Betreff: Alex Thomson Racing in The Défi Atlantique: Fighting to save position as the tables turn again
Absender: "Mary Ambler"
Datum: 08. Dec 2003 16:31
ALEX THOMSON RACING
AT RACING FIGHTING TO SAVE POSITION AS THE tableS TURN AGAIN
Défi Atlantique: DAY 8
Leader: Ecover (Golding GBR)
11:00 GMT Position of AT Racing: 15 28.5 N, 33 13.5 W
Wind & Speed: 0-4 knots from SE, boat speed 1-2 knots
Location: 440m West of Cape Verde Islands
* Alex wanted to let you know what Monday morning is like in the North Atlantic and so he emailed in a photograph of the sunrise at 05:30am. This is also online at www.alexthomsonracing.com
* The effects of the low pressure system to the West of the Cape Verde Islands has shaken up the fleet, and unfortunately both AT Racing and Virbac (Dick) in the West have been watching leader Mike Golding get richer in miles as he sails off to the NE in steady winds. “It’s like standing at the dock and waving someone goodbye, Ecover’s off, and I’m sitting in no wind!”
* AT Racing is still the furthest boat in the North, and ranked in 5th position on the distance to finish behind Ecover (Golding), PRB (Riou), VMI (Josse) and Team Cowes (Moloney) at 11:00am GMT this morning. However, the gaps between each boat are now bigger than before with 84 miles separating Ecover and AT Racing. “If I can get more North into a band of SW wind which will allow me to sail deeper it might save me later on in the race.”
Alex Thomson is brief on the phone today as his energies and priorities lie in keeping the boat moving. “Last night I had less than 4 knots of wind and for 4 hours I averaged 1 ½ knots boat speed. I’ve been hand-steering all night as the pilot can’t do it when there’s hardly any wind registering on the anemometer. This morning at about 5am the breeze filled in to 8 – 12 knots from the NW so I changed from Code 0 to Solent. Then it swung to the West, then West of South, so I changed from Solent to gennaker. The breeze stayed at 12 knots, I was making 10 knots boatspeed, and then shifted to the SW so I changed to the spinnaker. Then it shifted round to the NW again and I changed to Solent. And then around 11am today the wind died completely – zero. It’s like standing at the dock and waving someone goodbye, Ecover’s off, and I’m sitting in no wind! Virbac’s heading over to the East now as well. So I cooked myself some poached eggs and bacon and have been trying to get the boat moving since with full indexsail and Code 0 up. If I can get more North into a band of SW wind which will allow me to sail deeper it might save me later on in the race… I’m okay, attitude-wise, just more frustration than anything else right now, so I am going to get rid of it up on deck with a gybe as I think the wind is just beginning to swing round to the SE...”
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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