Update from team meteorologist Jure Jerman:
“It is kind of difficult to comment on the ocean development if your team has just lost the leading position. It must be very frustrating to know that a big part of this was lost by seaweed and the technical problems on board didn’t help the situation. I am almost sure that this will not be the last change on leader board, we’ll see a few more until they reach Salvador de Bahia.
“The first three teams in Class 40 are now really close together and for Phil and Pablo it is going to be extremely important to keep the contact with the new leaders – especially now when the winds are very unstable. There is a bit of leverage between them, the distance between Imerys Clean Energy (the most western in the leading group) and V&B (the most eastern) is roughly 17nm. It is still too early to know who will be able to translate this distance to much higher positive numbers on the leader board.
“The leading boats are now in the region of the not so well established trade winds. There is a low positioned far west of the Canary islands, but close enough to disturb the trade winds. This is also the main reason that the IMOCAs are positioned relatively far to the west in the region of stronger winds. It is too late for Class40 boats to reposition, so over the next 24hrs they will have to deal with the wind shadow of Santo Antao, the most western island of the Capo Verde archipelago. They have roughly 500nm (approx. 3 days of sailing) until they reach the entrance of the ITZ (Inter tropical convergence zone = Doldrums) – which could make or break the front runners.
“The really good news from on board is that they have a working stove! I am sure that a cup of Earl Grey will help to keep the spirits high – Cheers, Jure”
13.11.17, 12:30 UTC