11.12.2007
Please find today’s latest from Temenos in the Barcelona World Race and don’t
forget to follow the Transat Ecover BtoB, the top trio very close with the
finish currently forecast for midday on Friday UTC.
Kind regards Kate
Heavy toll
The odds seem to be against the boats racing in the Barcelona World Race at the
moment, after PRB and Estrella Damm, now it’s the turn of Jérémie Beyou and
Sidney Gavignet aboard Delta Dore to be added to the list of unfortunate
skippers. Despite their excellent preparation, breakage has been gate-crashing
the fleet in an unpredictable and brutal manner, wiping out months if not years
of preparation.
Though the participating duos are ‘in it to win it’, before even
thinking about the results on a sporting level, the skippers will be keen to get
their steeds to the finish line. The latter would be an accomplishment and a
reward for themselves clearly, but also for their partners and their shore crews
who work flat out on the boats for the rest of the year. "Looping the loop", is
now going to be an impossible task for Delta Dore, deprived of its mast since
last night.
Since the start of the race, worse than the violence of the weather conditions
encountered, it's the infernal rhythm set by the different tandems which is
paying a heavy toll on the gear aboard the boats. Double-handed sailing is
certainly no stranger to that, "in pairs there is always somebody that's fresh
to take care of the boat" analysed Dominique during one of his earlier radio
sessions, “in the same amount of wind, you carry more sail area than in solo
configuration."
The distances between the boats are sometimes down to a single sail that one
crew carries for longer than his neighbour. It's not uncommon during the radio
sessions, to hear the skippers talk about the large gennaker being carried in 30
knots of wind. It reindexs to be seen whether the material can withstand such
stresses for three consecutive months? Without knowing the reasons for the
damage suffered above these three boats it’s impossible to say the contrary.
Above all else, sailing is a mechanical sport, in which breakage is
unfortunately one of the aspects.
With over 16,000 miles left to cover, the race is continuing at the same
frenetic pace, though we can well imagine how the recent damage suffered amongst
the fleet must be playing heavy on their minds.
To the South of the African continent, the high pressure is gaining ground and
the averages are feeling the affects. Since yesterday, Mutua Madrilena has been
shelling out big time and though Temenos II seems to be holding this threat at
bay, a message from Dominique early this afternoon left little hope for the next
stage of the short term scenario. Spirits were nevertheless high aboard Temenos
II, just like the sun which has put in a welcome appearance again to the delight
of our two co-skippers.
“The high pressure is beginning to catch up with us. It’s a shame, the averages
are going to slip down but the glorious sunshine is making up for it. Of course
it's a cold sun, but one which is still able to power the solar panels enough to
boost the electric consumption onboard.
The long term forecasts would have us believe that there may be a possible lull
to the South of Australia but that’s still a way off, a long way off, and you
have to take all that with a pinch of salt. The best thing is to enjoy the sun
while it lasts, rather than gazing at the stars and things far away, especially
with the skies being leaden for the past few days. It's been a long time since
we saw the stars and even longer since we saw the comets!”
Kate Jennings
Expression.
P.O. Box 26,
Dartmouth,
DEVON.
TQ6 0YG
United Kingdom
+44 (0)7795 116699
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