JVT: Banque Populaire V Returns to Code Red

The window disappears and it's a return to Code Red for the Maxi Banque Populaire


The crew of the Maxi Banque Populaire V. Image copyright B. Stichelbaut/BPCE.

by Virginie Bouchet (in translation by SailRaceWin)

Moving to Code Green yesterday morning, the men of the Maxi Banque Populaire had their eyes fixed harder than ever on the met. files of the window that it appeared would put an end to the stand-by that has been in place since 12th November last year. Until yesterday morning the window was in accordance with what was sought by the Team. However, in the last 12 hours the situation has deteriorated. Particularly threatening was the phenomenon awaiting the crew in the two days' passage to Madeira, with winds of an average of 40 knots imposed on sailing in a very well-formed sea. This morning, in the face of the inexorable degradation of the conditions, Pascal Bidégorry, Marcel van Triest, Jérémie Beyou the whole Team were left with no other choice but to wait for another opportunity for departure.

All was ready and in the last 24 hours, the crew of the Maxi trimaran which bears the colours of the Sailing Bank (Banque Populaire) awaited the confirmation of the rendez-vous fixed long ago with the Jules Verne Trophy. At first judged to be in accordance with expectations and meeting the conditions needed very well, the forecast window chosen began to give some worrying signs midday yesterday (Saturday). In successive (weather) files, the position has continued to degrade. The issue is a depression foxed in position over Madeira and awaiting the thirteen men in 48 hours, as confirmed by Ronan Lucas, Technical Director of Team Banque Populaire, at the end of a meeting with the sailors: "We have decided not to go because the weather conditions for the days to come have degraded considerably during the last 24 hours. At Cape Finisterre we were going to encounter winds of an average of 40 knots knocking on the door, and while the boat is designed for this, on the approach to Madeira on a secondary front, we would have be sent into winds from the opposite direction of pretty much the same intensity and with a sea state that woudl rapidly degrade and give waves of 8 to 9 metres."

"We had no other choice"

Yet again the Banque Populaire Team must be patient. If the disappointment this morning in Brest is great, the reasoning behind it means that it would have been silly to submit the Maxi to Dantesque conditions. But the adventure and the departure aims have not changed today, as Ronan indicates: "It's a big disappointment because all of the crew were prepared to go. We had all put our bags on board. We remained at Code Green until this morning because there was still a thin chance. We are continuing to look at all the opportunities that will present themselves in the days to come. Our motivation is intact and more than ever our crew wants to leave on the assault on the Jules Verne Trophy."

"Today we have no other choice other than to give up this (particular) window", summarises and concludes Pascal Bidégorry.

Banque Populaire V