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BT GLOBAL CHALLENGE - HMS LANCASTER SAVES THE DAY (or the story of the really big grey ship and the relatively small yacht) Southampton (UK), Wednesday November 27th 1996 Events took a dramatic turn yesterday in the BT Global Challenge when a crew member on Save the Children was taken off the yacht because of medical problems. Kurt Kinast, a 36 year old Austrian national and the mate on Save the Children, had decided in consultation with his skipper, fleet medics and the race organisers not to continue with the race, due to a medical condition (haematuria). Save the Children was sailing yesterday off the coast of Argentina when it was decided that Kurt would leave the yacht, and by happy coincidence, the Royal Navy type 23 frigate HMS Lancaster was in the vicinity and able to lend assistance. At 19.43 hrs GMT last night, Kurt was safely transfered to HMS Lancaster in a rigid inflatable craft, and his condition is reported as stable. He is now on his way to Montevideo (Argentina), where he will have a medical check up before flying home. Save the Children's skipper Andy Hindley carefully recorded the time of the transfer and the points at which the yacht stopped and then resumed racing, and at 07.50 hrs GMT today, Save the Children was still lying in 6th place, as she had been the day before. Save the Children sent the following report to Race HQ : Report received from Save the Children at 21.34 hrs GMT, Tuesday November 26th : "We dropped our spinnaker at 19.32 hrs GMT at position 40 02.01 S, 52 12.75 W. We hoisted spinnaker at 19.57 hrs GMT at position 40 04.15 S, 52 14.33 W. Our boat speed before drop was 10.5 knots, after 7.1 knots. Kurt Kinast left the yacht at 19.43 hrs GMT.... I would like to declare that we received a bottle of vintage port from Commander Nick Harland, HMS Lancaster, during the exchange. (.....) so what actually happened in normal speak was this really big grey ship came belting over the horizon, did a hand break turn to the right, dropped this really fast RIB into the water, grabbed our crew member without a by your leave and legged it. Lucky thing was we stole a bottle of port from the guys in the RIB. The Commander of the really big ship then... took loads of secret type photos of us with the big ship in the background. Then they ran off." The skipper and crew of Save the Children expressed their thanks to Commander Nick Harland and the crew of HMS Lancaster in a formal message, praising the very efficient and highly professional way in which they evacuated the sick crew member, and said that "this leg will be for Kurt, who we will all miss." The BT Global Challenge international jury will now have to consider whether Save the Children qualifies for any redress further to this incident. Although she dropped her spinnaker, it was not necessary for her to stop sailing or deviate from her preferred course, and it is a tribute to the smooth and efficient handling of the incident that Save the Children lost remarkably little distance (at the time of the transfer, Motorola was alongside Save the Children, and at 07.50 hrs GMT today, Save the Children was only 15 miles behind Motorola). The fact that HMS Lancaster was able to lend assistance is a happy coincidence; in mid-November, Commander Nick Harland had contacted BT Global Challenge Race HQ expressing his interest in the race and pointing out that his ship would be in the same vicinity as the BT Global Challenge fleet as they sailed down the South American coast (HMS Lancaster was sailing on exercises from Port Stanley to Montevideo). Commander Harland was keen to wish the fleet well, and mentioned that HMS Lancaster would be able to provide assistance in the event of an incident. Little did he or the race organisers know that his kind offer would be gratefully accepted some two weeks later... The rest of the fleet continue to make their way south towards the Falkland Islands, averaging speeds of 7 - 8 knots and some excellent 24 hour run figures (highest was 239, logged by Pause to Remember). There were few changes in fleet positions, with the leading three yachts (Concert, Time and Tide and Group 4) remaining the same as the day before. Motorola and Global Teamwork continued to fight for 4th and 5th positions (Motorola moved up to 4th, pushing Global Teamwork down), as did Nuclear Electric and Commercial Union (Nuclear Electric climbed up one place to 11th, pushing Commercial Union down to 12th). The fleet is evenly spread across latitudes 40 and 41, over a distance of only 195 miles, and 103 miles separate the leader from the backmarker. Distances between yachts are amazingly short; when the fleet was polled earlier today, only a mile separated 3Com and Ocean Rover (13th and 14th positions respectively), and the same was true of Nuclear Electric and Commercial Union (11th and 12th), Heath Insured II and Toshiba Wave Warrior (9th and 10th), Pause to Remember and Courtaulds International (7th and 8th), and Time and Tide and Group 4 (2nd and 3rd). This fact is all the more remarkable given that the yachts have now been at sea for a week, demonstrating that their competitive spirit is as high as ever. 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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