Ultimate Challenge: leader Charles Caudrelier forced to make a stopover in the Azores

Charles Caudrelier was initially expected to win in Brest this weekend. MAXPPP – Lionel Le Saux

The leader of the Ultime Challenge Charles Caudrelier took shelter this Wednesday, February 21, his Maxi Edmon de Rothschild in the Azores because of the harsh weather conditions forecast, preventing him from joining the line. ;#39;arrival. 

A violent storm is forecast in the Bay of Biscay, forcing Charles Caudrelier to postpone his arrival and use a stopover for the first time, according to the AFP. < /p>

A depression with winds set at 40 knots (75 km/h) and waves 8 to 9 meters high covers a good part of the Gulf for the next 72 hours, according to the latest weather estimates.

A very comfortable lead over its competitors

The skipper therefore took shelter in the Azores, in the lee of the island of Faial in Horta (Portugal) to let the blow pass. "It's a safety choice", deciphered Guillaume Evrard from the race direction.

"We waited and hoped for improvements but this is not the case. There is no question of taking the slightest risk. Even more so considering the lead we have", explained navigator Benjamin Schwartz, one of the routers of the ;team.

ℹ️ FLASH NEWS – Vers un abri aux Açores pour le Maxi Edmond de Rothschild

✋ Début février, @CCaudrelier, déjà solide leader de l’Arkea Ultim Challenge, avait dû mettre sa course sur pause durant 48 heures au beau milieu du Pacifique pour laisser passer une violente tempête en… pic.twitter.com/lXqhWUXAjl

— GitanaTeam (@GitanaTeam) February 21, 2024

At 7:00 a.m. from Paris on Wednesday (GMT +1), the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild was still 2,100 nautical miles (3,900 km) ahead of its first pursuer, Thomas Coville's Sodebo, which was approaching the equator.

A stopover of at least 24 hours according to the regulations

The blue and white maxi-trimaran from the Gitana team, initially expected to be the winner this weekend in Brest, was the last sailboat entered in the race not to have completed a &# technical stopover, as authorized by the regulations.

This regulation requires the ship to remain docked for at least 24 hours. The Gitana stable hopes in its press release to be able to return to sea at the end of this imposed period.

"A window of opportunity is possible with a little more manageable weather between 2 depressions", estimates Mr. Evrard. The Ultim Challenge, the first solo round-the-world race on multihulls, set off from Brest on January 7.

During a press briefing on Monday, the leader of Ultim Challange revealed that he had broken the front arm of his sailboat on the 4th day of racing after an impact in rough seas .

"At first, I didn't see anything, then I discovered a piece of carbon in the cockpit . I put straps everywhere", described the skipper. The repair has held up so far and members of the team have now joined them in the Azores to review the vessel.

There remain five sailboats entered after the abandonment at the end of January of the young Tom Laperche (SVR Lazartigue) due to major damage.