire V at 2300 UTC on 11 Dec 2011, en route to setting the current record for fastest sailed circumnavigation four years ago.
The tan triangle south of there is the same boat (with modifications), now called Spindrift 2, from 1830 UTC today (11 Dec 2015). The start time for the two boats has been synchronized, making BP the “ghost” that S2 must beat to take the record.
The red triangles closing rapidly from astern are IDEC Sport. The leading triangle is their position today at 1830. The trailing triangle is their position two hours previously, reflecting the fact that they crossed the starting line between Ushant and the Lizard two hours earlier than S2 did. That is, it’s the trailing red triangle that has to beat the other two boats in order to take the record.
It’s been busy in the Southern Ocean! Spindrift and Banque Pop’s ghost have been fighting for the lead for a few days now. Spindrift didn’t manage to beat the record from Equator to Good Hope, missing it by something like 16 minutes, which is pretty annoying. They’re currently 36 miles behind BPV and only moving at 17.5 knots, as apposed to BPV’s 33.2, so they’ve hit a light patch.
IDEC Sport are a whole 613 miles away, a little over a Fastnet’s distance, but something that these boats can cover in 24 hours. I don’t think they’re going to have much of a chance to catch up unless they make some pretty smart moves near Cape Horn where BPV had some issues in their record attempt, or when the boats head North again and the lighter, more maneuverable boat will come out on top, who knows? For the moment, the Southern Ocean has been pretty boring for both boats, no 24hr speed records here!
Reblogging partly for the excitement of whether or not Spindrift can stay close enough to the 2012 run to have a chance at the record, and partly for the awesomeness of “Banque Pop’s ghost”, which sounds like a character from an updated version of Macbeth:
Can such things be, And overcome us like a summer’s cloud, Without our special wonder? You make me strange Even to the disposition that I owe, When now I think you can behold such sights, And keep the natural ruby of your cheeks, When mine is blanched with fear.
It’s all about the wind at this point. When the Southern Ocean depressions track over them the boats can fly straight east at 30+ knots. When it gets light, as it is now for Spindrift, they slow down and have to start gybing back and forth.
Spindrift is caught in a lull, with better wind ahead of them. To have a shot at the record they need to catch up with it.
Spindrift 2 heading south in the Atlantic on November 25, 2015. Drone footage by on-board media crewman Yann Riou. Source.
As of December 4 at 1600 UTC, Spindrift 2 is in the Southern Ocean heading east, 233 miles ahead of the pace set in 2012 by the previous record-holder for the fastest sailing circumnavigation in history.
