Oceanracing 2002 - Around Alone

Betreff: SPIRIT OF CANADA UPDATE
Absender: "Aroundalone"
Datum: 14. Apr 2003 21:04

SPIRIT OF CANADA UPDATE

Derek Hatfield rejoined the Around Alone in the early hours of Sunday morning and is currently making good progress up the coast of Argentina. At the last poll he was sailing at a little over 7 knots with the wind from the southwest. Cold, rainy and foggy weather have been the order of the day since Derek returned to the spot where he capsized and officially continued with Leg 4. His accomplishment should not be minimized. What Derek and his team were able to pull off in one of the most remote parts of the world is nothing short of remarkable. Ushuaia is the southernmost town in the world and although these days the community is bustling with activity, it's not an easy place to get things done. As the whole Around Alone fleet found out, South America has it's own set of rules when it comes to customs and importing equipment, even if it is marked "ships store in transit." It's just the way it is in that part of the world and being at the very southern tip made it that much more diff icult. The mast took five days to get there by truck and even that was considered a fast trip. The driver had to transit the plains of Patagonia, a part of the southern Andes mountains and the Straits of Magellan.

Spirit of Canadas position on
April 14 07:15 GMT- www.raymarine.com

Fleet positions April 14
3D image courtesy of www.voyager2020.com

Getting out of the Beagle Channel also presented its own set of problems as Derek found out on his first attempt to leave. The proximity of the Beagle Channel to Cape Horn includes it in the ferocious weather found in that region. The first time Hatfield left Ushuaia he almost ended up running aground after getting caught in a 50 knot squall. The area is not well charted and there is a distinct lack of channel markers. Derek is now safely out to sea heading north in pursuit of the rest of the fleet. He finally found the time to send an email to thank his supporters. "Hello from Spirit of Canada," he wrote. "It's been five long, grueling weeks since the dismasting at Cape Horn. Since that time it seems that we have achieved the impossible. The boat that was in a total shambles after the rollover, is back together again and is sailing as new. We have fixed the keel, replaced the mast and all the standing rigging and miles of running rigging. The challenge of completi ng all of this in Argentina was more difficult than I could have ever imagined. With the support of Pindar, King Harken, the mast builder, did an amazing job turning out a top notch mast in just 10 days. Getting the mast to Ushuaia was another logistical nightmare that took a total of 6 days by truck. With outstanding support from Decoma International, the new sails arrived just last week and the job of putting the boat all back together again began in earnest."
"The weather in this part of the world is getting pretty extreme right now. It seems to change at least three times a day and can be raining, snowing or sunshine all in the same day. The job of getting out of the Beagle Channel into open water was very difficult due to the many passages, shallow waters, huge kelp beds, gunboats and checkpoints both on the Argentinean and Chilean sides of the Channel. The 60 mile trip can take up to two days and there is no place to stop if there is a problem. My first attempt almost ended in disaster on one of the many uncharted rocks that litter the channel and bays at the mouth of the Beagle. As I exited a small cut into the open ocean just before dark, an unpredicted front approached from Cape Horn bringing upwind conditions of 50 knot winds and rain. While putting in the third reef, the batten car on the mast broke and the top batten started to flog in the high winds. I had no choice but to run downwind across a shallow bay with 30 to 70 feet of water, littered with rocks. It was pitch black and only the radar could tell me where the land was. After about 4 hours of running downwind, I managed to get into the lee of a large island where I sailed back and forth for the next 6 hours to wait for daylight. The storm continued all day and I returned up the Beagle Channel to Ushuaia to fix the batten car. I was so exhausted after 30 some hours of this attempt that I collapsed in bed for 20 hours.
"The next attempt was more successful. We had the assistance of a large cruising boat to accompany us down the Beagle and act as a floating dock in the case of an emergency. It took over two days to motor the 60 miles due to headwinds. Yesterday morning, the skipper on the support boat sealed my engine and I cast off from his side behind the lee of an island near the ocean. I then sailed the reindexing 48 miles to a point approximately five miles to the West of where I was dismasted and started sailing north at 01:52 hrs. GMT on 13 April. I have rejoined the race, albeit a long way back. The race for me is one to get to Salvador as fast as possible and finish Leg 4 and then sail to Newport before the 17th of May, the day of the prize giving. It's an almost impossible time frame, but I will give it my best. Thank you for all your support."
--- Brian Hancock great.circle@verizon.net

Betreff: REGATTA STYLE RACING AROUND BRAZIL
Absender: "Aroundalone"
Datum: 14. Apr 2003 18:59

REGATTA STYLE RACING AROUND BRAZIL
SPIRIT OF CANADA UPDATE
LATEST POSITIONS, OVERALL POINTS AND ELAPSED TIMES AFTER 4 LEGS

