01.01.2008
Dear all,
Please find attached the first press releases of 2008 from Temenos and Sodeb'O.
Groupama is currently on Code Yellow with a possible start in less than 48 hours
but the weather window has deteriorated so the team will decide whether to go
for it or not tomorrow (Jules Verne record attempt).
Kind regards,
Kate
The impatience of the diagnosis
With 135 miles covered in the last 24 hours and an average speed barely
exceeding 5 knots, one thing for sure is that Michèle and Dominique have been
able to get a leisurely look at the marvellous spectacle before them. Contacted
late this morning, still around fifty miles from arriving in Wellington, the
French sailor didn’t linger on the particularly calm conditions, but rather on
the beauty of the landscape.
“We haven't really had any wind, at most today we've had just fifteen or so
knots as we rounded the headland. Once into the channel the wind fell below 5
knots. The landscape is so beautiful that it's preventing us from getting
frustrated. The coastline of South Island is superb and wild; you get the
feeling that not a soul lives there other than the birds. It really makes you
want to return there someday. In moments like these you realise how privileged
you are.
For the time being we haven’t yet seen any trace of civilisation, which makes
you feel like you're in a transition phase. Reality will hit when we see the
tugs come out to meet us. Our arrival is scheduled between 0300 and 0600 hours
in the morning, local time.
We know we’re expected as a veritable commando operation has been mounted on
zone. That gives us confidence. We know everything will be undertaken in order
that we can head back out into the race as quickly as possible.”
More powerful than the desire for a hot shower or a good meal is the impatience
for the diagnosis of the damage, which the two co-skippers have to overcome.
“We’re dying to be able to get the boat out of the water and find out whether or
not we can head back out into the race. We’ll likely take a decision tomorrow in
view of the damage we observe under the boat. In the meantime we’re avoiding
thinking about it too much. One thing for sure is that we’re very, very keen to
continue and we're crossing our fingers that we can do just that.”
Answer tomorrow…
Kate Jennings
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