Figaro Solo Transatlantic race 2005 28.04.2005 DAY 26: SKANDIA FIGHTING FOR TOP 5 POSITION WITH 100 MILES TO GO... Skandia is a leading provider of long-term savings and pioneer of the highly successful multi-manager investment approach. IN BRIEF: * SKANDIA IN 5TH WITH 100 MILES TO GO, "BRING ON THE PALMA CRYSTAL BEER AT THE FINISH!!" * FLEET BECALMED ON APPROACH TO FINISH... * RACELEADER CREDIT MARITIME-ZEROTWO 25NM IN FRONT OF BOSTIK IN 2ND, CERCLE VERT 0.1NM BEHIND IN 3RD... * FLEET STILL TO SAIL 6NM UP NARROW CHANNEL, JUST 100 METRES WIDE IN PLACES, BEFORE REACHING CIENFUEGOS... IN DETAIL: With less than 100 miles to go, the fleet are creeping towards the finish in around 4 knots of wind. This morning, progress has been painfully slow with the majority of boats averaging no more than 2.5 knots. In the early hours of this morning SKANDIA was finally fast reaching with the asymmetric spinnaker but this didn't last long. The whole fleet have virtually come to a standstill and the leading boats have a boatspeed of no more than 1.5 knots. Eric Drouglazet (CREDIT MARITIME-ZEROTWO) has established a comfortable lead, 25.8nm ahead of Charles Caudrelier (BOSTIK) in 2nd. Gildas Morvan (CERCLE VERT) is just 0.1nm behind in 3rd. SKANDIA is in 5th, with an estimated 40nm behind leader. The light conditions are making it very difficult to predict an ETA for the fleet and finishing order, “My weather forecast says we should finish in 24 hours. There is a little bit of wind coming which is due to die again this afternoon, and it looks like it will stay light going into this evening.” Before arriving in Cienfuegos, the fleet have to sail 6 miles up a narrow channel, to the bay 'Bahia de Cienfuegos'. The only thing that looks certain is that Eric Drouglazet is likely to enter the channel first, which at it's narrowest is just 100 metres wide - great for spectators but stressful for skippers! If it looks like the wind will reindex light for this passage, the race organisers have the option of moving the finish outside the channel. The Trophée BPE race organisers have an ETA for raceleader Eric Drouglazet between 1400-1700BST today - but only if the wind improves. With very little wind it is impossible to predict when Sam will finish, but she hopes to be in before noon tomorrow BST. Updates on the finish & ETA's will be posted on the website later today http://www.samdavies.com/skandia EMAIL FROM SAM (0200HRS) Hello! It is 1am GMT and FINALLY, we are doing what SKANDIA seems to like best - fast reaching with the asymmetric up! Hooray! Today started Ok, with some breeze, sailing downwind towards the "Bretons" waypoint. But the situation quickly turned into more of the same - no wind! In fact, in the end there was so little wind that I dropped the spinnaker, and lashed the boom out to stop it "clack-clack-ing" so much! The disappointing part was that Mino (Dominic Vittet) seemed to manage to slide away from me as the wind dropped. I did the same to Marc Emig behind me, however. I am frustrated to be paying so dearly for my small mistake last night and loosing the place to Mino. That is life! When the wind came back, Marc came with it a bit and I could see him in the distance behind me as it got dark. This race is close! Today seemed to be hotter than ever. It is hard to do anything in this heat, and impossible to sleep or eat. When the wind disappeared I managed to get below in the shade and I actually fell asleep, which is a good thing to have had some rest - I need more!! I keep myself going now with the knowledge that hopefully only one more day and I will be able to sleep for as long as I like in a REAL bed in a cool room!!!! I can't wait! And I tried listening to music, but when the wind is so light, I like to be able to hear the sound of the boat in the water to feel how we are going, and the music is too distracting. Boo!! I am also drinking heaps, including re-hydrating drinks like Isostar, and suncream is getting used in massive amounts, so I have not suffered adverse effects from the sun or the heat. I couldn't imagine having to race with heat or sunstroke. Bring on the Palma Crystal beer at the finish!!!! Sam x EXTRACTS FROM AUDIO WITH SAM (1000HRS) What are the conditions like right now? "I've got 4 knots of breeze, just a little bit more maybe, and we're doing 3.5 knots over the ground. It's better than nothing!” When did the breeze run out yesterday? “Mid-afternoon, local time. It was still hot and the sun was quite high. We trickled along for a while with the genoa up, with 1-1.5 knots dead behind. I had the pilot on for a while, so I fell asleep for a bit. Then the breeze filled in from the West, and it was quite strong so we were happily hooning along at 8 knots! Then there was nothing again.” How long do you think there is left of the race? “My weather forecast says 24 hours. There is a little bit of wind coming which is due to die again this afternoon, then it is forecasted to stay light going into this evening.” If there is no wind tonight, do you think the race organisers will move the finish to outside the bay? “They might do…also if we are all so close together then they won’t have to spend very long out there waiting for us to arrive so it will be easier for them. They may want to keep the finish inside the harbour for the spectators, but if we finish at night this may not be important.” With 24 hours to go, how are you feeling about the finish? “I haven’t really thought it very much, I’m just concentrating as much as possible on my course and keeping the boat moving. The last few days have been really difficult for me so I will be happy to finish. This last part of the race has been so long and has dragged on a bit. I’m having a big lesson in patience and handling stress, frustrating is an understatement! It will be nice to look back at the good bits of the race and see everyone! I’m looking forward to chatting to everyone about it and finding out how they were feeling during the race. It will be good to look back and find out who went where and why!” Communications thanks to BT Broadband LATEST POSITIONS 1000 BST 28/4/05 (boat name / average boat speed /distance to leader) 1. CREDIT MARITIME - ZEROTWO / 1.1kts / 56.4nm to finish 2. BOSTIK / 1.4kts / +25.8nm 3. CERCLE VERT / 0.7kts / +25.9nm 4. ATAO AUDIO SYSTEM / 0.8kts / +35.0nm 5. SKANDIA / 1.0kts / +40.0nm (estimated) 6. TOTAL / 2.1kts / +51.6nm 7. AQUARELLE.COM / 1.5kts / +55.9nm 8. GEDIMAT / 2.4kts / +57.4nm 9. BANQUE POPULAIRE / 2.4kts / +59.2nm 10. COUTOT ROEHRIG / 2.2kts / +63.1nm 11. ENTREPRENDRE AU PAYS DE LORIENT / 2.4kts / 88.7nm 12. LITTLE BLACK SHARK / 3.1kts / +242.4nm 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 Email powered by Active 24 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 Copyright © 1996-2016 - SEGEL.DE