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BT GLOBAL CHALLENGE - SAVE THE CHILDREN MOVES INTO LEAD Southampton (UK), Friday 13th December 1996 Save the Children's decision to take a more southerly course towards the Concert Gate has paid off. Inspite of being down to a crew of 13 after crew member Kurt Kinast was taken off Save the Children due to illness, she has made a fantastic recovery, making steady ground over Group 4 who has been leading for the last week. At 07:50 hrs GMT today, she had regained her position at the front of the fleet and now lies some 125 miles off the next waypoint, which she is confident to round first. All the yachts have reported extremely squally conditions over the last 24 hours, which according to Save the Children "spring out of nowhere". One moment the yachts will be bobbing along at a gentle pace flying a full set of sails, the next the wind picks up by another 10 knots which forces the crew to frantically put a couple of reefs in the mainsail. These conditions leave a tough job for those on the helm who have to negotiate some huge waves, whilst trying to give a soft landing for those down below deck. Concert's skipper, Chris Tibbs, even had to crouch behind the wheel at one point, unable to see boat, sea or anything else, which he likened to being "the gates of hell". Commercial Union reported that the crew are now having to tie themselves into their bunks to avoid being thrown out as they sleep (although sleeping itself is a challenge) Cooking in the galley is a particular art whilst sailing these rough seas and the crew member on galley duty is obliged to strap him/herself in to avoid being hurled across the galley. No control can be had over the food however, as Heath Insured II discovered last night when crew member John Shuff's birthday cake was not as delicately presented as he had previously experienced after it flew out of the oven door and spread itself all over the floor! Concert too, claimed that the galley has become "circus-like" and that things are mysteriously flying out of cupboards. Commercial Union has overtaken Nuclear Electric and now lies in 8th position. There have been no other changes in the positions of the yacht - even 3Com held her position in 10th place after she lost her forestay at the top of the mast at 16:30 hrs GMT yesterday. Nobody was injured during this incident and Skipper David Tomkinson and his crew have done a remarkable job in rectifying the situation. They have devised a temporary method of using the spinnaker and foresail halyards as support for the mast and she is presently sailing in squally conditions under two reefs and a staysail as she continues her race to Wellington. Physical effort is constantly required from the crew members particularly in these rough seas of the Southern Ocean that they are experiencing. Sail changes are frequent, and it is even difficult to do simple tasks on deck and around the yacht. Motorola set the scene of the conditions in a report received at 09:51 hrs GMT: "Plenty of canvas flying. Beautiful sun, moderate seas, about 25 knots. A lonely cloud in the distance moves closer, closer and then, 20ft waves, gusts up to 50 knots and huge hailstones. The wind veers 20 degrees, shall we tack? And then the wind dies, the cloud goes, wind at 33 knots. We await the next instalment......" 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 (UK) |
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