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BT GLOBAL CHALLENGE - LUFFING MATCHES KEEP CREWS ON THEIR TOES After over 1000 miles of racing, several of the yachts competing in the BT Global Challenge were still within sight of one another at 07.50 hrs GMT today, proving that this is indeed a very tight race. The last 24 hours have provided everything from frustration (Commercial Union passed the position she had been in some 6 hours earlier - "needless to say, spirits on board could be higher. Small consolation was the sight of Toshiba and Nuclear Electric on either side of us") to exhilaration; leading yacht Concert reported "a fantastic sunset and moonrise with wind that gave perfect downwind sailing - pure magic." Some yachts have been searching for wind (Courtaulds International reported that she found no wind yesterday and so the crew gave their new fishing lures a test run, only to catch a good breeze from the north early today, allowing them to execute a spinnaker peel), while others, Motorola and Global Teamwork are so close that they engaged in bit of a luffing match. "Protest Protest" they yelled at each other, and this after a week at sea racing! Reflecting on the incident a slightly peeved Global Teamwork skipper, Mervyn Owen, is reportedly considering protesting Motorola..... Pause to Remember and Courtaulds International had a go too. Pause to Remember sent in the following report at 07.46 hrs GMT today : "In the early hours of this morning we had to change course in order to avoid a collision with Courtaulds. Not even at the start did we come so close to another yacht, this then is the nature of ocean racing with 14 identical boats. Since then a constant battle has been waged in an attempt to outmanoeuvre the other and pull away, neither of us has been successful." However, in her report timed two hours later, Courtaulds International claimed : "At 2am this morning we had a luffing match with Pause, absolutely brilliant, whole crew up for the entertainment. We finally powered over them and have had them astern ever since." At 07.50 hrs GMT today, the fleet had a new leader, Concert, who had made the best 24 hour run (175 miles), and who was lying 141 miles off the coast of Argentina. Her decision to stay close to land (she is the most westerly marker of the fleet) was paying dividends, while those further out to the east were struggling to find wind (Save the Children is the most easterly marker, some 150 miles away from Concert). Backmarker is now Ocean Rover, separated from the front of the fleet by 180 miles, while Time and Tide continues to perform outstandingly well, holding second position over the winners of the first leg, Group 4, who are currently in third. The fleet is now on the western flank of an anticyclone centred over the South Atlantic to the east of Argentina, which is expected to give rise to predominantly north or northwest winds of between 20 and 25 knots. The fleet's current position is close to the point where the Brazilian current (running north to south) meets the Falklands current (flowing south to north) - which should make for some challenging sailing over the next few days. 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 enquiry bureau : 01703 212124 (+44 1703 212124 from outside UK) Ceefax page 388 |
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