Figaro Solo Transatlantic race 2005 04.04.2005 SLOW PROGRESS OVERNIGHT FOR FLEET... Skandia is a leading provider of long-term savings and pioneer of the highly successful multi-manager investment approach. IN BRIEF: * SKANDIA IN 7TH PLACE AT 1000BST POSITIONS, 6.7 MILES BEHIND LEADER CHARLES CAUDRELIER (BOSTIK), WINNER OF LAST YEAR'S SOLITAIRE... * "AT THE MOMENT, I'M IN BETWEEN AQUARELLE.COM AND TOTAL AND I CAN SEE CERCLE VERT, BANQUE POPULAIRE JUST IN FRONT - EVERYONE IS REALLY CLOSE..." * "IT'S DIFFICULT TO SLEEP IN THESE CONDITIONS - SPINNAKER, GENOA, TACK, TACK, GYBE...I CAN SEE SOME CLOUDS Ahead WHICH HOPEFULLY WILL SIGNIFY THE BEGINNING OF THE WIND SHIFT..." * LESS THAN 3 MILES FROM 3RD PLACE JEANNE GREGOIRE (BANQUE POPULAIRE)... 04.04.2005 - Sam Davies/Skandia mischt vorn mit Photo : Benoît STICHELBAUT / DPPI IN DETAIL: The Trophée BPE fleet have spent their first night creeping along at around 3kts boatspeed. In a phone call this morning, Sam reported, "There's no wind...at the moment - between 0 and 2 knots which is pretty unusual for a start of a Transatlantic race but it's better than going off the start in to massive waves with everything flying around." SKANDIA was in 7th at the 1000BST positions, 6.7 miles behind 1st place Charles CAUDRELIER (BOSTIK), who has been in the lead since the start, and 5 miles behind Eric DROUGLAZET (CREDIT MARITIME-ZEROTWO), both previous winners of the Solitaire. Less than 3 miles separate Sam from 3rd place Jeanne GREGOIRE (BANQUE POPULAIRE). The first safety call was made by the race committee to the whole fleet this morning at 0500BST, when it was confirmed that all the boats were safe and well, the only problem SKANDIA and the rest of the fleet have is the lack of wind, which completely dropped overnight as it rotated from SW-NW. "In the middle of the night i just got stuck in completely nothing - I was with CERCLE VERT and then he just sailed off. There was nothing i could do." After 80 miles and with a 15.7 miles spread from 1st-12th, the majority of the fleet are in sight of each other. It might be too early to say who is quickest but the favourites are certainly 'up there'. Sam said this morning, "At the moment, I'm in between AQUARELLE.COM and TOTAL and I can see CERCLE VERT, BANQUE POPULAIRE just in front - everyone is really close." EXTRACT FROM SAM AUDIO How do you manage to sleep in these light winds? "It's difficult to sleep in these conditions - spinnaker, genoa, tack, tack, jibe - tacking everything but the opposite way in the boat and every few minute the wind shifts around." When do you expect to see more breeze? "I can see some horrible looking clouds ahead which hopefully will signify the beginning of the shift and the change to the north - but at the moment it is an Easterly which is not what was forecasted." How was your first night of freeze dried food? "It wasn't freeze dried, it was fresh pasta. Fresh pasta lasts for ages! I haven't eaten very much so i think I've got enough for at least another 2 nights which is pretty good. For lunch I've got carrot salad and tomatoes, fresh aswell, so I'm benefiting from the fresh food. It's very important to be happy especially when it's like this - when everythings pretty stressful and the sails are flapping around and there's nothing you can do to make the boat go any faster. It's good to make sure you're happy and I'm happy so that's good" To listen to the full audio, go to http://www.ocftp2.com/audio/sam/sd_040405.mp3 POSITIONS 1000BST 4/4/05 (boat name / boat speed /distance to leader) 1. BOSTIK / 4.5kts / 0.0 2. CREDIT MARITIME - ZEROTWO / 4.4kts / +1.7m 3. BANQUE POPULAIRE / 2.4kts / +4.0m 4. AQUARELLE.COM / 3.1kts / +6.4m 5. LITTLE BLACK SHARK / 1.9kts / +6.4m 6. ENTREPRENDRE AU PAYS DE LORIENT / 2.7kts / +6.5m 7. SKANDIA / 2.9kts / +6.7m 8. CERCLE VERT / 1.4kts / +7.4m 9. TOTAL / 1.9kts / +8.1m 10. GEDIMAT / 3.1kts / +10.8m 11. ATAO AUDIO SYSTEM 1.0kts / +12.9m 12. COUTOT ROEHRIG / 5.4kts / +15.7m Click here for full positions report Official race website: http://www.trophee-bpe2005.com (French only) Copyright © 1996-2016 - SEGEL.DE