Ellen Mac Arthur - und ihr B&Q Maxi-Trimaran www.teamellen.com - zur Übersicht 27.12.2004 Trimaran title sponsor B&Q is the biggest DIY retailer in Europe and third biggest in the world. http://www.diy.com DAY 30 MEDIA RELEASE: FAST APPROACHING LONGITUDE OF CAPE LEEUWIN... KEY DATA DAY 29 1510 GMT: 1 day 9 hours 31 minutes ahead of Joyon OMEGA: Official timekeeper for Ellen MacArthur Lat/Long: 45 40 S / 111 05 E (711 miles S by W Cape Leeuwin, south-west tip of Australia, approx 210 miles from crossing longitude of Cape Leeuwin) Average Boat speed: 18.51 knots (heading ESE) True Wind speed: 22.5 knots (direction N) Sea temperature: 10.6 degrees C Distance sailed so far: 12029 miles at an average speed of 17.1 knots (data communicated by Thrane MiniC via BT Business Broadband) Update based on data recorded 1510 GMT...check http://www.teamellen.com for the latest data updated hourly IN BRIEF: * BIG GAINS ON THE RECORD CONTINUE as B&Q "straight-lining" it to the east, 400 miles further south of Joyon's historical track... * STAYING WITH THIS COLD FRONT HAS BEEN CRUCIAL in keeping MacArthur ahead of the pace and this may prove pivotal to her solo record attempt in the long run. The ability to catch up and sail back into the cold front, that could possibly take B&Q all the way to south of New Zealand, is down to the speeds attainable in this 75-foot multihull and the sheer determination of Ellen to 'gear-change' even when totally exhausted after the storm. Sleep deprivation creating a build-up of fatigue is as much a performance factor right now than the wind. * NEW SOLO TIME TO THE NEXT COURSE 'LANDMARK' OF CAPE LEEUWIN is on the cards as B&Q charges eastwards with approximately 210 miles to go to the longitude of Cape Leeuwin on the south-west tip of Australia... To listen to Ellen's audio, courtesy of Geolink/Iridium, click here http://www.ocftp2.com/audio/ellen/em271204a_uk_e.mp3 and http://www.ocftp2.com/audio/ellen/em271204a_mark.mp3 IN DETAIL: B&Q continues to make big gains on the record time, adding another three hours since this morning, to cement an advantage of 1 day, 9 hours and 31 minutes at 1510 GMT this afternoon, since MacArthur starting her solo record attempt 30 days ago. Having covered 12,029 miles through the water at an average speed of 17.1 knots, and with only 13,608 miles left on a typical round the world course, Ellen MacArthur has put the pedal to the metal sailing with 2 reefs and a staysail in slightly flatter seas to stay with the cold front that is propelling her eastwards on a direct course: "We're literally just staying with this front as it's moving across to the east which is great because it means we're moving with it. We're moving at the same speed so we're going to be sitting in this for the next few days which means we should get relatively consistent wind from a steady direction. The only problem is, its more northerly than north-westerly [wind direction] and we will suffer a bit more in the waves [as the waves are coming from the side, rather than from behind]. But we should have this more consistent breeze which means we should get to the east straight down the line of where we want to go. So from a boat speed perspective and a gaining on the record perspective, it's perfect." But MacArthur is acutely aware that any lead can disappear all too easily in this high-stake game: "We've seen so often in this record, you can get 24 hours ahead and then a couple of days later you are just 3 hours ahead so things are easily lost. So although things are looking good right now, it could all change. There's still been some quite big waves so still getting thrown around quite badly this morning and that was pretty horrendous. Now the wind is much more in the north and we've got a true wind angle of 105 degrees which means, once again, we are going into this annihalation session of being hit on the side by the waves and its going to get much worse because in about 18 hours time we're going to have 30-35 knots again. We're going to back down to 3 reefs and reaching at 110 degrees [wind angle] is going to be just terrible - I'm not really looking forward to that very much." MacArthur's ground to the east on a direct course at an average speed of 20 knots, is in the large part down to the fact that B&Q has been able to stay with this weather system: "I