“Well, I’m totally becalmed! Just a few puffs now and then with the boat drifting at 1.5-2.5 knots south-eastwards. It’s really hard having to leave the sails up as they are flapping, so I’m worried about them. The cracking, rustling, dragging and clinking, when you are completely parked up at this stage of the race is like psychological warfare. Took advantage of the day to sew up the sail so I can use it two-thirds of first reef. Have also been taking photos and filming and have carried between 40 and 50 manoeuvres trying to get the boat moving since yesterday.”
Norbert Sedlacek (Nauticsport-Kapsch) in his daily message sent yesterday evening
 

“The trade winds train continues Northwards with Roxy, and it is starting to cool down a bit. I have got out my fleecy blanket to curl up in when I sleep, and soon the seawater showers are going to be "invigorating!" This morning, as I did the daily flying fish death count and clean-up, I discovered a really scary looking long fish!! He wasn't a flying version, and was probably minding his own business chasing his dinner when his world got churned up and dumped on Roxy's deck, the poor beast got trapped under the outhaul line, and his meal got spared to live another day! I have just crossed paths with a French cruising boat, who is on passage from Cape Verde to Pointe a Pitre! Luckily I have had my radar on as we are also crossing the "Transquadra" fleet. I saw the little blip on my radar cross just a mile and a half from Roxy so I called them up and we had a nice conversation and I gave them the latest weather information! That was the first time I have spoken to anyone on the VHF since the beginning of the race! They told me they'd seen my nav lights and my mast is so tall they thought that Roxy was a ship!”
Sam Davies (Roxy) in her daily message
 

Bilou has moored his boat in Ponta Delgada on the island of Sao Miguel. Welcomed by Nicolas de Castro and Luis Guervos, the sailor managed to bring his Veolia Environnement safely into port. He had repeated on several occasions that the duty of a good sailor above all involves taking care of his boat and not putting his or anyone else’s life in danger. Mission accomplished, even if everyone was looking forward to seeing the boat enter the harbour in Les Sables d’Olonne.

"I’m close to Fernando de Norhonha, which is around ten miles to my beam. This is the first time I have been to the east of these islands. I was slowed during the night and this morning, but now I’m off again. The skies have been overcast since yesterday, which is a sign that I’m in the Doldrums. I haven’t yet had any squalls, but I have had a few calms, although I get going again afterwards. It’s not easy seeing what is ahead. I have some weather charts and the Doldrums don’t look as nasty as they were for Dee Caffari. I have narrowed the gap, but now she is out of the Doldrums, just as I’m going in. I could be out by tomorrow morning or still be here in three days. It takes just one cloud to get stopped. I’m pleased that I haven’t had to start the generator for 3 days. My fuel saving measures are working and the goal is to have enough left for the Northern Hemisphere."
Arnaud Boissières (Akena Vérandas) talking to his shore team earlier today
 

Marc Guillemot (Safran) talking to his shore team this morning about his decision to head further west to round the high:

“I couldn’t stand it any more, as we were really slamming. I was tense and stressed like never before, so it really gave me a headache. That’s not why I chose this option, but since I changed course, it has been less violent. I could see off Brazil and as I went through the Doldrums, that as soon as I’m upwind and the wind eases off, Roxy is much faster than me. I could not remain passive in my fight with Sam. I’ve been thinking about it for two days and finally took my decision yesterday morning. It’s an option. So naturally there are some risks, but for the moment I’m not unhappy about what I’m doing. All of the routing shows I should have more favourable conditions than Sam (Roxy), but also in comparison to Armel (Brit Air). We’ll see…"

 

Armel Le Cléac’h, now in second place is expected to reach les Sables d’Olonne between 00h00 GMT on 5th February and 06h00 GMT on 7th February.
Samantha Davies and Marc Guillemot are likely to reach the finish between 12h00 GMT on 9th February and 12h00 GMT on 11th February.
Brian Thompson ETA between 10th and 12th February.
Dee Caffari between 11th and 13th February
Arnaud Boissières between 13th and 15th February.

For the final four, the ETA’s are still not very precise. Steve White should finish around 20th February, Rich Wilson on around 27th, Raphaël Dinelli around 6th March and Norbert Sedlacek on 11th March. These ETAs are based on the current positions and do not take into account changes in the weather for the weeks ahead.