Monday 15th July at 1400 hours UT, after 5 days and 2 hours of racing, the trimaran Sodeb'O skippered by Thomas Coville was just 258 miles from completing the North Atlantic crossing record and had a 313 mile lead over the record set by Francis Joyon in 2005. The trimaran was making good speed towards the finish this afternoon at an average of 20 knots pushed by 10 to 15 knots of wind. Thomas may well cross the line between 0800 and 1200 UT. The trimaran will then head for the port of Brest where she will be welcomed at the end of the day, between 1600 and 2000 hours UT. However, the weather situation is likely to make things very tense for the tired skipper and his team of routers onshore, as the wind will drop in the following hours. Currently due West the wind is right on his tail and had already forced Thomas to gybe several times Sunday night, taking him away from the direct course but enabling him to maintain a good speed. These exhausting tacks to reposition himself on the course have nevertheless enabled him to save time in relation to the initial routing. The skipper, who has only slept a few hours since last Wednesday, has been careful to focus on getting the boat to make good headway for the past five days. Aged 40, the sailor from La Trinité has some incredible resources and is in such exceptionally good physical shape, according to his team, that he can resist the lack of sleep and the superhuman physical effort which consists of single-handedly manoeuvring a 32 m long three-hulled machine for the past five days, equipped with a 35 m mast able to carry up to 650 square metres of sail area!
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