Salvador, Brazil - 14th April 03. The first 24 hours of Around Alone's fifth and final leg has been more of a regatta than a long distance offshore race, as the Class 1 leaderboard has been changing and all 5 boats are racing within 11 miles and in sight of each other. As the fleet squeeze round the 'bulge of Brazil' in moderate upwind conditions on a smooth sea, each skipper is starting to carve out their own routes.
At the latest positions (14:00GMT), Tiscali was the boat furthest west and inshore, and Italian skipper Simone Bianchetti was calculated in first place early this morning. This is the first leg where Bianchetti has not had to race with either a totally new or spare rig after two dismastings, and so this Lombard designed Open 60 is definitely one boat to watch on this last leg - something which British skipper Emma Richards on Pindar will be doing constantly, as her goal is to keep Simone 2 points behind her to retain her 3rd place overall. Richards got off the starting blocks a little slower, but has swiftly picked up the pace since: "I had opportunity to overtake both Tiscali and Ocean Planet overnight when they tacked late after the sand bank - phew! Tiscali has sailed a lower faster course and gone ahead of me but closer to the shore, and Ocean Planet is currently sitting about 200m from me to windward."
However, eight hours later and it was the familiar sight of Bobst Group - Armor Lux at the top of the chart, as Swiss skipper Bernard Stamm covers both Tiscali to the west and Solidaires to the east by taking the middle route up the South Atlantic. American skipper Bruce Schwab admits to having his work cut out if he wants to achieve a top 3 finish on this leg, although he has been driving his boat well in these optimum close reaching conditions for his slim Tom Wylie designed boat: "Ocean Planet is an innovative boat and most of our ideas have worked brilliantly, but the bottom line is that we came to the Around Alone unfinished and untested. So it has been a struggle all the way to fix, repair, refine, and learn as we go."
In Class 2, current leader Brad Van Liew on Tommy Hilfiger Freedom America is being doggedly pursued by Tim Kent on Everest Horizontal with just 15 miles separating them. After his longest stop-over in the race so far, Kent started Leg 5 the most well prepared he has been, which could make for a closer and more exciting race between these two American Open 50 skippers. Also, the two Open 40's Spirit of yukoh and BTC Velocity are having an excellent duel just 2 miles apart still.
Derek Hatfield and Spirit of Canada are currently making good progress up the coast of Argentina and his position is being charted on the homepage every day thanks to RayTech 4.1 navigational software from Raymarine (www.raymarine.com). It has been a frustrating week for Hatfield with his departure stalled from the Beagle Channel by a week due to extreme weather and a badly charted coastline to complicate his navigation. His second attempt was successful, although it took him 2 days to get out of Beagle Channel with prevailing headwinds. "I have rejoined the race, albeit a long way back. The race for me is one to get to Salvador as fast as possible and finish Leg 4 and then sail to Newport before the 17th of May, the day of the prize giving. It's an almost impossible time frame, but I will give it my best. Thank you for all your support."
Weather - The Raymarine 3 day weather forecast and map is posted up online at www.aroundalone.com every other day.
ETA's - The first boats are expected to arrive at the finish from May 1st 2003. The ETA's will be updated every three days, based on the performance data calculated by RayTech 4.1 navigational software supplied by Official Race Partners Raymarine (www.raymarine.com).

POSITIONS AT 1400GMT 14th APRIL 2003
You can track the race boats using RayTech 4.1 navigational software by going to the Positions page online and clicking on the link to the Raymarine website at the top of the index chart.
Class 1
Boat Lat Lon AvgBsp Avgheading DTF
1. Bobst Group-Armor Lux 10 58.680 S, 36 10.040 W, 86.25 nm, 10.80 kt, 42 Â°T, 3839.60 nm
2. Solidaires 11 06.000 S, 36 04.520 W, 78.31 nm, 9.78 kt, 45 Â°T, 3842.00 nm
3. Tiscali 10 51.080 S, 36 25.840 W, 74.45 nm, 9.30 kt, 38 Â°T, 3844.60 nm
4. Pindar 11 05.336 S, 36 17.500 W, 87.04 nm, 10.87 kt, 41 Â°T, 3849.40 nm
5. Ocean Planet 11 08.240 S, 36 16.560 W, 77.00 nm, 9.64 kt, 42 Â°T, 3851.04 n
m
Class 2
Boat Lat Lon AvgBsp Avgheading DTF
1. Tommy Hilfiger 11 12.200 S, 36 22.840 W, 71.21 nm, 8.90 kt, 45 Â°T, 3858.03 nm
2. Everest Horizontal 11 18.120 S, 36 40.480 W, 73.78 nm, 9.21 kt, 37 Â°T, 3873.96 nm
3. Spirit of yukoh 11 53.135 S, 36 41.784 W, 60.42 nm, 7.56 kt, 60 Â°T, 3901.61 nm
4. BTC Velocity 11 48.960 S, 36 49.680 W, 55.90 nm, 6.99 kt, 48 Â°T, 3903.11 nm
* Spirit of Canada (Leg 4) at 12:32 GMT - 53 06.20' S 061 08.32' W
Overall Results in Points / Total Elapsed Time after 4 Legs
Class 1
1 Bobst Group-Armor Lux - 39pts / 97 days 23 hrs 7 mins 13 secs
2 Solidaires - 37pts / 98 days 9 hrs 57 mins 47 secs
3 Pindar - 27pts / 110 days 16 hrs 30 mins 23 secs
4 Tiscali - 26pts / 140 days 0 hrs 51 mins 41 secs
5 Ocean Planet - 23pts / 138 days 19 hrs 5 mins 45 secs

