Rhythm of the Race Shifty breeze tries patience

Standings table 

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Fleet round up section

March Thiercelin should finally finish by tomorrow.  His never ending upwind pound to the finish continues.

Behind him UBP and Sobedo continue in the same bone crashing boat breaking conditions.

Whirlpool sailed by Catherine Chabaud is not quite in the same tough stuff, and is sailing at nearly 10 knots.

The fastest boats are the ones that have been dismasted.  Group 4 with her replacement mast is sailing at 12.1 knots, the jury rigged Aquitaine Innovations at 11.5 knots.

Skipper Communications

Josh Hall EBP-Gartmore "I knew immediately that I would have to go up and sort it out but in the quite strong conditions it was going to be pretty dangerous. So, I called my HQ and told to advise the Race HQ I was going up and if I did not call back inside 2 hrs I was stuck up there injured and the HQ would need to divert Voila.fr to assist. It was a sensible precaution . Once I had struggled to the masthead I discovered the block (pulley) had broken and the halyard was jammed inside it. I locked off the sail with a floating rope clutch then placed a new block. The halyard had to be cut but I rejoined it."

Marc Thiercelin Active Wear "I’m sailing upwind, in a breeze which shifts 30 degrees each time in direction. I didn’t get a wink of sleep last night, the sea was just grey and empty, and the air cold. ..I’m 90 miles from Les Sables, not too far away. The wind is at 90 and to get to Les Sables I’d have to head 87. In short the wind is right on the nose and I think it’s going to stay like that until the end..., I just wanted to get in under 100 days, which didn’t happen, then I wanted to get in on Sunday, then today, now tomorrow… I’ve no interest in competition right now. You have to be strong mentally to get through this, and this boat is not made for going upwind, so it’s far from easy. I’m not a record making man but I so wanted to come in with Bilou under 100 days, so having to endure this is getting a bit desperate...then I don’t know what kind of bad genie was following me around but… I was 3rd behind Parlier at the Doldrums coming down here, and on the return trip I was third ahead of Bilou at the Doldrums. I’ll never forget the Doldrums that’s for sure."

Thomas Coville Sobedo "Dominique and I didn’t sleep one bit last night. The wind’s shifting by 40 – 50 degrees and varying from 4 to 18 knots in 30 seconds. The swell underneath just makes the boat jerk around uncomfortably, it’s just so frustrating."

Dominique Wavre UBP "I’ve rarely seen such a nightmare situation. The boat is rearing up, crashing down, falling over, stopping… the weather is totally unpredictable. We’re like novices who don’t even know where the wind is coming from, and it’s hard to discern what’s going on outside and decipher the system we’ve fallen into. I’ve really no idea when we’ll get into Les Sables."

Current Weather Difficult upwind conditions.

Weather Forecast Light air between the boats and the finish line.

What does it all mean

As Josh Hall's mast climbing predicament shows the sea takes no account of your situation.