the infernal accordion of Cape Verde, the orchestra in constant disorder

An infernal accordion tune as you pass – endlessly – through Cape Verde! It seems that the fleet is paying homage to Cesaria Evora, the Cape Verdean singer, with her swaying rhythm, not too lively, but with a step forward two to the side…

At 7 p.m. Monday evening, the winner of the day was in the East, with the extraordinary Jean Le Cam, leader. Out of air all day Sunday, he found some again when heading inland, between Cape Verde and very close to the African coast. He was moving at 14 knots (25 km/h), twice as fast as Sam Goodchild, leader four hours earlier.

Goodchild was closely followed by Sébastien Simon, shifted to his left, Nicolas Lunven, and Thomas Ruyant to his right. “I'm proud of my position and I'm enjoying it, especially since I don't know how long it will last,” commented Goodchild. I had to play with the squalls and the wind shifts and I had some success. »

Behind them, also to the West, the second group had closed with Charlie Dalin, followed among others by Yoann Richomme (Paprec-Arkéa), Yannick Bestaven (Maître CoQ V), six in total less than 70 miles away!

Uncertainty before the Pot

But all this could change again during the night, because the leaders, slowed down in the morning, had to pick up some wind when the chasers fell, in their turn, into the soft zone. “Everything is random, I think we need to stop thinking,” summed up Jérémie Beyou.

And now the passage of the Doldrums is looming on Wednesday! This intertropical convergence zone with its calms and squalls often takes place in a mouse hole. It can create the first big differences… like giving an accordion concert again.

Ranking (11/18 at 7 p.m.).

1. J. Le Cam (It all starts in Finistère – Armor-Lux) 22,267 miles from the finish.
2. S. Goodchild (Vulnerable) 4.3 miles from the leader
3. S. Simon (Dubreuil Group) at 16.2
4. N. Lunven (Holcim-PRB) at 40.3
5. T. Ruyant (Vulnerable) at 40.9
6. C. Dalin (Macif) at 55…
8. Y. Bestaven (Master CoQ V) at 57.8