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The path of reason
ETA: Monday morning on the finish line.
There is much thinking, pondering, and mentalizing aboard the Maxi Trimaran IDEC SPORT from The Famous Project CIC. And along with the desire to finish this first women's round-the-world race in a maxi multihull as quickly as possible, there are many criteria that conflict with sheer performance. Impossible seas, strong winds from the wrong direction, a damaged boat… so many imponderables that Alexia Barrier, Dee Caffari, Annemieke Bes, Rebecca Gmür Hornell, Deborah Blair, Molly LaPointe, Támara Echegoyen and Stacey Jackson have chosen to deal with by listening to the voice of reason.
It is generally agreed that it is pointless and unreasonable to face the worst, and the international crew led by Alexia and Dee prefers to bide its time, rowing in the shelter of the Azores archipelago rather than tempting fate, and the storm set to rage over the next 48 hours off the Iberian Peninsula and as far as the tip of Brittany. Only then, on Saturday morning they hope, will they brave the still rough ocean to head directly for Ushant and the finish line, which they could cross on Monday, January 26, in the morning.
A torn main sail
As the route to Ushant, Brittany, and Brest becomes more difficult with each passing hour due to the impressive obstacles posed by these particularly violent winter storms, the difficulties have accumulated aboard the Maxi Trimaran IDEC SPORT of the girls from The Famous Project CIC. The latest, and not least, was the tearing of the mainsail yesterday afternoon as the boat maneuvered to slip into the heart of the Azores archipelago. Four hours of effort, with American Molly LaPointe hanging from the mast, were necessary to lower the sail and secure it at the second reef. This is certainly a minimalist configuration, but ironically, it corresponds precisely to the sail needed to withstand the harsh conditions that are developing in the area.
ETA Monday morning
This brutal, severe, and irreparable misfortune at sea will ultimately deprive Alexia and her crew of three-quarters of their mainsail. The west-northwest wind is picking up, the sea is getting rougher, but nothing can dampen these women's determination to complete their non-stop, unassisted circumnavigation of the globe as soon as possible, becoming the first female crew to achieve this feat. Slowed down by this untimely tear, the girls of The Famous Project CIC saw the small “gateway” they had glimpsed to escape the strongest winds near Cape Finisterre close inexorably. Winds of 40 knots and above from Labrador have been battering the Galician coast since midday, raising waves already measured at over 7 meters, which will reach 10 meters and above in the coming hours. The route through the Bay of Biscay is blocked for at least 48 hours, and Alexia and her “girls” are now planning to reach the Ushant line next Monday. Battled, often. Beaten, sometimes. Defeated, never.
Christian Dumard, shore-based navigator:
"After careful consideration, they have decided to wait. The reasons: heavy seas with waves expected to reach between 8 and 9.5 meters, with winds of over 45 knots and gusts of 55-60 knots. It is wiser to wait around 30 hours and set sail again on Saturday 24th in the morning to finish in conditions that will remain rough (6 to 7-meter waves and 35 knots / gusts of 45-50 knots) for an ETA on Monday 26th in the morning."