12.06.2004
THE TRANSAT: MIKE BIRCH RETIRES AS LEADING IMOCAS EXPECTED TOMORROW...
'One man, one boat, the sea...The Transat established in 1960 as the OSTAR'
IN BRIEF:
* FRED LE PEUTREC, SKIPPER OF GITANA XI, FINISHES TRANSAT IN 11D, 9H, 20M, 54S
* CANADIAN SKIPPER MIKE BIRCH OFFICIALLY RETIRES FROM RACE AFTER AUTOPILOT FAILURE...
* MIKE GOLDING COVERING HIS POSITION IN FINAL APPROACH TO BOSTON "MY FOOT IS NOT OFF THE PEDAL"...ETA TOMORROW (13.6.04) AT O600 GMT...
* 'GRAND BANKS FLEET' TURN SOUTH...
LATEST IMAGES of the arrivals in Boston - the images tell their own story. Go to http://www.thetransat.com and click on the 'Gallery' icon and select finish images.
Current holder of the Omega 24hr record Michel Desjoyeaux/Geant 440 miles
See the official Omega clock showing race time http://www.thetransat.com
IN DETAIL:
Yesterday's early evening (USA) finish of Fred le Peutrec and 60ft trimaran Gitana XI, leaves just two ORMA multihulls still racing - Banque Covefi (Steve Ravussin) and Médiatis Region Aquitaine (Yves Parlier). Ravussin is 108 miles from Boston, slightly north of the finish line on the same latitude as Cape Ann, while Parlier is further south - 300 miles from the finish - 400 miles due east of New York and has yet to cross onto the American continental shelf.
This morning, 72-year-old Canadian skipper, Mike Birch who was competed in his sixth Transat race, officially retired from race after completing nearly 2000 miles of the course. Both his autopilots on board his 50ft multihull Nootka have failed and Birch has been unable to repair the pilots forcing his retirement. "The two pilots were both pretty old and I had trouble at the start. It appears the clutch has gone on both of them as they both have the same symptoms. That's the situation but not a happy one," said Birch this morning. "As for the race, it is not such a great thing - I made a big effort to do this race so it is disappointing for me and everyone else that helped me. I am trying to get to Nova Scotia steering by hand to meet up with my crew who will race on the Quebec-St Malo. I am much closer to St John but I want to try and get the boat closer to Quebec," concluded Birch.
Overnight, positions and distances between the three leading 60ft monohulls have reindexed stable. Mike Golding (Ecover) is leading over Dominic Wavre (Temenos) and Mike Sanderson (Pindar AlphaGraphics) as the trio raced SW along the brink of the continental shelf during the night. Golding tacked NW to climb back up to the finish line and to cover Wavre and Sanderson: "I shuffled myself back between Temenos and Pindar AlphaGraphics but happy with where I am now," said Golding this morning. "With 200 miles to go it is not an impossible task for Temenos to get back in and it's easy approaching land to roll into a flat calm area and they can catch up and the race re-starts. I've seen it many times before and I've seen it from many variations...from behind or leading. My foot is not off the pedal..." concluded Golding.
Asked about the final approach to Boston, Golding responded: "The weather doesn't look too bad - we might have to beat up one of the channels and with my keel problems that could be interesting! I might reduce sail area to make that easier for me and the boat. The route into Boston is a little tortuous with one part beating so there will be some sail plan changes. Also, there is loads of shallow water so cutting corners with a 4.5m draught under you is not a good idea. Right now, it is steady going, nice flat water surrounded by fishing boats - it's very busy out here. The last 200 miles are likely to be a long one."
As Temenos and Pindar AlphaGraphics continue SW towards the deeper water of the offshore Fundian Channel, due east of Boston, Kiwi skipper, Mike Sanderson, was still sounding upbeat about his chances: "I managed to close to within 4-5 miles of Dominique and we still have 200 miles to go. I am on starboard tack at the moment doing about 10.5 just a little off the wind. It's a beautiful morning, just fantastic. Flat water, the sun is coming up and if you're not enjoying this, then you're in the wrong sport."
Most of 'The Grand Banks Fleet' are now, finally, heading south although leading 50ft monohull Artforms (Kip Stone) has chosen to keep investing in the north following a brief tack south-west. Second place Open 50 monohull, Okami (Jacques Bouchacourt) trails Artforms by 135 miles as he short tacks south along the eastern coast of Newfoundland and Sebastien Josse on eighth place 60ft monohull, VMI, eventually turned south after a very close inspection of the beaches, wildlife and residents on the island's barren Burin Peninsula.
Behind the front pack of 60ft monohulls, Nick Moloney (Skandia) has kept pace with the front-runners during last night's position poll blackout and is currently 90 miles behind third placed IMOCA, Pindar AlphaGraphics, keeping 111 miles ahead of Conrad Humphreys (Hellomoto) with a small, overnight gain on the British skipper. Moloney reported this morning: "It looks pretty light for the finish, right now. I have a 100 mile buffer on Conrad and just hope I can indextain that - I would like to finish with the minimum amount of stress. The chance of a podium place? I can't really see that happening with the forecast we have. I am not expecting to see a big bunching up at the front - I'm just hoping the guys behind me don't compress on me. I don't think we will see it with the forecast showing reasonable winds."
But with tricky, 10-15 knot N-NW winds forecast near the coast and the added complications of inshore sea breezes, the 60ft monohull class face an intricate and highly tactical finish.
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