Global Ocean Race

[Guest]

Well since a few people would have wanted the volvo to go through the southern ocean, here is an update on the GOR as they are nearing Auzzy and were sent through the southern ocean with a bit of action on as well.

 

Speeds hit the red line as the leaders thunder along the Australian Ice Limit

 

As the low pressure system stalking the double-handed, Class40 Global Ocean Race (GOR) fleet continues to rumble east across the Roaring Forties, it has left the two westerly boats, Financial Crisis and Phesheya-Racing, battered and bruised before moving on the give Campagne de France a hammering. On Thursday morning, the two leading boats, Cessna Citation and BSL, reached the western limit of the GOR’s Australian Ice Limit at 45S, turning round the virtual mark before the heavy breeze arrived, immediately freeing off and accelerating dramatically in the building north-westerly wind ahead of the Southern Ocean depression.

 

At 15:00 GMT on Thursday, Financial Crisis in fourth place was making good progress, leading Phesheya-Racing by 79 miles and separated from the leaders by just over 900 miles, but the effects of the storm were heavily imprinted on Marco Nannini and Hugo Ramon: “Sailing through the stormy conditions of yesterday and the day before was wet, tiring, cold and uncomfortable,” confirms the 33 year-old Italian skipper, Marco Nannini. “We went down to storm jib and three reefs in the mainsail and beat for hours on end in 35-40 knots with gusts to 45. Through the worst of the winds, when it was blowing solid 40 knots under a rainy sky the colour of lead and charcoal, rain drops would hit your face with such violence they hurt; they hurt your eyeballs when you tried to look forward and any trip to the cockpit involved a total soaking.”

 

Conditions were worsened by the Akilaria frequently becoming airborne: “The sea state was horrendous as for some reason we keep coming across random surface currents,” Nannini continues. “Sometimes in favour, sometimes against of up to two knots and in the high winds, these currents contributed to stirring a very nasty sea with cross waves and no apparent pattern or sense,” he reports. “Occasionally, the boat would climb a wave from nowhere at right angles and fall from the top into a trough with the loudest of crashes.” With nerves jangling from the repetitive and violent slamming, Nannini and Ramon were on high alert for disaster: “I kept checking the floor and keel box for any signs of damage, maybe I was being paranoid, but with the closest piece of land nearly 2,000 miles away you tend to worry about these things…”

 

Early on Thursday, the storm jib was replaced by the staysail and a reef was shaken out. “Then it was time for the Solent and now, finally, we’re flying our smallest spinnaker, the A5, and the spirits are definitely much higher although both Hugo and I are tired, the stormy conditions take their toll,” reports Nannini. Averaging 10.9 knots on Thursday afternoon with 4,000 miles of Leg 2 remaining, progress is again being made. “The computer has recalculated the expected date of arrival in Wellington and instead of some crazy date six months in the future, we finally show arriving in the early days of January - fingers crossed, that’s what will happen.”

 

Separated by around 50 miles at the height of the gale, Nannini and Ramon and the South African duo of Nick Leggatt and Phillippa Hutton-Squire on Phesheya-Racing shared similar, horrific conditions. For Leggatt and Hutton-Squire, two crash gybes in quick succession signalled it was time to dramatically reduce sail: “We went galloping down a wave at full tilt and got side swiped by a monster of a wave and crash gybed!”

[Jon 360]

Now this is a real race

Sailing around the world not to every port that has a sponsors outlet

Sailed by two real men/women

In 40 ft yachts that real yachties can relate to

And lead overall by Kiwis.

 

Now where are my balls ?

[Guest]

Concur D.

 

Find us a boat and it can share both our balls.... errr.. both sets, I'm knot cutting one out

[benny14 6]

I'll third that... Am far more interested in this race at the moment... And it's coming to Wellington at the start of the year!

[Guest]

At the risk of being hell lazy and knot looking it up myself, when is the ETA in Welly?

[grant 40]

as of yesterday ETA welly was 30th Dec

 

and if you need a 40 footer to do that there is always this one viewtopic.php?f=28&t=18353

[Jon 360]

as of yesterday ETA welly was 30th Dec

 

and if you need a 40 footer to do that there is always this one viewtopic.php?f=28&t=18353

 

And better still knotty I know where it's parked

Maybe we should go into stealth mode

 

As for arrival D1 is helping out so am thinking of going down to see the SSANZ members

[Herdy 0]

Danaide and KM, open the bank account a bit. I have contacts that could make it very easy for you to be the proud owner of a Class 40. Would be great to see another couple of these boats on the water around NZ.

