This reduction in average speed to just over 16-knots was expected and is due to the conditions now being faced by Olivier de Kersauson and his crew.

For a large part of her 39th day at sea, the trimaran had to sail close-hauled into a south-westerly wind of around 15 knots in order to minimize the effects on crew and boat of the strong headwinds generated by the depression bearing down on them relentlessly from the north.

Geronimo’s incredibly southerly latitude of 58°44S has had an immediate impact on Olivier de KERSAUSON and his crew.

The air temperature here is around 2°C, with the temperature of the sea not rising above 6°C, which introduces a new threat into the equation: icebergs.

“Conditions are cold and polar. They remain on lookout at the same time as working to maintain this latitude, which should, in turn, help them to be less exposed”, explained Geronimo’s router Pierre LASNIER yesterday.