No respite time, even less rest, on the Arkea Ultim Challenge. At the head of the race, Tom Laperche (SVR-Lazartigue) and Charles Caudrelier (Maxi Edmond de Rothschild) are still neck and neck and are heading along the Brazilian coast after a little over a week of sailing. This Monday morning, only 30 miles separated the two men at the top of the ranking. Behind them are Thomas Coville (Sodebo Ultim 3) 400 miles away, and a little further away, Anthony Marchand (Actual Ultim 3) who should cross the Equator within “the next 4 to 5 hours” is in charge of the race.
But all eyes are also on Armel Le Cléac’h, forced to dock at the port of Recife in Brazil. Since the start of the race, he is the first skipper to make a stopover. Several reasons are mentioned, the balcony of his boat was torn off and an anomaly in the hydraulics of the foil system was noted. The pit stop and the loss of time will be scrutinized by his opponents.
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“I had a big problem with the big gennaker,” he declared to Ouest-France. The tack broke and the sail tore off the front balcony (…). We said to ourselves that in terms of security, it was not reasonable to continue like that.” The sailor is hoping for a 24-hour break to leave not far from Marchand, 4th in the ranking. At the back of the pack, Eric Péron (Ultim Adagio) is 1737 miles from the race lead.