[Garnalennet] finale sprint naar Brest; finish zaterdagnacht?? = 57 of 58 dagen!!

[niels tempel]

Bron: BYM news

Round the World Solo: Francis Joyon expected at Ushant on Saturday night
Thursday, 17 January 2008
Exactly as he planned yesterday, Francis Joyon is working hard today to 
find the best sailing conditions for the final few days of his round the 
world voyage. The SW’ly wind has allowed him to remain on the Great 
Circle route, taking him directly towards Brest. Caution is still very 
much the watchword, as he listens to his boat, worn out after 55 days of 
sailing and with more than 25,000 miles on the clock after the voyage 
around the world’s oceans. This evening, IDEC will start to experience 
some gales, generated by a low-pressure area circulating in the North 
Atlantic. On seas, where the swell is now in the right direction, the 
large red trimaran will be picking up speed again, but her skipper will 
continue to remain attentive right up until the end, in order to look 
after his equipment and avoid any breakages. Going through the Azores at 
lunchtime today gave the single-handed yachtsman a taste of home ... 
"IDEC will manage to obtain some more fine days, with 450 to 500 miles 
under her belt..." With 1100 miles to go to the finish, Francis is now 
expected to arrive in Brest sometime on Saturday night.

*Right at the heart of the Azores*
"I wasn’t very pleased about my tack yesterday afternoon," explained 
Francis Joyon talking about his route strategy. "However, it did enable 
me to pass through between the islands of Terceira and Sao Miguel in the 
Azores. Sao Miguel has some high peaks, which can produce calms. I’m 
trying to avoid them by sailing 60 miles further out." On the starboard 
tack, IDEC is going from a high-pressure system today to the North 
Atlantic lows without slowing down. Clearly aimed at looking after his 
equipment, Joyon wishes to avoid as much as possible gybing in the gale. 
"On the starboard tack, I sailed all night long under gennaker… It was 
quite pleasant, because it was so warm." As the wind gets up, the sailor 
from Locmariaquer has wisely decided since then to put away the downwind 
sail and to hoist the solent. "I’m keeping an eye on all the bits of 
equipment, where there are signs of wear and tear," explained Francis. 
"In particular, my mainsail halyard is still worrying me, as it is 
rubbing nastily against the mainsail track..."

While still refusing to talk about Brest and the finish, Joyon has 
nevertheless confirmed that he will be taking advantage of some fine 
conditions to reach the tip of Brittany very quickly: "Going through the 
Azores, it is true that it is beginning to feel a bit like home," he 
admitted. "IDEC will manage to achieve some more good days of sailing 
450 or 500 miles..."