Betreff: Alex Thomson Racing in The Défi Atlantique: Four way fight for podium in final 550m sprint to finish
Absender: "Mary Ambler"
Datum: 14. Dec 2003 15:35
ALEX THOMSON RACING
FOUR WAY FIGHT FOR PODIUM IN FINAL 550 MILE SPRINT TO FINISH
Défi Atlantique: DAY 14
Race Leader: PRB (Riou FRA)
Position at 11:00 GMT: 42 36.56 N, 012.3488W
AT Racing Location: Off Cape Finisterre
Miles to La Rochelle finish line: 550m
ETA La Rochelle: Tuesday 16th December
* Listen to Alex Thomson’s latest satellite phone interviews online at www.defi-atlantique.org/uk.
* The Défi Atlantique, nominally a solo transatlantic qualifier event for the Vendée Globe 2004, has turned into one of the most hotly contested races in recent Open 60 history. Again, the weather has intervened abruptly to shake up the odds, and now any one of the top four boats – two British and two French – could take victory. A mere 4.5 miles separates PRB (Riou) from AT Racing (Thomson), and 3rd placed Ecover (Golding) has made up 35 miles in the last 6 hours to be only 60 miles behind AT Racing in 2nd place.
*Alex Thomson (AT Racing), who stole the lead back from Frenchman Vincent Riou (PRB) on Friday morning in style after a world record-breaking ‘catch-up’ run of 466 miles in 24hrs, is now wallowing in light airs off Cape Finisterre and trying to cope with the exasperating situation of watching PRB slip ahead on the inside and the next two boats Ecover (Golding) & VMI (Josse) approach with alarming speed.
This morning we spoke to Alex on his Sat B as over last night the Mini M sat phone went down. This cut in communications until Alex got the B working early today has had its consequences as this the normal means by which he downloads his weather files: “Sorry, I’m not in the best of moods today, I’ve only just got the Sat B working and been able to get the weather for the first time since yesterday evening. I just don’t understand how PRB has kept moving on the inside of me! It’s so frustrating. Ecover and VMI are now heading slightly more North and may well sail over the top of me at this rate. I know they have another 70 miles to make up but it doesn’t take much to turn things around, well I went from 7th to 1st in just a couple of days last week. So, it’s hard to predict my ETA, I’ll have to say Tuesday still for now. I’m going nowhere, the wind keeps flirting around and I’ve changed headsails too many times already, it’s agonising!”
So we left Alex to get on with the job in hand, to get the boat moving and reassess his route and tactics in the final sprint to the finish, not without a word of encouragement to tell him that crossing the line is all he needs to do to qualify for the Vendée Globe, as he’s already made enough of an impression in this race – but we get the sense that resignation is not in Alex Thomson’s character as he responds with one final quip: “That’s not good enough for me…”
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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