Bruno Peyron, skipper of the Orange II maxi-catamaran, will leave the Lorient harbour at 18:30 (local time) to head towards the Jules Verne Trophy starting line. The giant will probably start the clock during the night or tomorrow at dawn.

This new start should take place a few hours after Geronimo’s. Bruno Peyron said: “We should encounter good conditions at the beginning, but we’ll probably be slowed down in two to three days by a high which is blocking our path off the Canary Islands. Afterwards, we’ll catch the Trades promptly, and they will propel us to the Equator. With Geronimo setting off as well, we’ll be in a race configuration. It will add tactics and strategy, and will be quite interesting. We had been expecting this trimaran ? catamaran showdown for a long time. It should have taken place during The Race, it will eventually occur in the Jules Verne Trophy. Undoubtedly, we’ll learn a few things from this confrontation rather quickly. It promises to be a real duel, and the whole crew is very motivated by this combat at the highest level of our sport. The battle will be a tough one psychologically.” Stay tuned.