The latest daily news from Ellen to Dr Krumnacker
Segel.de
* For the first time in the Vendee Globe, Ellen sailed Kingfisher to the top
of the ranking during the night. The 0300 positions put her 3 miles ahead,
although 9 miles to the south and further east than PRB - in the battle to
exit the Doldrums, the distance to finish is far from the whole story.
Pleased of course to be at the top of the official rankings, the fatigue and
tactical situation did not permit Ellen to relax or cheer with the news -
with her GPS giving her an ETA of next Christmas in Les Sables, its hard to
get too excited! The tone of her voice shows the pressure and fatigue she is
feeling...click below to hear her for real....
In Realplayer http://64.23.31.209/clients/kf/latesta_uk.ram
Or Download in mp3 at http://64.23.31.215/cgi-bin/ftp/1/2901a_uk.mp3
* PRB and KINGFISHER are very much in the Doldrums - the wind moves through
180 degrees, and has rarely been above 5 knots in 24 hours now. The skipper
must try to concentrate on the sails and the course all the time just to
gain an extra few metres or tenths of a knot of speed. The heat, and the
motion of a boat slopping around make it almost impossible to sleep. People
in years gone by have gone crazy in the Doldrums...
There could be quite a few positions changes in the next 36 hours...keep on
eye on our website and click on
http://www.kingfisher-challenges.com/position/2.shtml for the lastest
positions and updates on the news pages at
http://www.kingfisherchallenges.com
* SILL is already 45 miles north of ACTIVE WEAR - something not obvious on
distance to go. SILL's western position could certainly cause a big
leaderboard change, even if exiting the Doldrums further to the west will
not necessarily be good for the headwinds that will follow. ACTIVE WEAR
meanwhile looks to be heading for the same area as PRB and KINGFISHER, so
one would imagine he should start to slow down as he approaches the equator,
even if the distances are going to really close up.
* The first boat out will certainly get away - the question is, who will it
be?
UPDATE FROM ELLEN THIS MORNING AS SHE FOUND OUT SHE WAS RANKED FIRST
"Mich and I are really suffering here, we've done just 65 miles in 24 hours,
its desperate. I am very very tired, having entered the Doldrums quite
exhausted after climbing the mast...that wasn't the best way to start this
battle with the calms. I guess I had no choice. I've been thinking for most
of the night about Bilou, not Mich, as he is charging up the western side
and the forecast shows he might hold the wind right the way north. The
ranking doesn't show it, but he's in a strong position - Mich and I are very
stuck. We have to hope we escape before he gets passed us. This is
exhausting.
Its so fluky. Its scary. I just want the wind to steady, it won't stay still
for more than 3 minutes.....oh @£!$%$....the wind has just switched, the
genoa is flapping. I've got to tack again I think......
[several minutes later]
.....This is so hard. I'm going 3 knots. When the wind changes the boat
can't easily steer around it, even hand steering, its impossible. Its not
easy...Its really not easy. There is no real weather information, we're just
fighting for each mile, and hoping the Doldrums will move and let us
through. You feel if you see the genoa flap one more time you're going to
pull your hair out. The problem is we don't have any breeze to get anywhere,
we've made our choice....the wind has swung again....unbelievable....its
been like this all night...."
CASTO KID OF THE DAY : A Donf to SANDRINE in Hospital Necker, Paris
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