[Guest]

I like your thinking D. I'm out of NZ until the 29th but have a growing desire for a 2 wheeled road trip.

Chuck the bike on a truck and sail home....under the cover of darkness

 

Who is the one just launched in Welly for, local or offshore, anyone know?

 

How much is 'a bit' H?

Last deep suss I had a C40 would cost close as 2 x a C950. 40's would be way cool but I think a fleet of 950s would be a easier call. A couple of 950's in EU at the moment for 80k euros sail away. That's pretty cheap really.

[Herdy 0]

KM you are about right price wise. The BTBoats Class 40 are a grand prix version of the Class 40's currently available. They are certainly at the top end of the Class 40's I hae seen.

 

Hakes have doen a surpurb job on building this. Everything is on minimum weight, but it is stiff.

 

Keep in touch if you are coming down. I don't expect the first boats till New Year or after at present. This could change if they avoid the usual park up either side of Farewell Spit. I will be involved in finishing the yachts so can keep you up to date with what is happening.

[Guest]

Another update for those that like 'a proper race'

 

Over the past week, the five, double-handed Class40s in the Global Ocean Race (GOR) have crossed the most remote area of the Indian Ocean with a cold front and a deep low pressure system battering the fleet. While the two lead boats, Cessna Citation and BSL, dropped to 48S after crossing the Celox Sailing Scoring Gate at Kerguelen Island, the majority of the fleet kept further north in Roaring Forties with Financial Crisis and Phesheya-Racing in fourth and fifth place losing miles as a cold front swept east, forcing the two Class40s to take avoiding action.

 

 

On Thursday, Cessna Citation and BSL reached the western end of the GOR’s Australian Ice Limit at 45S, increasing speeds dramatically while Campagne de France in third languished temporarily in unusually light winds, waiting for the low pressure system and strong breeze. When the low pressure arrived, winds of 52 knots lashed the fleet, building monstrous seas and forcing many of the teams to adopt survival mode. After 19 days and over 4,000 miles of sailing in Leg 2 from Cape Town to Wellington, the GOR fleet is currently strung over 1,300 miles in the Indian Ocean’s high latitudes with the recent, very tough week adding 700 miles to the overall spread between the boats.

 

 

At midnight GMT on Saturday as the sun rose at 45S, Conrad Colman and Sam Goodchild led the fleet around the eastern end of the 800-mile long Australian Ice Limit on Cessna Citation. “Freedom!” exclaimed Sam Goodchild on Sunday morning. “For the next 2,000 miles to Wellington, we can go wherever we like.” Throughout Sunday, Cessna Citation dropped south-east averaging 11.5 knots at 15:00 GMT, clear of any virtual marks or exclusion zones. “This makes it the slightly more tactically interesting and also opens up opportunities for the guys behind to make up some of the miles lost, so we have to be careful.” At 15:00 GMT Ross and Campbell Field and BSL were 143 miles behind Colman and Goodchild. “Over the last few days we have been benefiting from a ‘rich-get-richer’ weather situation which has allowed us to extend our lead,” explains the Artemis Offshore Academy sailor. “But, the same way this bungee attaching us to BSL stretches, we expect it to contract over the final ten days and our aim is to stay safe and minimise the loses.”

 

 

At 10:00 GMT on Sunday, Ross and Campbell Field cleared the end of the ice limit, pointing BSL south-east and dropping sharply below 45S, making fractionally better speeds than Cessna Citation by 15:00 GMT. En route into the Southern Ocean, Ross Field has become distracted: “I ‘m trying to get a photo of the biggest albatross that I have ever seen,” he reported in a brief email on Sunday morning. “It’s like a 747 - the only difference is a 747 wing tips point up and the albatross's hang down,” he continues. “Maybe the 747 designer should come down and have a look,” suggests Ross. “It cruises passed the back of the boat so close that you can see it eye balling you – it’s so big that it nearly blocks out the sun!”

