05.06.2004
www.conradhumphreys.com
HELLOMOTO positions & performance data are updated on the new Race Console feature launched on our homepage
HELLOMOTO STAYS SAFE AND SOUTH
Day 5: Conrad gets out of Hell(omoto)’s Kitchen!
Plymouth, England 5th June, 2004. It’s been a dramatic night on The Transat race course as the leading boats further north are punished by 50 – 60 knot winds and brutal seas. Open 60 monohull race leader Virbac got caught by a rogue wave and did a 360 degree roll in the space of 5 seconds, unfortunately dismasting and breaking the boom in the process. Skipper JP Dick was inside the cabin at the time and is safe and sound. New leader Mike Sanderson on Pindar Alphagraphics also suffered loss of wind instruments and has had to hand-steer for more than 8 hours over-canvassed as he couldn’t leave the helm to take in more sail. VMI (Josse) nearly pitch-poled last night, the water came right to the mast as the hull drove into the trough of a wave.
At 1300 GMT, HELLOMOTO lies in 8th place 150 miles from the leading boat and has suffered no damage thankfully, as Conrad tacked off South in 40 knot winds at 1630 GMT yesterday in order to preserve boat and material first. However, the decision brought a mix of emotions for our skipper: “HELLOMOTO was thumping off waves nearly half her length and more with 3 reefs in the index and staysail up. Every wave just made me cringe, as the ear-splitting sound of carbon slamming against the ocean was taking mine and her toll. I could not mentally understand why we would choose to put our yachts in danger. On the BT Challenge, this was a winning tactic, but Challenge yachts are 40 tonne steel yachts. And yet that decision to tack was not easy. The weather charts favoured the move north even though we were way off course and would be forced to play Russian roulette through the ice off Newfoundland. The soft option lay south, however there was and is a small chance of success from the south. Thiercelin (Proform) can see it, and we may yet be in a good position to pick up the southerly winds off the next depression.”
Conrad responded to the news of his fellow competitor, Jean-Pierre Dick: “To learn of Virbac’s dismasting brought a lot of emotion. All of us tackling that depression knew the risks and yet onwards we continued. Why we couldn’t have a gentleman's agreement and say guys let's all tack south at the same time and save the pain. I feel happier for breaking with the pack and heading south. I hope Virbac is safe and the storm leaves her without further damage.”
Now flying the genoa with 1 reef in the index, HELLOMOTO is making 9.9 knots in 13 knots of SW breeze, heading north of west. Conrad explained in a satellite phonecall to his shore team what lies ahead of the fleet now: “The 2nd low pressure is moving in now, once the guys up North cross the ridge they’ll be motoring down with strong NE winds. I’m going to get lifted today with SSW winds and am sailing towards the low, whereas the others will go over the top outside the system. I hope to cross through the middle without losing too much boat speed, and maybe I’ll come out with the chocolate!”
Conrad himself is on top form this morning: “I am so at ease with my boat, I feel at one with her and am not psyched out or feel under pressure at all on the race course. I believe I can catch VMI (Josse), my next target, but the others are quite a way ahead.”
On a culinary note, Conrad has never been known to participate in domestic sports, and so we weren’t surprised to hear of last night’s episode of ‘Hell(omoto)’s kitchen’: “I burnt my pasta dinner last night as my poor attempt at cooking was interrupted by a sail change and when I returned I had to scrape the charred reindexs off the bottom! Instead I ate loads of chocolate and have just demolished a whole bunch of bananas so I’ve been monkeying around all morning!”
Positions at 1300 GMT
Pos Boat Latitude Longitude Speed Hdg DTF* DTL**
1 PINDAR 53 51.52' N 34 22.96' W 10.2 208 1597.0
2 ECOVER 52 16.40' N 33 48.52' W 9.5 202 1603.1 6.0
3 PRB 53 23.48' N 33 56.72' W 6.2 235 1607.5 10.5
8 HELLOMOTO 50 15.00' N 29 53.12' W 9.5 291 1743.2 146.2
* Distance to finish ** Distance to Leader
HELLOMOTO positions & performance data are updated on the new Race Console feature launched on our homepage
Listen in to Conrad Humphreys in the daily skippers’ chat sessions
Media can call this number 0901 500 6100 (UK only – 25p per minute) between 0900 – 0945 hrs BST each day.
Public can call this number 0906 540 0300 (UK only – 50p per minute) between 0900 – 0945 hrs BST each day.
Audio files from this session will be uploaded onto the race web site later in the morning.
The Transat Race web site: www.thetransat.com
ENDS
Media enquiries:
Mary Ambler
Communications Manager
Motorola Ocean Racing Team
Open 60 HELLOMOTO
O6T Ltd
Email: mary@o6t.com
Tel: +44 (0) 1752 600111 - Mob: +44 (0) 7887 643583
Motorola Ocean Racing Team web site
www.conradhumphreys.com – for all sports & news media enquiries & resources
Motorola Online Media Centre
www.motorola.com/mediacenter
About Conrad Humphreys and O6T
Conrad Humphreys, 31, from Devon, is an inspirational team leader and world-class British yachtsman who in 2001 became the youngest ever skipper to win the BT Global Challenge. His ambition is to compete on the international Open 60 racing circuit for the 2004-05 FICO-Lacoste World Championship title. O6T is the management company for the Motorola Ocean Racing Programme, and delivers a range of major PR, relationship building and team & leadership development opportunities to business. For more information: www.conradhumphreys.com / www.o6t.com
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