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BT GLOBAL CHALLENGE - TIME & TIDE STEALS FIRST PLACE OVER NIGHT Southampton (UK), Friday 22 November 1996 All of the BT Global Challenge yachts are within a short distance of one another as they fight for first position. Time & Tide has opted to veer away from the rest of the fleet taking a more westerly course, resulting in her taking the lead at 01:50 hrs GMT today. However, by 07:50 hrs GMT, Save the Children had climbed up to joint first place with Toshiba Wave Warrior, and Time & Tide had fallen back to 7th position. Concert fell in the chart placing's to 3rd place after finding herself in an adverse current and with a drop in wind. Bringing up the rear of the fleet were Pause to Remember and Heath Insured, just 12 miles behind. As the fleet heads southwards, the battle is on between the 14 identical yachts and 14 very determined and focused crews. The first 10 yachts are spread over only four miles, constantly chopping and changing position. They have been in almost hailing distance all night, "literally breathing down each other's neck", as Global Teamwork's skipper, Merfyn Owen, reported, "even with the jacket hood up". Global Teamwork, lying in 5th place, managed to shake off all pressure from Group 4, with whom she had a luffing match over night, as well as Nuclear Electric and Ocean Rover, who eventually peeled off to take position behind and to leeward of her this morning. Commercial Union are chasing their leg 1 rivals Save the Children who lies two miles ahead of her. At 08:40 hrs GMT Commercial Union reported that off to her port lie six other yachts, four of whom were so close during the night that the proximity of their lights made them look like a large ship. Such close distances between all the yachts means that the slightest mistake, for example a poor sail change, can cost mileage and positions in such tight match racing. This happened to Global Teamwork, who were caught unprepared for a spinnaker drop to yankee No.1. Nuclear Electric and Ocean Rover proceeded to pull one mile ahead of her, and she took 18 hours to recover the lost ground. Save the Children are driving hard to stay in lead position. Skipper Andy Hindley, is very aware that one slight mistake could cost him this narrow lead. With the wind coming round the east and then to the north east as forecast, we have yet to see how the yachts and their crews respond as the spinnakers start to appear. The new leggers on board each of the yachts are rapidly having to catch up with the routine and 5,000 mile experience of those who completed leg 1. They are also appreciating the new sights of flying fish and dolphins. Other highlights took place on board Motorola who celebrated Thanksgiving yesterday with the traditional American meal: fresh turkey, stuffing, gravy, potatoes and green beans. Supplemented by corn cakes made by Brazilian crew member, Ligia Ripper's grandmother, which are a traditional recipe from the Bahia region of Brazil. The desire to go one step further to a complete replica of a Thanksgiving meal resulted in the pumpkin pie oozing out of the oven in its early stages and covering nearly every surface of the entire galley! With all the yachts in such a tight pack, motivation from the crew volunteers is high: Report received from Global Teamwork at 09:05 hrs GMT on 22 November: "One tries to keep the same motivation going without boats in sight - but when they are right up your chuff other instincts come out. What do you say when your biggest crew member, a BT legger (6'6" Stuart Sutton) asks at 01:00 hrs in the morning "would you like us on the rail skip?" Where does that kind of motivation come from? It doesn't matter - on the rail we went". Report received from Save the Children at 10:50 hrs GMT on 22 November: "How close can things get - the lead has changed hands so many times in the last 12 hours that it resembles a road cycle race more than a round the world yacht race. I suppose this is what you should expect when you take 14 identical yachts and give them the same wind and sea conditions for 48 hours". For updated information on the BT Global Challenge: Internet site: http://www.btchallenge.com Fax database: 0990 321123 (+44 990 321123 from outside UK) Recorded telephone information line: 0891 505550 (UK only). Public information line: 01703 212124 (+44 1703 212124 from outside UK). Ceefax page 388 (UK only) |
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