Oceanracing - Figaro Solo Transatlantic Race 2005 - Trophée BPE 2005

Figaro Solo Transatlantic race 2005

09.04.2005
DAY 7: SKANDIA STAYS SOUTH IN APPROACH TO THE AZORES...

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IN BRIEF:
* SKANDIA IN 8TH AFTER TAKING MORE SOUTHERLY ROUTE AS PART OF LONG TERM STRATEGY...
* "WE'RE DOING 22 KNOTS AND SURFING, IT'S A BIT OUT OF CONTROL...HERE WE GO AGAIN!..."
* FLEET MAKE THEIR FIRST MAJOR TACTICAL DECISION AS THEY APPROACH RACE MARK SOUTH OF FLORES...
* SAM'S TEAM-MATE ELLEN MACARTHUR JOINS THE 1000H PHONE CALL WITH SAM TO FIND OUT HOW SHE'S GETTING ON...
* "I'M TRYING TO STEER ALL DAY. AT NIGHT IT'S IMPOSSIBLE BECAUSE YOU CAN'T SEE THE WAVES AND SAILS SO THE PILOT IS BETTER..."
IN DETAIL:
SKANDIA is in 8th position after taking a more southerly route during the night in the hope that giving miles away now mean will better winds for her long-term strategy. The fleet have spent the night in difficult conditions with unstable southeast winds gusting from 9 to 30 knots and shifting from 80 to 140 degrees. Sam and the rest of the fleet have been experiencing record speeds so far in this race. This morning Sam reported,
"We're doing 22 knots at the moment and having a bit of a surf! It's a bit out of control and we've got a squally session going on - 25 knots of wind but spinnaker reaching and there's some nice big surf...here we go again!..."
SKANDIA is currently 70nm behind race leader BOSTIK, and joined by ATAO AUDIO SYSTEM who is also opting for the southern route even deeper south. In the next day as they approach the Azores, the fleet must make their next major tactical decision in order to prepare themselves for the quickest exit of the islands. If the fleet continue sailing at speeds they are doing now, they could pass the race mark, south of the Azores Island of Flores, tomorrow morning. They are currently sailing in an east-south-east wind of around 15-20knots. This wind is forecasted to be more southerly which Sam hopes will mean the boats to the north will be forced to sail without spinnakers to make the turning mark.

Today, team-mate Ellen MacArthur joined the 1000hrs phone call with Sam to find out how she is getting on...
TRANSCRIPT OF AUDIO WITH SAM
What speed are you doing right now? "22 knots! We're having a bit of a surf, it's a bit out of control and we've got a squally session going on. 25 knots of wind but spinnaker reaching and there's some nice big surf...here we go again!..."

How is SKANDIA? "Yes the boat's fine but I'm a bit too far south. It wasn't a great night last night - I didn't receive a position report and I was really worried about keeping south because it was looking like there was no wind in the Azores in 2 days time when we arrive. I ended up changing between spinnaker and genoa so I was a bit slow and lost some miles but I'm still south so hopefully I can keep my spinnaker up for longer than the others now."

How is your sleep rating at the moment? "Medium last night because I was between spinnaker and genoa. Every time I changed to genoa and tried to have a quick sleep, I'd sleep for 10mins and then I had to change to spinnaker again. I'd be half way through setting up the spinnaker and then there was another a squall and I'd need to change to genoa again. It looks like the others just bore away in the squall because they've stayed further south."

How are you feeling today? "I'm feeling quite good and up for a few days surfing to the Azores. I've eaten and slept - even changed my socks this morning, just before it got light, for the first time since the start on Sunday!"

Have you had any contact with other boats? "I sent an email to Jeanne yesterday and she sent me one back. We were discussing what we had broken compared to the AG2R last year (they both sailed together in the doublehanded transatlantic race) I was telling her I've broken the end of one of my spinnaker poles, or bent it because it's just not strong enough - just like we did last year. Jeanne told me that she's just got the insignia out (sticky-back sail cloth) so she's obviously exploded the spinnaker and is sticking it back together!"

