Fred Le Peutrec is going to have to be patient before his trimaran can spread her wings and fly again. The eye of the depression is almost bang smack above Gitana 11 and is moving very slowly. Fred has no choice but to sit back and wait for the wind to change to a north-westerly direction. This should be happening very shortly – just a matter of hours. A stroke of bad luck which has done nothing to dampen the skipper's determination. The soloist still hopes to manage to join as he is far from being alone in this situation – and half the race remains to be run. Bearing in mind that a high pressure bubble will be settling over the coast of America this evening, the fleet leaders should also be slowing down. The miles lost last night should be made up for on Monday morning.
« I'm up on deck fighting like a madman to keep the boat moving. I'm in a dead calm and have barely budged an inch since yesterday evening …boat speed is one to one and a half knots, the wind direction is very unsteady. A pity really as I was hanging on to the pack. It's going to be tough catching up now as they've headed west. We hadn't expected me to fall into this wind hole. I have to wait for the wind to come to me as at 0.7 knots, I can't go and fetch the wind ! I was determined not to get shaken off and I'm annoyed that it has happened ! I hope things are going to start looking up soon as the outlook is not clearly established for the finish yet.
Otherwise, after what was a physical race to start with, has now turned into a very, very calm race indeed. A race full of contrasts ! After a heavy-going start, we've got to concentrate on the banks of Newfoundland... I'm in good shape physically and mentally. »
Fleet leader Michel Desjoyeaux on Géant is expected into Boston on Wednesday or Thursday. But before hitting the jackpot, he has to keep an eagle eye out for the many booby traps which lie ahead. Fog, fishing vessels, oil platforms, drift nets and whales, not to mention a bubble of high pressure which could re-shuffle the pack, for the first three boats at any rate, which are within 130 miles of one another.