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BT GLOBAL CHALLENGE - 194 BRAVE SAILORS GO ROUND CAPE HORN Southampton (UK), Wednesday December 4th 1996 At 07.50 hrs GMT today, most of the fleet of the BT Global Challenge had rounded Cape Horn, considered a milestone in the second leg of the world's toughest yacth race. The fourteen identical yachts and their crews of amateur volunteers are currently making their way through the rough seas around Cape Horn, moving through a narrow channel that effectively separates South America from Antarctica, where huge waves of up to 120 ft roll unhindered by any land mass, accompanied by a relentless westerly wind. Wind speeds are currently reported as being in the region of 24 - 28 knots, and the sea state is very rough. Air temperatures are very low, but morale is very high - sailing around Cape Horn is an incredible achievement for all the participants, many of whom had set their hearts on fulfilling this ambition of a lifetime. As each yacht has a crew of fourteen, with fourteen yachts competing in this unique race, this should have meant a total of 196 sailors would be making the epic passage around the Horn. However, as two crew volunteers have had to be taken off their yachts for medical reasons (see Race News report no. 72, dated December 1st), the number of BT Global Challenge "Cape Horners" has been reduced to 194. At the time of writing, Courtaulds International and Time and Tide are still to go round the Horn. At 10.45 hrs GMT today, Courtaulds International was in 13th position, some 18 miles from the Horn, and she is expected to reach Cape Horn within the next 3 to 4 hours. Time and Tide was in 14th place, 11 miles from the Horn, which she is expected to reach within 2 - 3 hours. The next goal for the fleet is the Concert gate, formed by two waypoints (known as Charlie and Foxtrot) lying at 52S 120 W and 51S 120W respectively. The BT Global Challenge Race Committee will be monitoring the fleet's progress and will signal to the fleet before they reach the Concert gate which course they are to take to Wellington (New Zealand). This follows on from the introduction of a new waypoint in the second leg of the race, known as waypoint Echo. This new waypoint was introduced before the start of the second leg, and it is located at 50S, 170 E; it is to be left to starboard, and its introduction lengthens this leg by approximately 600 miles, to a total distance of 7,200 miles. Waypoint Echo was introduced by the race organisers in view of the slightly faster than predicted average boat speeds achieved in the first leg of the race (the fleet is believed to be sailing about 10 % faster than that of the previous Challenge race four years ago). The Race Committee will signal to the fleet which course they are to take to New Zealand, either the direct course or via waypoint Echo, with the objective being to maintain as far as possible the chronological programme established in the Notice of Race, according to which the fleet's earliest arrival time into Wellington would be December 30, 1996. Those yachts who have already rounded Cape Horn have sent joyful messages back to Race Headquarters, some of which are reproduced below. Tradition has it that sailors rounding the Cape for the first time have an ear pierced to mark the occasion - hence some of the yacht messages referring to this practice. However, Nuclear Electric crew member Simon Montague points out that their on-board medic has vetoed such behaviour - "it's all talk and no action, and we expect it's the same on other boats" : "Rounded Cape Horn at 03.41 hrs GMT, Dec 4. 14 new members to the club" (3Com). "CU crossed the latitude of Cape Horn at 03.43 hrs GMT Dec 4. We also just had to take avoiding action when another yacht appeared very close on our port bow! Not sure who is was yet... you would think there was enough water out here for all of us, wouldn't you?" (Commercial Union) "Rounded Cape Horn at 13.48 hrs GMT, Dec 3. 47 miles south of it, so can't be seen. No other boats in sight. Events planned are Cape Horn cake and a couple of ear piercings, as well as the first day of porridge" (Concert) "We're celebrating rounding the Horn by gaining 2 miles on Save the Children, 3 miles on Group 4... trying to make life more comfortable in the conditions we live in below... all this whilst preparing for our first Southern Ocean gale" (Global Teamwork) "We've made it round the Horn! 09.53 hrs GMT Dec 3. Quite a moment for all on watch as we waited for the longitude to read 67 15 W. A wonderful morning - wind blowing 25 - 31 knots, waves short but not too troubled and weak sun trying to shine through the clouds " (Group 4) "Motorola passed Cape Horn at 10.40 hrs GMT Dec 3. Unfortunately with the wind in the west we passed 30 miles south of the Horn and so didn't see it. However, there were celebrations, with ear piercing and the skipper's chips, which were magnificent" (Motorola) "We have officially rounded Cape Horn... at 05.30 hrs GMT Dec 4. We are all now Cape Horners... our rounding has in some ways been a bit of an anti-climax, as we are so far south there was no prospect of seeing the infamous headland... the seas have taken on a new scale. They are mountains now, rolling hilltops of white foam spewing spray which lashes against our drysuits" (Nuclear Electric) "Ocean Rover rounded Cape Horn at 03.13 hrs GMT Dec 4. Roll on New Zealand" (Ocean Rover) "After another hard day of sailing to windward we passed the Horn at 05.58 hrs GMT. It coincided with watch changeover and a headsail change. We celebrated it with a few tins of beer which we smuggled on board without the knowledge of the skipper" (Pause to Remember) "The final moments of crossing that North-South line that divides the Atlantic from the Pacific could not have been timed better to enhance the drama of it all. We crossed the line that is the offical demarcation at 07.01 hrs GMT Dec 3 less than five minutes before Global Teamwork had to announce their position at one of the fleet safety chat shows. Those few minutes of waiting were agony. The crew knew they were Cape Horners but didn't pop the cork from the champagne until Teamwork announced they still had 20 minutes to run before they too crossed into the Pacific" (Save the Children) "Given the weather conditions, we have opted to give Cape Horn a wide berth, which whilst a disappointment from the photo album perspective has undoubtedly made life on board more comfortable and still allowed us to maintain good boat speed and course towards the next waypoint, Concert Gate. ..... Rounded Cape Horn at 14.13 hrs GMT Dec 3" (Toshiba Wave Warrior) "Rounded the Horn just now at 08.52 hrs GMT Dec 4. Excitement was at fever pitch" (Heath Insured II) 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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