Groupama 3

Just 23 hours separate Orange II and Groupama 3 in the space of three years. Bruno Peyron's maxi-catamaran 'virtually' passed along the same trajectory as the giant trimaran this Tuesday at 0800 UT with a deficit of 590 miles. This is good news since Franck Cammas and his men have thus saved two and a half hours on the reference time since their passage of the equator, despite a succession of gybes slowing their pace. Though the averages have grazed and even exceeded an average of 27 knots over the past two days, the trimaran has extended its course by performing successive hooks to the SW to get clear of the pitfalls of the Saint Helena High. Bruno Peyron's catamaran didn't have to resolve such problems, instead scribing a perfect curve from the equator to 40 degrees at equivalent speeds. Result: more route at the same speed and Groupama 3's room for manoeuvre has been reduced by 80 miles in half a day.