How far away are you from the Azores? "It depends where I'm going to pass but around 415nm - a day and a half, that's if I do these high speeds all the way!"

How are you finding the leftover food from the my record attempt? "Now I know why you left all those energy fruit and nut bars. I thought they looked really nice so I took loads of them but now I'm here on the boat I'm thinking it's not really my thing! The freeze dried is really great though-thanks!"

What does the long-term picture look like after the Azores? Yesterday morning I had a really good look at the long range forecast and it was saying to go south and get in to the trade winds. There is a big high coming in the middle of the Atlantic so that's why I've gone south. Also, there is absolutely no wind in Flores on the grib files I was looking at. It's looking quite direct routing at the moment so I'm continuing reaching for a bit and not really getting in to the trade winds for a little while yet. Yesterday morning to yesterday evening the whole long range forecast changed so it's difficult to say..."

Are you sleeping outside or inside? "Mostly inside just because it's been so freezing cold that it's impossible to sleep outside. If you sleep outside, you're not actually getting any rest because it just freezing. My sleeps have not been longer than 20mins so far...it's been spinnaker reaching all the time and you have to choose your moments to be away from the vang or the sheet, as you need to be ready to ease."

How many hours a day are you spending steering? "I'm trying to steer all day and choose opportunities when there's a bit less wind to eat and look at the weather. At the moment, steering at night is impossible because you can't see the waves and you can't see the sails so the pilot is better, but you have to tone it down a little bit. The boat is absolutely hooning at the moment and you can't leave the boat on pilot hooning in a black night because you can't see where the squalls are coming. It's really difficult and really frustrating doing that because I'm not used to it. I think everyone's doing the same though because we all seem to be doing the same speed."

Your parents are currently sailing in the Azores - do you think you'll see them on your way through? "Yes I hope so but they'll have to be quick going at this speed to keep up with me!"

Listen to the full audio from Sam at Audio/Video section of website
Communications thanks to BT Broadband

LATEST POSITIONS 1000 BST 9/4/05
(boat name / average boat speed /distance to leader)

1. BOSTIK / 8.0kts / 3267.7nm to finish
2. CERCLE VERT / 10.3kts / +4.2nm
3. CREDIT MARITIME - ZEROTWO / 8.7kts / +4.6nm
4. AQUARELLE.COM / 8.5kts / +13.8nm
5. BANQUE POPULAIRE / 8.5kts / +43.3nm
6. COUTOT ROEHRIG / 8.7kts / +54.5nm
7. TOTAL / 9.8kts / +54.5nm
8. SKANDIA / 8.5kts / +74.2nm
9. LITTLE BLACK SHARK / 7.2kts / +75.6nm
10. GEDIMAT / 7.6kts / +108.4m
11. ENTREPRENDRE AU PAYS DE LORIENT / 8.5kts / 116.1nm
12. ATAO AUDIO SYSTEM / 10.3kts / +148.6nm

Click here for full positions report

Official race website: http://www.trophee-bpe2005.com (French only)


2005 FIGARO PROGRAMME
3 April:  Trophée BPE 2005 (St.Nazaire – Cienfuegos, Cuba)
6-25 June: La Generali Solo 2005
1-28 August: La Solitaire Afflelou Le Figaro 2005



PARTNER OF THE DAY : BRITTANY FERRIES
Official Cross Channel Travel Partner to Sam and the Offshore Challenges Sailing Team
http://www.samdavies.com/brittanyferries

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For more information visit http://www.samdavies.com/skandia or contact :

Josie Robinson (English)
josie@offshorechallenges.com
T: +44(0) 870 063 0210

Caroline Muller (Francais)
bienvenue@welcomeonboard.fr
T: +33 (0)6 80 40 00 24

Other information sources online:
Finistère Course au Large
Classe Figaro Bénéteau