Betreff: Alex Thomson Racing in The Défi Atlantique: Getting by with a little help from his friends
Absender: "Mary Ambler"
Datum: 06. Dec 2003 16:00
ALEX THOMSON RACING
GETTING BY WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM HIS FRIENDS
Défi Atlantique: DAY 6
Leader: Virbac (Dick FRA)
11:00 GMT Position of AT Racing: 09 24 N, 33 40 W
Wind & Speed: 25 knots from NE, boat speed 16-20 knots
Location: SW of the Cape Verde Islands
* AT Racing went back up to the top of the rankings yesterday night and then this morning’s 11:00 GMT report put Alex in 4th place behind Virbac (Dick), PRB (Riou) and Ecover (Golding). With 16 miles separating the top 4 boats, one pair match-racing each other in the West, the other doing battle in the East, it is still an unpredictably close race. “I’ve lost out in my duel with Virbac today but AT Racing is back up to full speed. Depending on the movement of the low pressure up ahead, this will determine which of us will come out ahead in a few days time. I hope my Westerly option continues to pay but it’s not at all clear.”
* It’s the weekend for all except Alex Thomson and the 9 other skippers racing their Open 60 monohulls in the Défi Atlantique from Salvador to La Rochelle, France. Six days have passed, one third of the race is behind them, with 2,787 miles still to cover, which translates into about 13 days more at sea. “Come to think of it now, there’s been so much happening in the last week, I’ve lost track of the days already. I’m glad I’m still in the fight, this is what I thrive on, and I haven’t got bored yet! I do spend a lot of time on the phone to my friends and family, but it keeps me going…”
After six days of racing, when Alex Thomson says he is “not bored yet”, it may sound strange considering that he is out in the mid-Atlantic racing on a 60ft carbon ‘ocean greyhound’ single-handedly at speeds of up to 20 knots for 3 weeks non-stop. However, our young skipper is fast discovering the challenges that will ultimately face him when he competes in the solo, non-stop round the world Vendée Globe race this time next year. “Well, every day has been different, I’ve certainly not had much time to get distracted or feel alone. It seems ages ago that I was having all that bother going through the Doldrums at night, was that Thursday? I’ve already lost track of the days. Yesterday was more chilled, there were less jobs to do, just having to concentrate on trimming the sails, so I did start wishing I had some DVD’s on board, for the Vendée I’m going to have to sort out the entertainment or I’ll definitely not survive!
“I got a good 4 – 5 hours sleep which I needed after the Doldrums and last night saw some good speeds with the wind coming back up. Right now we’re hard on the wind and powered up at 20 knots, I can head more North now. However I did lose out on Virbac and he’s got the edge now. But you know me, I prefer to be in a fight – well, as long as there are no problems with the boat as that’s when it can turn nasty. I’m looking forward to the rest of the race, as in a few days time I hope I’ll be able to play with the spinnakers on my own for the first time, I think it’s a good race for the fact we go through all points of sail, which is great practice for me. At the end of the day, I am proving that both the boat and myself are quick.
“I do believe that the choices you make in the first 3-4 days determine the final positions, and I just hope my westerly option will continue to pay but it’s not clear at all. The weather models are all conflicting, and going on the last week of racing, different models have ended up being more correct at different times so I am no more certain about any piece of weather information I get. It all depends on which way this low pressure system ahead of us moves as to which side of the race course pays off in a few days time. The next 48 hours will be really interesting and really hard.”
When Alex is not analysing weather information, changing or trimming sails or checking over the boat, he is on the phone quite a lot, as the Mini M and Iridium satellite phones are his communication lifelines to shore. “I like talking on the phone, it’s important to keep me going to be able to chat to my mates and family from time to time. I spoke to my twin sister Sarah yesterday, and she made me laugh when she told me she’d rung our Grandad who’s over 90 to tell him that I was leading the race, and he said “I know!”, and when she asked how come, he said he’d been on the website to read about it – we were both in shock! Imagine that, my Grandad’s never been near a computer, and finally he’s got one just so he can follow me in the race! That’s the first time he’s been on the internet in his life! Isn’t that wicked..?”
Alex is still feeling the effects of being on his own for 6 days, though, and joked about how sometimes even he has started talking to the animals. “On the Jacques Vabre, we had a beetle land on the boat, Bilou called him Norbert, and he stayed on board for 2 weeks and was a source of amusement for us both. I haven’t even seen a dolphin yet out here, and I’ve only spotted 2 birds but they haven’t landed on the boat. You’d expect to see more marine life out here, so it’s a shame really how empty the ocean is. Of course I’ve now got three horrible flying fish stinking out the cockpit, I hate them so much. But a brown Admiral butterfly did join me this morning, and now I can’t see him – I’m really gutted, I need a little friend!”
FOLLOW ALEX THOMSON ON THE ALEXTHOMSONRACING.COM WEBSITE
You can follow Alex Thomson’s racing programme on a new-look format of the current campaign website at www.alexthomsonracing.com, where Alex’s personal updates & images taken on board, plus the latest race information and boat positions will be posted daily online. If you wish to make enquiries, sign up to receive updates or send Alex a message of support at any time please register your email through the Quick Enquiries section online or at info@at-racing.com.
The Défi Atlantique official race web site is at www.defi-atlantique.org
High resolution images of Alex Thomson / ‘AT Racing’ (on board & aerial) are available on request and copyright free.
For all photography, interviews and information, please contact Mary Ambler.
ENDS
AT Racing Ltd
Address: Unit 11, Haslar Marina, Haslar Road, Gosport PO12 1NU
Tel: +44 (0)23 9252 4343 - Fax: +44 (0)23 9252 4646
Website: www.alexthomsonracing.com
Sponsorship enquiries: sponsorship@at-racing.com
General enquiries: info@at-racing.com
Media enquiries: Mary Ambler - Email: mary@alexthomsonracing.com - Mobile: +44 (0) 7887 643 583
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