17.05.2002
The latest daily news from TEAM KINGFISHER to Dr Krumnacker
Segel.de
Latest news from KINGFISHER in the Regatta Rubicon : LEG ONE
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Ellen MacArthur.
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IN BRIEF
* THE WHOLE FLEET closed up yesterday as those in the west
touched a modest breeze of more than 15 knots (a good deal more than
they have seen in recent days...)...KINGFISHER came back during the night
to within 20 miles of SILL this morning, as BOBST (Stamm) and VIRBAC (Dick)
closed to 10 and 30 miles respectively.
* "LOST MILES LAST NIGHT AS WE HAD TO REVERSE THE BOAT..." as KINGFISHER
gets stuck on a discarded fishing net, and are forced to reverse up for
30 minutes and send Jonny down to clear the daggerboard and keel...our
oceans are not so clean...
* "SPIRITS HAVE STAYED HIGH, EACH MEMBER OF THIS FANTASTIC CREW WITH
THEIR OWN POSITIVE VIBES" as Ellen praises her team, but regrets to
have to spend so much time at the nav station rather than on deck....'
you could not imagine more beautiful sailing than we have right now...
its just fantastic..."
* WIND EXPECTED TO HOLD until the final miles where local effects on
the coast of Lanzarote could, as any Mini Transat sailor will know,
change everything right at the line! ETA for the leaders, in whichever
order they are, during the night tonight.
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LOGBOOK from Ellen below...
Well another hot day out here, but this time we have wind at last and
are sailing well. It's been a mentally challenging race so far with the
ridge moving north and south and basically taking the wind from us at
every occasion. Things are OK on board, and the guys are great. but it's
been hard for everyone losing continuously in the position schedules, and
always having less breeze than the others. Last night we thought that we
were in good shape as the sun set we were sailing at 12 to 13 knots with
the gennaker in a breeze from the NE. we thought that we had made it
through the ridge as the wind had clocked continuously from 200 to 300.
We were gutted when after 4 hours of the most perfect sailing we were
completely becalmed again. we have not had much luck on this race so
far...every time we have expected wind it has never come, - and with
the HP ridge collapsing 24 hours later than predicted our option to the
west has seen us firmly stuck. Spirits despite all have stayed high,
each member of this fantastic crew with their positive vibes. no one
had given up in any way, and it must be impossible to find those who
concentrate more on helming. I have felt very responsible for taking
everyone on a westerly route, and have felt that our lost miles are very
much a result of waiting on a weather system which was unlikely to be
reliable, but the guys here have never once showed any blame. When the
wind died last night after our 4 hours of blissful sailing Bruno came
below and said 'sorry'... it's pretty special to hear that kid of
reaction, when I am sure the average would have come below to ask why.
Anyway as i type this Johnny is making a fruit crumble, Hendo is on the
helm, and with 13 knots of breeze we are making great progress to the south.
Kiny and Bruno are in their bunks resting.. it's incredible how small a
60 foot boat can feel sometimes with 5 people on board. I wished that
as the navigator i could spend more time on the deck, it's hard not to
be out there with the guys, and hard not to be watching that wonderful
ocean every second of the day, you could not imagine more beautiful
sailing than we have right now... It 's just fantastic.
still soon,
here's hoping
ellenxx
POSITIONS
Positions at 0900 GMT 17/05/2002
Regatta Rubicon map page : http://193.104.87.4/default_mono60.htm
1. Sill Plein Fruit : Jourdain, 137.1 miles to finish
2. KINGFISHER : MacArthur, 24.6 miles behind leader
3. BOBST GROUP-ARMOR LUX : Bernard STAMM, 36.3 miles behind leader
4. VIRBAC : Jean Pierre DICK, 64.8 miles behind leader
5. TISCALI GLOBAL CHALLENGE : Simone BIANCHETTI, 69.5 miles behind leader
6. L'Heautontimoroumenos : Antoine KOCH, 99.2 miles behind leader
7. TEMENOS : Dominique WAVRE, 101.0 miles behind leader
8. ADECCO-ETOILE HORIZON : Bob ESCOFFIER, Retired due to rudder problems
JARGON BUSTER : WHY ARE FINISH LINES ALWAYS SO HARD?!
Finishing a race almost always bring some last minute drama. You can
race hard for a week or more and the ranking can be upset just hours
from the finish line. The reason is usually that the weather systems
driving the strategy choices offshore get disturbed by local effects
near land - and islands like the Canaries are renown for strong local
effects - either no wind at all, or big wind funnelling between the
islands...watch out tonight...
Read all the news about Ellen & Team Kingfisher at
http://www.teamkingfisher.com
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