Class 2
1 Tommy Hilfiger Freedom America - 40pts / 128 days 0 hrs 0 mins 54 secs
2 Everest Horizontal - 35 pts / 148 days 0 hrs 15 mins 41 secs
3 *Spirit of Canada - 25 pts / 174 days 6hrs 47 mins 44 secs
4 Spirit of yukoh - 28 pts / 155 days 23 hrs 24 mins 44 secs
5 BTC Velocity - 23 pts / 174 days 6 hrs 47 mins 44 secs

* Spirit of Canada points & elapsed time after 3 legs only, 3rd place ranking based on his completion of Leg 4.
International Media Relations:
Mary Ambler - Email: mambler@clipper-ventures.com - Mobile: +55 71 9142 5225

Betreff: SPECTACULAR START FROM SALVADOR
Absender: "Aroundalone"
Datum: 14. Apr 2003 15:49
SPECTACULAR START FROM SALVADOR
RESTART FROM SALVADOR, BRAZIL
DEREK HATFIELD REJOINS RACE TODAY
LEG 5 WEATHER & ETA'S
LATEST POSITIONS, OVERALL POINTS AND ELAPSED TIMES AFTER 4 LEGS

Media Contact: Mary Ambler - Email: mambler@clipper-ventures.com - Fixed Mobile in Salvador: +55 71 9142 5225
Salvador, Brazil - 13th April 03. Leg 5 of Around Alone got underway at 13:00hrs local time (17:00 GMT) and after a long and restful stop over in Salvador, Brazil the nine skippers have finally set sail for Newport, RI some 4,000 miles away. The weather was warm and muggy with a 15-knot easterly wind blowing and slightly overcast skies kept the temperature from being scorching hot. A large spectator fleet turned out to send the sailors on their way and they were treated to a spectacular sight. The only boat missing from the line-up was Derek Hatfield on Spirit of Canada, who started his own race at 01:52 GMT this morning, rejoining Leg 4 in a race to complete Leg 4.
It was Bermudian skipper Alan Paris on BTC Velocity who won the start after the gun was fired from the Brazilian minesweeper. He was immediately followed by Emma Richards on Pindar and then Bruce Schwab on Ocean Planet right behind. Moments later Thierry Dubois on Solidaires rolled over the top of Ocean Planet to move into third. In a group at the committee boat end Brad Van Liew on Tommy Hilfiger Freedom America, Bernard Stamm on Bobst Group - Armor lux and Kojiro Shiarishi on Spirit of yukoh were all a few seconds late for the start, but sailing at full speed. The fleet headed downwind towards a turning mark four miles away with the leaders vying for first place. At first it was Dubois who steamed into the lead, but Stamm was not to be denied and at the mark it was the all to o familiar sight of Bobst Group - Armor lux at the front of the pack. Bruce Schwab on Ocean Planet showed blazing speed with his narrow Tom Wylie design and followed Stamm around the mark a mere half boat-length astern. Dubois on Solidaires was third at the mark. Brad Van Liew also found himself at the front of his class and was the first Class 2 boat to round the turning mark. The fleet then sailed close-hauled along the coast to the Farol da Barra lighthouse.
With fireworks marking the occasion, Bernard Stamm sailed through the final gateway of the inshore course with a good 8 boat length lead over Solidaires, but the real story was the blazing hot performance turned in by Bruce Schwab on Ocean Planet who was just behind Solidaires as they passed through the gate. Not long after all the Class 1 boats rounded, Brad Van Liew on Tommy Hilfiger Freedom America rounded the turning mark off the Farol da Barra lighthouse and he too headed out to sea, followed by Tim Kent on Everest Horizontal and Kojiro Shiarishi on Spirit of yukoh.
At the first set of position reports, the top spots are being held by Bobst Group - Armor lux, Solidaires and Pindar in Class 1, and Tommy Hilfiger Freedom America, Spirit of yukoh and Everest Horizontal in Class 2. Next stop Newport.
Weather - The Raymarine 3 day weather forecast and map will be posted up online at www.aroundalone.com every other day.
ETA's - The first boats are expected to arrive at the finish from May 1st 2003. The ETA's will be updated every three days, based on the performance data calculated by RayTech 4.1 navigational software supplied by Official Race Partners Raymarine (www.raymarine.com).