Barcelona World Race 2007 www.barcelonaworldrace.com - Übersicht Sunday 11th November 2007 HUGO BOSS IN FOURTH AS INAUGURAL BARCELONA WORLD RACE KICKS OFF The inaugural Barcelona World Race kicked off today in Barcelona, Spain; a 25,000 nautical mile race non-stop around the globe. HUGO BOSS, skippered by Alex Thomson (GBR) and Andrew Cape (AUS), had a clean start in 10 knots of breeze, as she embarks on a three month adventure across the planets most hostile oceans. The successor to the boat Thomson tragically lost in the Southern Ocean last November, BOSS is the only British entry in the race. Never before has a race of this kind taken place, with two sailors spending three months alone at sea as they circumnavigate the globe. The Barcelona World Race started at 13:00 CET in a steady southerly breeze. From the start line off Port Olimpic, the fleet sailed north to a turning mark off Port Forum, before heading back across the start line. HUGO BOSS had a clean start under spinnaker at the leeward end of the mark and hugged the coast as she headed downwind with Paprec Virbac and Delta Dore in toe. PRB was first to the downwind mark followed by HUGO BOSS and Paprec Virbac, but then a bad tack aboard HUGO BOSS saw her stall in the light wind and slip to the back of the fleet. Fotos: www.alexthomsonracing.com HUGO BOSS is currently making up ground and has climbed back to fourth place as she heads down the cost towards a turning mark at Sitges. From here the fleet will head offshore to find more breeze, in a bid to win the race to the first gate at Gibraltar Rock. "10 knots is the most we expect to see for the next three days," commented Thomson's co-skipper and world class navigator Andrew Cape. "It will be a slow passage to Gibraltar and according to the current forecast the first boats won't reach Gibraltar Rock until Wednesday evening, 14 November." "The biggest challenge for us is in the really light conditions, however we know HUGO BOSS will come into her own when the breeze fills in," said Cape. "Alex and I will work together to try and get the best performance out of the boat. We will make decisions as a team, and there will be a lot more sail changes than if we were sailing single-handed and so we will have to be flexible with our sleeping pattern." The Barcelona World Race will take the nine boat fleet from Barcelona, in the Mediterranean, out through the straights of Gibraltar, down the coast of Africa to the Cape of Good Hope, and around the world in an easterly direction. "It's going to be a tough race as we will be pushing the boats 100%, rather than 78% as we would do in a solo race," said Thomson as he stood on dry land this morning, for what he hopes will be the last time before the race finishes Barcelona in February next year. "The worst part is saying goodbye to friends and family on the dockside before heading off to sea. It's always very emotional but this time the blow is softened as I won't be alone. I am looking forward to getting past the point where I ran into trouble in the Southern Ocean last November, and seeing Capey's smiling face as I come up on deck!" The fleet is expected to reach the Southern Ocean in approximately one month's time. It will pass Australia around Christmas time, Cape Horn next January and sail back up the Atlantic to the finish in Barcelona in February 2008. - End - Annabel Merrison - Pitch PR M: +44 (0)7721 518411 E: annabel@pitchpr.com www.alexthomsonracing.com Copyright © 1996-2016 - SEGEL.DE