Approaching the front
Lionel Lemonchois and his ten crew celebrated their first week at sea in their North Pacific record attempt last night at 21h45'45'' UT. Conserving a comfortable 551 mile lead over the reference time, the maxi-catamaran equipped by Baron Benjamin de Rothschild is making headway on a reach as the crew prepare to negotiate another cold front late today.

“The passage of the ridge of high pressure proved more difficult than forecast. We had to deal with shifty, fairly light winds throughout the day, which slowed our progress. However, we're gradually finding more pressure. Gitana 13 is currently under full mainsail and gennaker in around fifteen knots of breeze” detailed Lionel Lemonchois shortly after 2100 UT yesterday.
However, the skipper of Gitana 13 is already focussed on a big low, which the crew of the maxi-catamaran will most likely have to tackle on Tuesday: “We're heading towards the cold front but we're also looking a little further along the route as conditions at the end of our course promise to be feisty. The wind will fill in and we should be scooped up by a strong depression system in a little over 72 hours time" explained Lionel Lemonchois, who went on to elucidate: “It will all depend on the sea state, but whatever happens Gitana 13 is ready to weather this gale. We'll go at it with care.”

As they wait for the wind to pick up and the seas to build once more, the eleven sailors aboard Gitana Team are making the most of the stable conditions they have right now. Their focus is on racking up some hours of rest, as sleep may well be something they'll be lacking over the end of this North Pacific crossing. What matters most though is that given the brisk conditions forecast, progress will also be fast, which will certainly satisfy the appetites of our record hunters.

A few figures after a week at sea - Data from 5th April at 2130 (UT)

Distance made good: 3,577 miles, at an average speed of 21.41 knots
Distance covered along the great circle route (direct course): 2,604 miles, at an average speed of 15.60 knots
Distance left to go: 1,879 miles
Most distance covered in 24 hours: 612.7 miles (dating back to 3rd April)
Lead over the record: 494 miles

The crew of Gitana 13
Lionel Lemonchois (Skipper / helmsman / watch leader)
Jacques Vincent (helmsman / watch leader)
Ludovic Aglaor (helmsman/ watch leader)
Cyril Dardashti (trimmer)
Olivier Wroczynski (trimmer /Head of computers)
Jean-Baptiste Epron (trimmer / Photographer)
Nicolas Raynaud (trimmer / Video manager)
Stefan Fodor (trimmer)
Kojiro Shiraishi (trimmer)
David Boileau (No.2 / trimmer/ Deck fittings manager)
Léopold Lucet (No.1 /Head of supplies and medical needs)

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