 

 

Since the frequency of 50-knot gusts decreased through Saturday, Halvard Mabire and Miranda Merron are gybing east above the ice limit with Campagne de France, trailing BSL by 406 miles at 15:00 GMT and trailing Cessna Citation by 549 miles. Just before the weekend, Colman and Goodchild set a new GOR 24-hour distance record of 350 miles and the speeds of Cessna Citation have impressed Halvard Mabire: “Their Akilaria Class40 is clearly named after a plane for a good reason and their performance has been quite remarkable,” he says. “With the speeds the ‘youngsters’ are putting in, it’s clear that everything is taken up a notch with each new generation of offshore sailors and they’re getting better and better,” Mabire believes. “I was about Conrad and Sam’s age when I took the role of navigator in my first Whitbread race in 1981-82,” he recalls. “In those days, none of us feared anything, which was partly due to the fact that we really didn’t know what we were getting into – it was vital to have a constant adrenaline rush, but that’s what being young is all about.” The technology in offshore racing may have changed since Mabire’s first round-the-world race, but the fundamental nature of offshore racing remains the same. “Water is still as wet as it always used to be, but when you’re young, it just seem to dry out a little more quickly,” he adds

 

 

At 15:00 GMT on Sunday, Marco Nannini and Hugo Ramon on Financial Crisis were approaching the western end of the Australian Ice Limit, 540 miles west of Campagne de France and celebrating the news that Ramon had been presented with a prestigious Spanish sailing award during a satellite phone call with the prize ceremony being held at the Real Club Nautico de Palma, Mallorca, on Saturday night. See a Spanish-language video of Hugo Ramon discussing the award on board Financial Crisis here.

 

 

Trailing Financial Crisis by 286 miles on Sunday afternoon, Nick Leggatt and Phillippa Hutton-Squire on Phesheya-Racing were unhappy with their performance and the inability of the Class40’s autopilot to cope with strong breeze, forcing the duo to reduce sail. However, help was at hand: “The best thing about the Global Ocean Race is the characters and camaraderie involved in the event,” wrote Nick Leggatt on Sunday morning. “To be honest, this was one of the features that attracted us to Class40 in the first place, but the Global Ocean Race epitomises the spirit of Class40,” he believes. “On the water the competition is fierce, but co-operation between the skippers ultimately makes the Class40 even more competitive,” adds Leggatt. “Here, deep in the Roaring Forties, our closest neighbours are our competitors and each of them has played a role in helping us to get to where we are,” he confirms. “Perhaps through the invaluable advice given by BSL and Campagne de France at the Leg 1 debrief, for example, or through friendly discussions on the dock or the loan of tools and equipment from Cessna Citation and Sec. Hayai.”

 

 

Growing increasingly frustrated and unable to find a solution to the autopilot issue, Leggatt and Hutton-Squire emailed Nannini and Ramon for advice and a prompt and full response from Financial Crisis was immediate: “As Financial Crisis is a near-identical sister ship to Phesheya-Racing, this advice has been really important to us,” says Leggatt. “Marco has provided some excellent insight into adjusting the autopilot settings which is a lot clearer than the owner’s manual provided with the pilot,” he adds. “We have now increased the sail area again and are pushing a bit harder.” On Sunday afternoon, average speeds were increasing on Phesheya-Racing to over nine knots despite strong winds of over 25 knots. “We can certainly feel that the boat is a lot happier now with the new autopilot settings and we are suddenly looking forward to the second half of this leg with renewed enthusiasm!”

 

 

With 2,100 miles remaining to the finish line in Wellington, Sam Goodchild has started looking at the weather files and counting down: “Our current ETA is for the 27/28th December, however it’s not going to be easy as we have a strong front coming through that has already dished out a fair amount of abuse to the fleet in the west and an area of light winds all before we have to make a decision to pass to the East or West of South Island,” he explains.

