Charles Caudrelier (Maxi Edmond de Rothschild) has opened a 70 miles lead on second-placed Tom Laperche (SVR Lazartigue) as the Arkea Ultim Challenge-Brest's two pacemakers contemplate their rapid descent into the Southern Ocean, set to pass Tristan de Cunha tonight, making between 34 and 36 knots with some 1,400 miles still to sail to pass the longitude of the solo ULTIM race round the world's first great Cape, the Cape of Good Hope.
Whilst Laperche, at 26, is set to experience the 'big south' for the first time, the endless grey and barren seas are a known quantity for double The Ocean Race winner Caudrelier. But it is the poetic Thomas Coville, just over 400 miles behind the two leaders, who is really relishing his return to the south.
"Sodebo is moving at 35 knots on very flat seas. The sun comes up out of the water. This means something very important on a round the world. That means that we are heading east. We now have this incredible scene where the sun rises right in front of us." He smiled on his early morning video.
After negotiating the west side of the Saint Helena high pressure zone, the former solo round the world record holder (49 days and 3 hours in 2016) has made his turn to the left.
Ranking at January 18th at 3:00 AM
1. Charles Caudrlier, Maxi Edmond de Rothschild, 18508 nm to finish
2. Tom Laperche, SVR Lazartigue, 87 nm to leader
3. Thomas Coville, Sodebo Ultim 3, 530 nm
4. Anthony Marchand, Actual Ultim 3, 1608 nm
5. Armel Le Cleac'h, Banque Populaire, 1830 nm
6. Eric Peron, Adagio, 2671 nm
