Oceanracing 2009 - Transat Jaques Vabre 2009

Transat Jaques Vabre 2009 Le Havre - Costa Rica, Start 7. November 2009
www.jacques-vabre.com - Übersicht

10.11.2009
Fotos von Artemis Ocean Racing
AVOIDING 70 KNOT WINDS AND 10 METRE WAVES! BRITISH SKIPPER TURNS SOUTH TO ESCAPE A BATTERING

A deep depression in the Atlantic bears down on Sam Davies on Artemis Ocean Racing Visit http://www.artemisoceanracing.com for more information on the team and latest news To download latest videos and photos from onboard Artemis Ocean Racing, please visit ftp://www.ocftp.com/ (Username: artemis / Password: aor100)

Sam Davies, currently powering into the Atlantic from Europe on Day 2 of the Transat Jacques Vabre yacht race from France to Costa Rica, is preparing herself for the onslaught of some heinous conditions. The iconic British yachtswoman, sailing with experienced French sailor Sidney Gavignet onboard Artemis Ocean Racing, is looking to navigate past a deep weather depression that threatens to bring winds in excess of 50 knots, gusts of up to 70 knots and huge seas with 10 metre waves.

This morning Sam and Sidney gybed south in order to position themselves away from the direct line of a large low pressure system tracking towards the racecourse. Today’s 1600 GMT ranking show Artemis Ocean Racing is holding steady in seventh place, but, importantly, she is one of the most southerly boats of the main group, with a severe weather system approaching the north of the fleet.

“The last 24 hours have been pretty full on. We’ve actually just gybed,” reported Sam. “It’s quite strange because – it’s the first time I’ve ever done this - we’re choosing our weather routing relative to the safety of the boat, rather than relative to the optimum route, which would take us way further north, but the optimum route would take us right through forecast winds of up to 50 knots, which means there would probably be real winds gusting near 70! And I guess 10 metre waves.”

“So we’re trying to avoid that and that’s one of our reasons for gybing south a little bit earlier than we would otherwise. But it’s pretty important to keep the boat in one piece and it’s early on in the race, so we’re thinking of making it through this first series of low pressures which are going to attack us over the next few days. Tonight we will be heading south, pretty much running away from the path of the oncoming nasty depression.”

Since the start of the race there has been little opportunity for sleep given the challenging and constantly evolving conditions, as Sam reported, “We’re getting some rest at the moment, I just had a really lovely three hours sleep, which is such a luxury. It is the most sleep I have had since the beginning of the race.”

Co-skipper Sidney Gavignet added, “The nights are cold, wet and dark. We are waiting for strong winds in the next 24 hours, and so with that on the horizon rest is important. Since the start, we alternate well together, but it’s always difficult to get into the rhythm. It is not always easy to have longer unbroken sleeps, no more than two hours non-stop.” - Ends - Media Information: For all media enquiries about Artemis Ocean Racing contact: Tim Kelly / Camilla Green M: +44 7773 325 533 / M: +44 7970 746482 E: tk@tk-a.co.uk / E: camilla@camillagreen.co.uk Notes to Editors: Artemis Investment Management Established in 1997, Artemis is an investment provider known for achieving superior returns through funds that regularly beat their benchmark and peers. Since the first funds were launched in 1998, Artemis has established a reputation for strong investment performance in up, as well as down markets. Artemis has grown to the extent that it now manages an asset base which is spread across a range of unit trust funds, an investment trust, hedge fund products, venture capital trusts, as well as segregated and pooled institutional portfolios. Artemis believes in active fund management, fundamental for delivering outstanding investment returns based on the team’s belief that its primary aim is to beat the markets by accepting full responsibility for their portfolios. Artemis employs experienced and highly skilled people who have flair, enthusiasm and above all, a passion for searching out the best stocks markets have to offer. www.artemisonline.co.uk