 

 

With a potential for another nine days before reaching land, Colman and Goodchild have been debating the Southern Hemisphere’s cultural differences: “Contrary to popular, Northern Hemisphere belief, Australia and New Zealand are not the same place,” says Goodchild. “According to my Kiwi skipper, they say ‘Feesh n’ Cheeps’ instead of ‘Fush n’ Chups’ when discussing what is known as fish n’ chips to the rest of the world!” he explains. “Apart from that, I see no difference, which leads me to conclude that a Kiwi is a Southern Hemisphere Welshman,” states Goodchild. “They are both good at rugby, speak a bit funny and get offended when you call them by their neighbouring country of Australia and England…”

 

 

GOR Leg 2 leaderboard at 15:00 GMT 18/12/2011:

1. Cessna Citation: DTF 2,163 11.5kts

2. BSL: DTL 143 11.7kts

3. Campagne de France: DTL 549 10.1kts

4. Financial Crisis: DTL 1091 9.6kts

5. Phesheya-Racing: DTL 1377 9.4kts

[Guest]

[Guest]

The Indian Ocean’s Roaring Forties continue to punish the double-handed Global Ocean Race (GOR) fleet. As the leading pair of Class40s plummet south beyond the eastern extremity of the Australian Ice Limit led by Conrad Colman and Sam Goodchild on Cessna Citation, there has been drama on BSL in second place as Ross and Campbell Field knife their spinnaker sheets in a 48-knot squall, managing to save the spinnaker and their carbon fibre mast. In third place, Halvard Mabire and Miranda Merron made the hard choice to head north with Campagne de France and avoid 50-knot winds chasing them along the ice limit.

 

In fifth place, Nick Leggatt and Phillippa Hutton-Squire recorded speeds of 18 knots as a low pressure system passed over Phesheya-Racing early evening GMT on Sunday, while Marco Nannini and Hugo Ramon with Financial Crisis lost control of their Akilaria in a 55-knot gust.

 

 

For Ross and Campbell Field, Sunday night was a demanding but relatively average, GOR evening in the Southern Ocean; running under spinnaker in 20-30 knots of breeze at 46S, reefing periodically in wind increasing by ten knots in as many seconds and rotating helm duty frequently. “It was around midnight, black as the inside of a cow again, but the wind was reasonably stable,” begins Ross Field. With the breeze stabilising, he headed below for some rest. “I was deep asleep and got this scream from on deck,” says Ross, reacting instantly. “I leapt out of bed, put my boots on - wrong feet in each - and came through the hatch like greased lightning.” The scene on deck was alarming with the Class40 on the edge of control in howling wind, rain and hail. “I saw the wake out the back of the boat foaming and Campbell steering, looking straight ahead with his eyes as big as saucers.” Glancing at the cockpit readouts revealed 48 knots of wind speed. “F*** was used a lot whilst we discussed how the f*** we were going to get out of this,” he recalls.

 

 

With the Fields’ three year-old, Verdier-designed Class40 fully-loaded, the yacht seemed unstoppable: “There was spray everywhere and it was freezing cold,” continues Ross. “I took over driving and man it was all on!” Campbell Field went forward and attempted to snuff the spinnaker, but with the wind building further, pulling the sock down over the sail was impossible and losing the mast became a very real risk. “The spinnaker ended up flying horizontally from the masthead and the knife was out, cutting sheets so the rig stayed in the boat.” With the spinnaker overboard, BSL towed the sail until the wind eased to 25 knots. “We winched it on board fearing the worst but, unbelievably, it’s still in one piece - bloody amazing!”

 

 

Following the incident, BSL slowed with Conrad Colman and Sam Goodchild on Cessna Citation building their lead to 163 miles at 18:00 GMT on Monday – an increase of just 14 miles in 24 hours. “We are working putting things together so we can get up and running again,” reports Ross. “In the meantime we’ve lost miles, but we’ll be back into the ‘Young Ones’ soon,” he predicts. Plans clearly went well and BSL was making the highest average in the fleet at 13.6 knots on Monday evening, reaching east as the strong breeze approached.

 

 

While the stronger winds should sweep south-east and find Cessna Citation and BSL between 18:00 and midnight GMT on Monday, Nick Leggatt and Phillippa Hutton-Squire were first to feel the low pressure on Sunday evening, but positioned at 42S, Phesheya-Racing avoided the worst of the north-westerly breeze. With the Class40’s autopilot running smoothly following a mid-ocean, email tutorial from fellow competitor, Marco Nannini, the South African duo have been able to enjoy racing again. Phillippa Hutton-Squire sets the scene: “Sitting in the companionway watching the world go by, the boat starts to accelerate, the sun peeps out from behind the cloud, the hum from the hydrogenerator gets louder and louder, the white water around the boat gets more and more - you turn to watch the GPS, 13, 14, 16, 17.5 …. you catch another wave 18…. 18.5 knots of boat speed, the jib bangs and you slowly go down the back of the wave and the process starts again.” Over the past day, Phesheya-Racing has been averaging nine to ten knots. “This is what it has been like for the last 24 hours since we figured out Marco’s pilot settings!” says Hutton-Squire.

