news - Marinepool Racing Team Tops Ranking in Figaro Cross Atlantic Race

Apr 18 2011

Transat Benodet - Martinique: Drouglazet Dismasted

At 2:40 p.m. (Paris time) on Monday, Eric Drouglazet contacted Jean Maurel, the director of racing in the Transat Benodet - Martinique, to tell him he had been dismasted. His Figaro Beneteau "Luisina" was sailing in 35 knots of crosswind, under mainsail and solent. He was in his bunk when the mast broke about two meters above the deck. He immediately cut the cables that held the spar so that it dud not damage the hull. Eric is safe and unharmed, but is 460 miles from the Azores and Madeira. He will make a decision which port to head to; he is heading east under engine power. The skipper of Luisina was third, 6.2 miles behind the leader at the time of the incident.

The gale that was on everyone's lips for the past few days has come to fruition. Caught between very strong winds and confused seas (although fortunately not as bad as forecast), the fleet is being hit by a notherly wind generated by a descent of cold air. Those competitors positioned closed to the direct route have been the first to be affected and have had to shorten sails. Spinnakers have to be preserved; they will be valuable allies on the way to Martinique.

Eris Mas from Meteo Consult says the the fleet should be facing north-easterlies of force 6 in the next day, not an easy passage but not as severe as the winds on Monday.

Top ten on 18/04/2011 at 19:00

1. Thomas Rouxel, BRETAGNE - CREDIT MUTUEL PERFORMANCE, 1863.7 nm to finish

2. Fabien Delahaye, PORT DE CAEN OUISTREHAM, 1.2 nm to leader

3. Erwan Tabarly, NACARAT, 5.1

4. Nicolas Lunven, GENERALI, 11.8

5. Eric Peron, MACIF 2009, 13.5

6. Jeanne Gregoire, BANQUE POPULAIRE, 15.2

7. Francisco Lobato, ROFF, 36.0

8. Romain Attanasio, SAVEOL, 39.0

9. Eric Drouglazet, LUISINA, 44.8

10. Anthony Marchand, BRETAGNE - CREDIT MUTUEL ESPOIR, 53.9

www.transat-benodetmartinique.com

Marinepool is official supplier to Fabien Delahaye and Romain Attanasio who are part of the Marinepool Racing Team

April 19, Atlantic Ocean

A Tactical Depression Looms

A week at sea in the Transat Benodet-Martinique and mixed fortunes in the fleet of seventeen single-handed Figaro Beneteau sailors. For some, Sunday was dominated by the satisfaction of fast downwind sailing and evaluating the final decisions about the end of the game, for others it is time for emergency management. This is particularly the case for Frederic Rivet (Vendee 1), whose forestay broke last night.

At 2000 miles from the finish in Fort-de-France, the traffic gets denser in the Atlantic and lonely all seem to endorse the policy of "stay grouped! Indeed, despite some small shifts marked according to the opportunities on the first leg of the Caribbean route, no one has taken a radically different course.

Currently subject to a regime of North North East force 4, which will gradually move north, the soloists have seen very changeable conditions because of the first effects of this second depression. The cold front expected tonight could generate gusty winds of force 5 to 6, turning north north west. Less intense than expected, the phenomenon will be easier to negotiate as a whole.

But in the West, we expect winds gusting to force 6 to 7, with the threat of that moving over the entire fleet. In the East, the force flow 4 will in turn become irregular. Preparing for this sensitive phase - that is sleep and recovery - was on all minds.

Top ten at 17/04/2011 at 19:00

1. Fabien Delahaye, Port De Caen Ouistreham, 2099.6 nm to finish

2. Thomas Rouxel, Bretagne - Credit Mutuel Performance, 3.2 nm to leader

3. Eric Peron, Macif 2009, 4.1

4. Erwan Tabarly, Nacarat, 8.2

5. Nicolas Lunven, Generali, 9.9

6. Jeanne Gregoire, Banque Populaire, 11.3

7. Eric Drouglazet, Luisina, 13.6

8. Romain Attanasio, Saveol, 17.1

9. Francisco Lobato, Roff, 20.4

10. Frederic Rivet ,Vendee 1, 24.5

www.transat-benodetmartinique.com

Source: http://scuttlebutteurope.com/

Romain Attanasio