Happy New Year.
Maître CoQhas, as the French put it, Crushed the Mushroom, referring to a type of accelerator in French cars. Still riding on the front of the depression he has reeled off 452 miles in the last 24 hours. Charlie Dalin’s Apivia made 418 miles and is trailing by 141 miles. These two now have a gap of 260 miles behind Apivia to 3rd placed LinkedOut which has east north easterly winds. The gap to 11th placed Prysmian Group has almost doubled to 702 miles in just two days.
The depression will be centred on Cape Horn by Saturday evening our time, blowing more than 40 knots, which is approximately when Maître CoQ should round. But these winds will be from a north of west direction and it will only be the size of the waves that will restrict speed. For the chasing boats the wind will be a more moderate 20-25 knots by then but not for long as another depression is sweeping past to their south bringing 30 knots of wind by midnight on Monday. The Cape is living up to its reputation.
Pip Hare is holding her 16th position, 18 miles behind La Fabrique and 55 miles ahead of La Mie Câline, 2,320 miles from the leader. Miranda Merron has made 331 miles in the last 24 hours as she comes up to the Longitude of New Zealand nearly 5,000 miles from Cape Horn.