 

 

However, further south, 316 miles ahead of Phesheya-Racing, Marco Nannini and Hugo Ramon weren’t so lucky on Financial Crisis at 43S and sailing 70 miles above the Australian Ice Limit, the Italian-Spanish duo felt the full force of the gale: “I may sound boring if I reiterate that we're still in 35-40 knots of wind; we have not seen anything less than 25 and there’s been anything up to 55 knots for the past week and, inevitably, we've suffered some level of damage,” reports Marco Nannini. Hugo Ramon takes up the story: “I was plugged into my Ipod, thinking about life with my fingers ready on the autopilot remote control buttons when we were hit by a gust of 55 knots,” says Ramon. In the sudden gust, the masthead wind instruments failed. “We completely thought they’d been blown off the top of the mast, but at first light in the morning we verified that it’s there; though it’s totally dead.”

 

 

While Ramon will climb the mast and fit a backup unit when the sea state improves, the duo have been hand steering as the pilot is unable to function properly in shifty and strong conditions without data from the masthead unit. “For hours we have been gybing and trying to use the pilot again, but it just tries to gybe on its own.” With the loss of use of the hydrogenerator due to a failed mounting bracket, Nannini and Ramon have been cutting back on using electrical power: “We continue with our fuel saving,” reports Ramon. “I’m writing this blog first with paper and pencil and then I’ll transcribe it quickly to the computer,” he explains.

 

 

Racing without a title sponsor for his campaign, there has also been some budget planning by Marco Nannini: “Of course, a famous advert would say being here is priceless, watching the tips of the albatrosses wings gently caress the crests of the waves, enormous waves rolling one after the other, the boat surfing down valleys of water...” says the Italian skipper. “I have, however, to admit to struggling with the continuous bloodshed of bills which add up so quickly,” he explains. “Cape Town cost around 5k in repairs, most of which were very kindly donated by you, the reading public,” Nannini confirms. Hugo Ramon describes the repercussions for the campaign: “We’re also having to cut back on communication costs and the daily transmission of photos is now off limits,” says the Spanish skipper. “We’ve got a bit of a panic about repair costs in Wellington and, at the moment, we can’t afford to buy freeze dried food for Leg 3,” he adds. Donations to support Marco Nannini’s GOR campaign can be made here

 

 

Meanwhile, having already endured blasts of 50 knots in the previous 48 hours, Halvard Mabire and Miranda Merron on Campagne de France in third place chose to avoid the front and gybed north-east at midday GMT on Sunday. “We eventually decided that we had had enough of survival sailing and that it was time to head for more attractive racing conditions,” confirms Miranda Merron. “When sailing in big seas and flying sails suitable for 40+ knots, the boat speed is quite low except when being propelled by one of these squall monsters,” she explains. “This causes the boat speed to exceed targets for a few minutes of white-knuckle ploughing down, through and over waves, on the edge, never allowing yourself to think about what could happen if you lost control.” A recent incident remains firmly embedded in the Franco-British duo’s memory: “The boat traversed at 20 knots down the face of one particularly large wave, top to bottom, windward side against the wall of water,” recalls Merron.

 

 

As the low pressure passed south of Campagne de France on Monday afternoon, Halvard Mabire had no doubt that the northerly route was correct, despite the extra miles incurred. “We don’t regret our decision because Man is never going to win in hand to hand combat with the sea,” he maintains. “An imbecile who claims that he ‘overcame the power of the oceans’ is living a fantasy,” Mabire believes. “It’s more of the case that the sea just let him go…this time.” The French skipper has been doing some calculations: “It should be remembered that a cubic metre of water – just a small block of freezing sea measuring 1 metre X 1 metre X 1 metre – weighs over one ton,” he points out. “Add to this a wave 15-or-so metres high going at full speed and there’s nothing that can stop this sort of power – especially not a small Class40 weighing just five tons.” The argument is compelling. “The holder of the World Feather Weight Boxing title wouldn’t be crazy enough to take on the World Heavy Weight champion!” In the 18:00 GMT position poll on Monday, Mabire and Merron remained at 42S making 13 knots.

