Concerns are mounting on board Geronimo following Olivier de Kersauson’s assessment of the delamination in the trimaran’s forward port beam. This is the beam that worked hardest in the Southern Ocean and was therefore subject to the greatest impact. The problem was first detected in the Doldrums and de Kersauson says: “The cracking noise of delamination is increasing; it gets worse upwind, so since we’re sailing at 60 degrees to the wind. The other thing is that it’s in a place where we can’t get at it at sea. We’re just hoping that it will hold and that we won’t have to slow down.”

Nevertheless, the 11 crewmembers have a little more to smile about today, having caught up with the current Jules Verne Trophy holder (Orange in 2002) since crossing the Equator. They have been making 18-20 knots close-hauled through the trade winds and are now concentrating on the depressions that could finally allow them to route for Brittany and escape the homecoming promised by all the forecasting models – close-hauled all the way!

In the middle of the day yesterday, the Capgemini and Schneider Electric trimaran was west of the Cape Verde Islands and had covered over 23,000 sea miles since the start (as measured by adding together all the daily point-to-point distances).

Positions – DAY 56

GERONIMO

11°38N – 32°11W

399 nautical miles in 24 hours, at an average speed of 16.62 knots

Distance to Waypoint 2 (35°N, 36°W): 1,416 nautical miles

Orange 2002

9°20S – 28°48W

213 nautical miles in 24 hours, at an average speed of 8.89 knots

Distance to Waypoint 2 (35°N, 36°W): 1,589 nautical miles