STEPPING UP THE PACE

The maxi-trimaran IDEC SPORT stepped up the pace yesterday on the final stretch of her attempt to win the Jules Verne Trophy. It is looking windy and physical over the next 2000 miles or so to the finish off Ushant. Approaching the latitude of the Canaries, Francis Joyon and his men are making the most of the trade winds, which are swinging around astern of the boat allowing them to speed away downwind. Only the sea state and the swell are forcing them to calm things down. Regularly at 28 knots, IDEC SPORT is gradually moving eastwards, whereas until now they have been heading north. Her VMG towards the tip of Brittany is high and in the coming days, she should be clocking up around 700 miles a day. IDEC SPORT is hopping onto the southern edge of a low forming NW of the Azores to speed towards the finish on Thursday.