 

 

After 20 days at sea and the recent, very hard conditions, all the GOR teams are looking forward to some normality ashore, but in fifth place with over 3,000 miles remaining, this feeling is particularly acute on Phesheya-Racing: “Our hygiene has gone out the window in terms of showering!” admits Phillippa Hutton-Squire. “On Leg 1 from Europe to Cape Town we showered once a week as it was warm and sunny,” she explains. “Today is the warmest day we have had since leaving home I think - about 15 degrees and partly cloudy. It would be great for a shower but the spray and waves coming over the deck just won’t allow for it,” laments the South African skipper. “So yes, I have not showered in three weeks much like some of my fellow competitors and I think a lot of us have been wearing some of the same clothes as it has been too cold to take them off,” she states. “So when you are standing in the shower at home tonight, think of us!”

 

 

GOR Leg 2 leaderboard at 18:00 GMT 19/12/2011:

1. Cessna Citation: DTF 1,889 11.3kts

2. BSL: DTL 163 13.6kts

3. Campagne de France: DTL 566 13kts

4. Financial Crisis: DTL 1092 10.7kts

5. Phesheya-Racing: DTL 1408 9.4kts

[Guest]

KM you are about right price wise.

BTBoats managing director Lapo Ancillotti says the latest Class 40 ocean racer, carrying a price tag of NZ $727,000, is the third they have sold since going into production 12 months ago.

Ouch!!!

That's a shite load of beer tokens for a 40fter.

[Guest]

Go the kiwi and the Pom. They are kicking arse

 

Complex and extremely tough weather conditions in the Southern Ocean continue to roll across the double-handed Global Ocean Race (GOR) Class40s in quick succession. Furthest west, the South African team in fifth place with Phesheya-Racing has been dodging gales 160 miles above the Australian Ice Limit while the Italian-Spanish duo on Financial Crisis in fourth took the full force of a low pressure system on Tuesday morning and was knocked flat in a 58-knot gust. Beyond the eastern extremity of the ice limit, the Franco-British team on Campagne de France in third have remained in the north at 42S in big seas but lighter airs as the low pressure systems rumble passed to the south.

 

 

At the head of the GOR fleet, the strong breeze pounced on Cessna Citation and BSL on mid-Monday night GMT before continuing south-east into the Southern Ocean. Both Cessna Citation and BSL in second place picked up pace in 30+ knots of north-westerly wind with Conrad Colman and Sam Goodchild blazing through the storm polling averages of just under 17 knots, breaking their existing 24-hour record as they dived through the Roaring Forties to 48S.

 

 

At 15:00 GMT on Tuesday, Nick Leggatt and Phillippa Hutton-Squire with Phesheya-Racing were 160 miles north of the ice limit, trailing Financial Crisis by 357 miles and averaging 10.4 knots. “We’re right in the middle of a fairly complex weather system, but have managed to position ourselves quite nicely for the moment, though things never stay the same for long down here!” warned Nick Leggatt on Tuesday morning. “Last night our Sat-C satellite data communication system started beeping and flashing,” he reports. “A quick check on the computer showed that we had received a ‘Distress/Urgent’ message.” Opening their inbox, the South African duo found three simultaneous gale warnings for their immediate area of the Indian Ocean issued by the Australian Met Office. “At least they have upgraded their wording from ‘vigorous’ to ‘urgent’!” applauds Leggatt.

 

 

The first gale missed Phesheya-Racing, moving on to pummel Cessna Citation and BSL on Monday evening and a front passed through on Tuesday morning to the north, en route to hammer Marco Nannini and Hugo Ramon on Financial Crisis at 09:00 GMT. “So far it seems that our routing is working out quite well and even though the barometer fell so fast this morning that I thought my ears would pop, the cold front has passed north of us and we went straight through the centre of the low with almost no wind and continuous drizzle.” However, nifty routing didn’t completely exclude Leggatt and Hutton-Squire from strong winds. “An hour or two ago, the pressure began to rise and the wind shifted suddenly and increased to near gale force from the SW,” he adds. “We gybed and set the appropriate sails and are now blasting along in bright, 15 degree, sunshine, heading in the right direction.”