think to be able to sail fast enough - well, literally, sail faster than the wind - to get back through a front is a pretty incredible thing to do. The front did stall and slowed for a very short period in front of us which allowed us to get back inside. But we did have to average about 22 knots all the way through the storm in order to give ourselves the chance to do that. I think its only possible with a multihull, like B&Q, that you can do that kind of thing and you are able to get that speed when you need to. The only thing you've got to be crucially aware of is that you mustn't break the boat - doing that kind of thing, the waves generally get quite big and pushing hard in big waves, is what leads to breakages. It's trying to make that call and trying to find that line so you can push hard when you have to. But it was pretty amazing to sail back through the back of it and go from having really thick, white clouds, pouring rain all the time, no visibility whatsoever, and then a few hours later see a cool moon and no cloud above you and then to go back into the back of it and be in that white cloud again, all over a period of 12 hours was extraordinary. [comparing her track with that of the 2 tailenders of the Vendee Globe that she just passed] In a multihull at least you stand a chance of moving forward and getting out of some of these situations." As B&Q charges eastwards, 400 miles to the south of Francis Joyon's historical track, MacArthur's prospects of setting a new solo time to the longitude of Cape Leeuwin [south-western most tip of Australia] are growing. Joyon set a time of 30 days, 7 hours and 29 minutes to Cape Leeuwin, crossing at just 39 degrees south on the 22nd December 2003, as intense Southern Ocean storms were still preventing him from diving south closer to the shortest route. For B&Q to set a new solo time, MacArthur must cross the longitude of Cape Leeuwin [115 08 degrees East] before 15:39 GMT tomorrow. At her current speed and progress, MacArthur expects to pass Cape Leeuwin, approximately 700 miles to the south, in the early hours of tomorrow. WEATHER ANALYSIS FROM COMMANDERS' WEATHER 0600 GMT: From: Commanders' Weather Corp 0600UTC Monday, December 27, 2004 The front is still close to her and she may have some squally conditions over the next 6-12 hrs as a weak low dives SE, but Ellen is making great progress toward the east. Winds are indexly N-NW at 30-35 knots, which is allowing her sail a little south of east, but the breeze is expected turn more right into the north over the next 12-24 hrs. She will have to sail with as much east as possible, but the northerly winds may force her a little more to the south later today into Wednesday. Though by later Wed or Thu, winds should diminish some and turn more left into the NW, which make it easier for her to get more easting. Overall, Ellen does not want to get too far south, as she may then get on the wrong side of the next potential storm system next weekend. Strategy 1) Continue what you are doing, current course near 100-110 looks good. 2) Northerly breeze may force you more to the south over the next 36 hrs, but don't want to get too much south a) any northing you can will be an advantage for later in the week Wind forecasts Wind directions are TRUE, wind speed in kts, time is UTC Mon, Dec 27 09: 330-360/25-35, squalls to 40?? 12: 340-010/25-35, near 45 10S/110 E 18: 330-360/22-32 Considerable clouds with passing showers/squalls. Seas 15-20 feet Tue, Dec 28 00: 340-010/24-32 06: 340-010/26-34 12: 340-010/25-35, near 46 10S/120E 18: 340-010/25-35 Lots of clouds and a scattering of showers/maybe an isolated squall. Be prepared for gusts into the low 40s ahead of any squalls Seas 15-20 feet, from NW http://www.commandersweather.com PARTNER OF THE DAY : UKSA The Official Watersports Training Facility for Ellen and the Offshore Challenges Sailing Team 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 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 Email powered by Active24 http://www.active24.com B&Q has over 350 stores in the UK, China and Taiwan and employs about 40,000 people. With its sister DIY company Castorama which has stores in France, Italy and Poland, B&Q is the biggest DIY retailer in Europe and third biggest in the world. http://www.diy.com Copyright © 1996-2016 - SEGEL.DE