March 2009 MAINE COASTAL NEWS Page 25.
Yacht Racing News
Update Vendee Globe: Eight Finished, Three To Go.
main and staysail. to stay out of the high pressure system as
While Guillemot was battling his issues, long as possible. As the day wore on she had
Davies was regaining her lost miles on him managed to outrun the worst effects of the
and would pass him as the day went on. high and was a knot or two faster than
However, Guillemot was still moving well at Guillemot. A low is keep the high at bay, but
over 9.2 knots during the night. Davies was Davies feels the last two days could be slow
hoping to finish on Valentine’s Day, but with ones.
the high pressure system in the Bay of Biscay Thompson wondered if there just might
that does not look likely. be a three boat finish between Guillemot,
The other tight battle, between Thomp- Caffari and himself all within 24 hours of each
son and Caffari may not be decided until they other. Thompson’s battle with Caffari had
finish. Presently Thompson has a lead of less eased a bit as the distance between the two
than 20 miles on Caffari and is closing. widen to about 90 miles.
Rich Wilson, who is 150 miles off the American Rich Wilson was sailing too
coast of Brazil, said, “It is OK, except we are close to the coast of Brazil, but had finally
going dead upwind again, but we do have gotten out of the easterly trade winds. He has
beautiful blue skies off the coast of Brazil and 1,000 miles to go to reach the equator.
white fluffy clouds, we are hard on the wind Day 94, 11 February: Will it be a
again with about 20 knots of wind, staysail Valentine’s Day finish for Sam Davies’ ROXY,
The boom on Raphaël Dinelli's FONDATION OCÉAN VITAL snaps.
and two reefs, trying to make our way up the but who will get third? It is thought that the
(NAUTICSPORT-KAPSCH). He has winds
coast there is a low pressure system coming two lead boat will sail north of Les Sables
over 45 knots and very heavy seas. Sedlacek
out of Rio again and that is changing the d’Olonne so as to find better winds. Her goal
said that he has had a problem with his
normal wind direction here and so I am hoping is to finish third and get a podium position,
autopilots and that he has been hand steering
we can just fetch the coast as we get up here.” but she needs to put a lot of miles between her
through this low.
“It is a question at the moment of being and Guillemot’s SAFRAN. She is making
Raphaël Dinelli (FONDATION OCÉAN
motivated for what exactly? Obviously as far over 10 knots speed with about 300 miles to
VITAL) will not hit this low for another 12
as the race goes we have not been competi- go. She also has extended her lead to more
hours.
tive with a group of boats around for a long than 200 miles on Guillemot.
Rich Wilson (GREAT AMERICAN III),
time, it is hard to keep pushing in some ways, Guillemot is hoping for a slower finish,
Steve White (TOE IN THE WATER) and
the last boat we had pushing was Artemis due to his keel problem. He added that he had
Sam Davies celebrates her finish.
Arnaud Boissières (AKÉNA VÉRANDAS)
way back up at New Zealand and Jonny was been sleeping with mainsheet in hand incase
are not experiencing as tough conditions as
went on she lost 60 miles has she slowed to
always a bit faster, and I was always trying to the boat heels too much.
they progress up the South Atlantic.
about two knots in a high. Fortunately she
catch up and not doing a very good job Thompson has continued to increase
American Rich Wilson has been frus-
was nearing the 10 knot northerly breezes and
because he was always a bit faster, but we his lead over Caffari to over 100 miles as they
trated by the slow conditions off Brazil. He
this should propel her over the finish line
were about 100 miles or so and it was great to battle for the fifth spot. Both have been
should have had light trade winds, but they
tonight.
have a marker. But probably now one wants blessed with good southerly winds, but con-
have disappeared. He is making just about
Guillemot on the other hand did not
to be a little bit more conservative.” fused seas as they pass Cape Finisterre.
eight knots.
sound upbeat feeling that third may be out of
Day 93, 10 February: Despite no keel, In the back of the pack they are not
Day 95, 12 February: With just about
his reach and may not be able to best Thomp-
Guillemot’s SAFRAN is still sailing at about experiencing calm conditions, but just the
200 miles to go to the finish Sam Davies’
son or Caffari either. He had tried to push a
11 knots and is just 73 miles behind ROXY. opposite. A low pressure system has moved
ROXY now has more than a 260 lead of
Continued on Page 26.
ROXY has slowed a bit as she does her best across Brazil and hit Norbert Sedlacek,
Guillemot’s SAFRAN. However as the day
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