| Route du Rhum: Lemonchois & Gitana still lead, but Bidegorry and Banque Populaire are well placed |
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| Friday, 03 November 2006 | |
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Marian Martin Lionel Lemonchois (Gitana 11) is still leading the Route du Rhum with a 103 mile lead over his friend Pascal Bidégorry (Banque Populaire) and 138 miles over Michel Desjoyeaux (Géant). Asked about the state of its trimaran Lemonchois said he was pleased not to have had to take out a tool since leaving Saint-Malo; he has only changed a fuse on the standard C. "the boat is like new,” he said “the driver also, well almost". Talking of the likely record time he said “Maybe only three more nights at sea? I can hardly believe it, I haven’t been knocked on the head; I think I’m perfectly lucid, but it will establish an incredible record." Lemonchois knows very well the tenacity of his nearest rival Pascal Bidégorry. The two men won the Transat Jacques Vabre together, last year "Pascal won’t give up." Says Lemonchois and Franck Cammas (Groupama) commented "He’s going fast and in the right place.". Just 35 miles separate the three IMOCA monohull leaders. Jean-Pierre Dick (Virbac-Paprec) has taken the lead again, but is well aware that it’s a fragile one. Having passed to the north of the Azores to avoid the lee of the islands, Dick still envisages a long hard race, still being fought over by himself, Jean Le Cam and Roland Jourdain at the end. If the leading multihulls can maintain 500 miles a day, they will be at Pointe-à-Pitre late Monday, but the predictions are still for a Tuesday arrival. Route du Rhum photos |
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| Last Updated ( Saturday, 04 November 2006 ) |
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