17.11.2005
DAY 13: SKANDIA 5TH BATTLING WITH ECOVER AND PRO-FORM...
Skandia pioneered MultiManager investment within long-term savings products over twenty years ago. The Skandia MultiManager campaign is a joint initiative with three of Skandia's leading international fund management partners: Invesco Perpetual, Gartmore Investment Managers and Merrill Lynch Investment Managers.
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
“We are now onto the final sprint to the finish. As we Australians like to say
'only one more Sydney Hobart to do' or for the poms 'about a Fastnet to go'..."
Will Oxley, co-skipper SKANDIA
IN BRIEF:
* SKANDIA passes Island of Fernando de Noronha reaching in southeast Trades - Recife 270 miles away...
* The fight for fifth continues, “Proform is still slowly running us down as they sail in with a better angle from offshore and we are going to have a real battle all the way to the finish..."
* Raceleader VIRBAC-PAPREC extending lead in last 500nm...
* SKANDIA 628nm to finish...
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EMAIL LOG FROM BRIAN AND WILL 1400GMT 17/11/05
[unedited]
We are just passing the amazing island of fernando de noronha and are now onto the final sprint to the finish. as we australians like to say ' only one more sydney hobart to do' or for the poms 'about a fastnet to go'. (It is just over but who’s counting.) It is very wet on deck but the sun still beats down relentlessly. In the photo you can see brian protecting his delicate english skin. :-)).
Proform is still slowly running us down as they sail in with a better angle from offshore and we are going to have a real battle all the way to the finish. Ecover meanwhile is clearly superior in these conditions and is steadily increasing their distance ahead. We need the breeze to free a bit to give a few more course options to have any chance to have another go at them.
With a fast race in the offing I have snaffled through the future days food bags to pick out the 'best' freeze dried meals for the next two nights. With a bit of luck these will be our last two evening meals at sea!!
Back to the sailing. All good onboard Skandia, Ecover has gotten away from us a lot in the last 24 hours, averaging a knot faster. We had all our comms down most of yesterday, all 3 systems not available, so we had not noticed her slipping away. We have now been doing some re-trimming of the boat and we seem to be going much better now - we are definitely learning how to sail Skandia as we go along.
Now we are back in the spot beam coverage of the satellite Fleet 33 system we can follow our competitors much better. It’s going to be a nail-biter with ProForm for the Vintage 60 Class. To me, they look ahead when we converge at Recife on the Brazilean Coast, but not by much.
Pretty bumpy out here for the next 12 hours and then the wind is going to be freeing us for a fast reach down the coast. We are just having tuna and vegetables from the tin, with ryvita as well. Tastes delicious out here!
All the best
Will and Brian
Download photos sent back from SKANDIA today
Brian at the helm 'protecting his delicate english skin': http://www.ocftp2.com/skandiatjv/images/9373low_oc.jpg
SKANDIA passing the Island of Fernando de Noronha: http://www.ocftp2.com/skandiatjv/images/9374low_oc.jpg
IN DETAIL:
As the leading six Open 60’s continue reaching in the 20 knot South-East Trade Winds towards Recife, the most easterly town of Brazil, VIRBAC-PAPREC skippers Jean-Pierre Dick and Loick Peyron have stepped up the pace and have pulled away from the rest of the fleet establishing a 28 mile race lead on Ellen MacArthur and Roland Jourdain on SILL ET VEOLIA. The leaders are now less than 500 miles from the finish (latest ETA early hours Saturday morning).
In the chasing pack, SKANDIA is still locked in to the same battle with 4th place ECOVER and 6th place PRO-FORM. While Thompson and Oxley indextain their 5th position, ECOVER is advancing in these reaching conditions and is now 41 miles ahead. PRO-FORM is 40 miles to the east of SKANDIA and now sailing on slightly lower and faster point of sail, decreasing their deficit to just 13.5nm behind SKANDIA. Theircelin and Drouglazet have now committed to coming across but it could be another 14 hours before we see if they end up ahead or behind.
The South-East Trade Winds still leave little tactical options for the fleet until they near Recife, 270 miles away from SKANDIA, when the coastal leg of this race will begin. After passing Recife, the wind is predicted to rotate to the east, and then to the north-east for their final run to the finish along the coast of Brazil.
Few strategic options lie ahead for this final section of the race, whether to sail inshore on a shorter course or stay offshore covering more distance but in more constant and reliable south-east Trade Winds. Whatever the decision, local effects will come in to play at some point, that will guarantee a close and exciting final.
OPEN 60 MONOHULL POSITIONS 1500GMT 17/11/05:
1. VIRBAC-PAPREC 431.2 miles to finish
2. SILL ET VEOLIA +28 miles
3. BONDUELLE +97.6 miles
4. ECOVER +153.6 miles
5. SKANDIA +197.5 miles
6. PRO-FORM +211.9 miles
Latest positions: http://www.jacques-vabre.com/pages_uk/classement.html
Official race website: http://www.jacques-vabre.com (English & French websites)
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NOTES :
* Skandia Set Sail aims to offer people more opportunities to participate in the sport on a broader level. Its objectives are to make sailing more accessible, grow the sport's reach and enrich peoples' lives through the sport.
* Skandia's Set Sail portfolio is divided into three groups: events; teams and athletes.
* Events include: the title sponsorships of Skandia Cowes Week, the world’s oldest and largest regatta on the Isle of Wight, UK (title sponsors for 10 years in 2004); Skandia Geelong Week in Victoria, Australia - now twinned with Skandia Cowes Week; the Skandia Brown Cup (the Scottish Schools Sailing Championship) and Skandia Cowes Youth Week, a leading international match racing championship.
* Teams include: the Skandia Maxi, Australia's biggest ocean racing yacht and line-honours winner of the 2003 Sydney-Hobart Race.
* Athletes include: Star class yachtsmen Iain Percy and Steve Mitchell and Sam Davies, the up and coming single-handed yachtswoman and her Figaro campaign.
* Sail 4 Cancer is the official charity of the Skandia Set Sail programme www.sail4cancer.org
* For further information contact www.skandiasetsail.com
* Skandia in the UK launched in 1979 and is now one of the UK's leading financial services groups providing pensions, investment and protection products through intermediaries in the UK and overseas. Creators of the multimanager approach, Skandia has teamed up with the world's top fund managers to create a range of funds tailored for investors' individual needs.
* Parent company, Skandia Insurance Company Limited, is one of Europe's oldest insurance companies. It has developed and evolved constantly over the years to reach its present position as one of the world's leading long-term saving companies with operations in over 20 countries and assets under management exceeding £56 billion (as at 31.12.04). For more information on Skandia Insurance Company Limited visit www.skandia.com
* For more information on Skandia in the UK visit www.skandia.co.uk
Issued by Skandia Life Assurance Company Limited. Registered Number: 1363932 England.
Registered Office: Skandia House, Portland Terrace, Southampton, SO14 7EJ
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