Ultim Challenge: Caudrelier staying prudent, Marchand reaching Cape Horn

Not much has changed since yesterday on the ARKÉA ULTIM CHALLENGE-Brest. Leader Charles Caudrelier continues to make steady progress in the North Atlantic. He is 300 miles south of the Azores archipelago, and he has been moving at around twenty knots in the last 24 hours. Faced with depression near the finish area, Charles seems likely to slow. "It is probable that he will make his decision by tomorrow morning," considers Guillaume Rottee, race director. "The skipper of Maxi Edmond de Rothschild has been very cautious in recent days, which supports the idea of a "safer" route."

Behind, off the Brazilian coast, now more than 800 miles separates second placed Thomas Coville (Sodebo Ultim 3) from Armel Le Cléac'h (Maxi Banque Populaire XI). Note that Armel is having some difficulty getting out of a windless zone. "He is having trouble finding stable and regular wind," explains Rottee. "Actually it's difficult to know at the moment when he will regain speed."

For the two skippers in the Pacific, Cape Horn is coming up. Anthony Marchand (Actual Ultim 3) is 380 miles from reaching the Horn. "It will be a deliverance," he said yesterday. "He should cross it tonight (between 10 p.m. and midnight UTC in a WNW'ly  flow with 25 knots of wind and slightly rough seas," adds Rottee. Over the last two days, Péron has gained 150 miles on Actual Ultim 3. Yesterday, the skipper of ULTIM ADAGIO boasted of having a boat "almost in 100% working order". He is expected at Cape Horn tomorrow late morning.