28.11.2004
Trimaran title sponsor B&Q is the biggest DIY retailer in Europe and third biggest in the world. http://www.diy.com
LATEST DATA AT 1610 GMT:
Lat/Long: 46 42 N / 007 38 W (237nm west of Les Sables d'Olonne - Vendée Globe start port)
Average Boat speed: 16.62 knots
True Wind speed: 19.9 knots
Elapsed Time: 8 hours
Distance sailed so far: 151.1 miles
Ahead/behind record: 1 hour 13 minutes ahead
IN BRIEF:
* FAST CONDITIONS FOR FIRST FEW HOURS OF ELLEN'S SOLO WORLD RECORD ATTEMPT PUTS HER Ahead OF JOYON'S RECORD...sailing well over the average speed required, but these fast conditions won't last when B&Q enters the lighter winds south-west of the Canary Islands in around four days time...
* "RELIEF TO BE OVER THE LINE, RELIEF TO BE GOING...I WAS SO NERVOUS..." Ellen phonecall to shore team 20 minutes after starting...
* TIRING AND EMOTIONAL PRE-START NIGHT AND MORE TO COME...only 10 mins sleep for channel crossing last night but pod of dolphins surround B&Q off English coast - a good omen for Ellen! Ellen will have to cope with minimal sleep in the first 48 hours of the attempt in the busy waters off the French/Spanish coast...
* B&Q CROSSED THE START LINE AT 08:10:44 GMT TODAY (28.11.04) FOR HER ASSAULT ON THE SOLO, NON-STOP ROUND THE WORLD RECORD...
* B&Q WILL NEED TO FINISH BY 07:06:06 GMT ON 9.2.05 TO SET A NEW RECORD...
* WINDS SET TO VEER NORTH-EAST AND DECREASE SLIGHTLY TONIGHT...Ellen pushing south and west for first gybe to slingshot southward along west side of the low as it moves across to the Spainish coast...
* CURRENT WORLD RECORD HOLDER FRANCIS JOYON SENDS GOOD LUCK MESSAGE... "May the conditions be favourable to her on this course so wonderful but also so difficult..."
OMEGA : Official Timekeeper of Ellen MacArthur
http://www.teamellen.com follow Ellen's record attempt via the website for all the latest information, see Race Viewer console for latest positions and animations that update automatically...
IN DETAIL:
Crossing the line at a speed of 27 knots in 30 knots of NW breeze made for fast sailing conditions in the first few hours of the record attempt putting Ellen ahead of Francis Joyon's record in the very early stages of this record attempt. B&Q has averaged well over the 15.38 knots of speed required to break the record but there is no doubt that these conditions will not last as Ellen heads south to the lighter winds forecast south west of the Canary Islands. Ellen will be hoping to find well-established Trade Wind conditions but light winds will, undoubtedly, reverse this record-breaking pace.
It proved to be an emotional and tiring pre-start night for Ellen as expected. Her shore team stayed on board B&Q until 2200 GMT running through the final system checks allowing Ellen to get one and a half hours of sleep. Emotions ran high as the shore team jumped aboard the support boat...Ellen's last human contact for the next two and a half months. Earlier in the evening a pod of dolphins - a good sign! - surrounded B&Q lifting the team's spirits. Then Ellen was on her own, heading across the channel towards the start area off Ushant.
SHORT PHONECALL FROM ELLEN AFTER START:
"We on our way, crossed line 08:10:44 deadline to finish 07:04:06.
Relief to be over the line, relief to be going, I was so nervous and very emotional even just seeing the guys in the helicopters above this morning...
Crossed line doing 27 knots, pretty quick! Averaging around 20 knots boat speed, that will do, thank you very much!! We're on our way, just get on with now. Very rough at the start, images should be spectacular, couple of big waves - when people see these images they are going to be wondering what the hell I am doing out here!
We are okay and boat is good, speak later..."
WEATHER ANALYSIS BY COMMANDERS' WEATHER:
Go to http://www.teamellen.com for full weather analysis from Commanders'
No major changes - winds set to veer NNE then ease between now and about 46N. Winds will veer faster and diminish quicker south of 46N - want to hit 45-46N and 10-11W and then gybe heading for 40N / 15-16W.
Want to slingshot southward along west side of the low which is near 36N / 19-20W moving to 33-34N / 16-17W by 1200UTC Monday then 33N/11-12W by 1200UTC Tuesday and then accelerate to Spain.
Wind forecasts
Wind directions are TRUE, wind speed in knots, time is UTC
Sunday, Nov 28
1800: 010-030/20-25
Partly sunny - a few puffs coming out of the stratocumulus during
the next 2-3 hrs and then more stable. Partly cloudy tonight.
Monday, Nov 29
00: 040-060/16-22 near 45 45N/10 30W - gybing a little before 00UTC (maybe
22-00UTC)
0600: 050-070/20-25 - wind stronger to the S, lighter N
1200: 060-080/22-28 near 42 25N/13 15W - wind stronger S, lighter to the N
1800: 060-030/20-30 - winds backing
Partly cloudy to cloudy, chance of showers near and south of 40N.
Seas 6-8 feet, long period NW-N swell, but some easterly chop.
Click here for further information on Sailing Speed Records http://www.sailspeedrecords.com and here for information on Ellen's campaign http://www.teamellen.com
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For further information, please contact Offshore Challenges:
Lou Newlands or Lucy Harwood
T: +44 (0)870 063 0210
E: lou@offshorechallenges.com or lucy@offshorechallenges.com
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