09.11.2005
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DAY 5: 1000 MILES DOWN, RECOVERY TIME AS LEADERS LOOK TO EXTEND...
IN BRIEF:
SILL ET VEOLIA SKIPPERS JOURDAIN & MACARTHUR HANG ONTO SECOND 12.1NM behind VIRBAC as they make their approach to Madeira.
CLOSE SAILING BETWEEN THE FRONTRUNNERS as they make the crucial gybe south
CONSISTENT DOWNWIND SAILING GIVES OPEN 60 LEADERS AN OPPORTUNITY TO PULL AWAY from the older generation boats
IN DETAIL:
Through the night conditions finally eased for Sill et Veolia skippers Roland Jourdain and Ellen MacArthur, with Northerly winds of 10-14knots as they held onto second place 12.1nm from the French pairing of Jean Pierre Dick and Loik Peyron on Virbac-Paprec. Whilst the sailing has been slower after the extreme speeds of yesterday, Jourdain and MacArthur are still averaging over 12 knots. The northerly wind is forecast to move round to the north east and building again to 20 knots as Trade Wind conditions establish themselves. This should bring more stable winds, which in turn should mean minimal sail changes onboard, with the skippers choosing to use a full indexsail and spinnaker, or gennaker if it really heats up. These more stable conditions should allow for a recovery period as temperatures rise and the full cover survival suits and wet weather gear from the first section of the race can to replaced by shorts and t-shirts and lighter Musto goretex kit.
A quarter of the way into the race Jourdain and MacArthur are located 300 miles west Cape St Vincent (1500GMT). Sill et Veolia and race leaders Virbac-Paprec are the furthest west the of the leading pack. Giving them a slightly better angle to the wind than those east of them if they choose to sail to windward of Maderia – the next waypoint on their route south (300nm away). Their ETA for passing the island is around 1500GMT tomorrow afternoon, after which the skippers will be examining their options as they approach their next obstacle - the Canary Islands.
After the storm on Monday evening, the monohull fleet has reindexed fairly unscathed, but the latest casualty of the race is Cheminées Poujoulat (Bernard Stamm and Yann Elies), who having already reported a broken Fleet 77 dome and damaged Iridium, are now dealing with steering issues. They are currently heading towards Spain, most likely towards Vigo to assess the damage.
OPEN 60 RANKINGS 1500 GMT:
1. VIRBAC-PAPREC / DISTANCE TO FINISH 3321.3 MILES
2. SILL ET VEOLIA / + 12.1 MILES
3. ECOVER / + 16.9 MILES
4 BONDUELLE / + 25.8MILES
5. SKANDIA / + 54.5MILES
http://www.teamellen.com/musto
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION LOG ONTO: http://www.jacques-vabre.com
For further information, please contact Offshore Challenges Sailing Team:
Lou Newlands or Lucy Harwood
T: +44 (0)870 063 0210
E: lou.newland@ocgroup.com or lucy.harwood@ocgroup.com
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