 

 

On Campagne de France, Halvard Mabire and Miranda Merron have exchanged 40-50-knot squalls for relatively benign conditions: “In sharp contrast today, we are sailing in light breeze downwind in glorious sunshine,” Merron reported on Tuesday morning. “It’s dry and relatively warm, which makes a pleasant change.” In GOR Leg 2 ranking terms, Campagne de France is the most isolated Class40 in the fleet; 449 miles from BSL and Cessna Citation to the south-east at 15:00 GMT on Tuesday and 518 miles from Phesheya-Racing and Financial Crisis to the west and this Southern Ocean exclusion extends beyond the leaderboard table: “In our little world out here, we haven’t seen any other life for weeks apart from birds,” Merron continues. “No whales, no dolphins, no ships, no land.”

 

 

However, there are benefits to this seclusion: “It’s strange to think that it’s nearly Christmas and while missing the opportunity to spend time with family and friends, I am not missing certain things like dreadful xmas musak in shops,” says Merron. “Or the revolting smell of cinnamon and spices which some supermarkets pipe in to make people buy mince pies - here there is only the smell of the sea, though of course the boat smells of roses after three weeks of damp living!”

 

 

Meanwhile, on Financial Crisis, life isn’t so comfortable for Nannini and Ramon. Marco Nannini reported in on Tuesday afternoon: “We’re running under triple reefed mainsail and staysail and earlier we got flattened on the side like a dinghy in a gust that read 57.8 knots on the one surviving wind instrument,” says the Italian skipper. “It is pitch black outside and I hope we didn’t damage anything earlier,” he adds. “Today the conditions have given a new shade, a new facet, to the word ‘miserable’,” Nannini explains. “Dark, grey, cold, wet, daunting… the only highlights are when it’s your time to sleep and you hide under two sleeping bags, breathing into your hands trying to warm up a bit…”

 

 

With the powerful blasts from the north, the conditions continue to deteriorate. “The sea is simply horrible,” confirms Hugo Ramon. “The waves are coming from every direction and our speed varies from eight knots when we bury the bow in a wave, to 20 knots when we’re surfing down the face,” he explains. “The trick is to carry just enough sail to have sufficient speed to make sure a wave doesn’t break right on top of us and knock the boat, the rudder and the autopilot out of control,” says Ramon. At 15:00 GMT on Tuesday, Financial Crisis was averaging 11 knots as the wind continued to register 25-30 knots.

 

 

At the front of the fleet, it has been a ferocious 24 hours for Cessna Citation and BSL. Leading the fleet by 220 miles at 15:00 GMT on Tuesday, Conrad Colman and Artemis Offshore Academy sailor, Sam Goodchild, set a new GOR 24-hour record of 355 miles at 13:00 GMT, but conditions on board were intense: Goodchild reported-in on Tuesday afternoon: “As the sun came up, the wind started to build and we changed from our small spinnaker to the more robust reacher as a ‘chicken shoot’,” says the 22 year-old. “We spent the following 12 hours semi-submerged averaging 16-17 knots, with surfs of 26 knots.” Water cascaded aft along the Aklilaria’s decks. “We regularly lost sight of the front of the boat and occasionally our own limbs,” Goodchild continues.

 

 

One particular wave is firmly etched in Goodchild’s memory: “We took off on an almighty surf and barrelled into the back of the following wave and - as the expected wall of water came flying down the deck - I grabbed hold of the boat and turned my head to cover my face.” Any attempt at resisting the wall of water was futile. “It picked me up like a rag doll and dropped me in the back of the cockpit wrapped round the main sheet traveller,” he explains. “As I got back up and re-orientated myself, I was surprised to find the boat not spun into the wind with sails flapping but, in fact, having ploughed through the wave it had then taken off on another surf at 20 knots…we carried on as before!”

 

 

Averaging 10.6 knots and sailing a parallel course to Colman and Goodchild just over 100 miles north of Cessna Citation, Ross and Campbell Field had recovered quickly from the spinnaker drama on Monday, but there was to be no relaxing on BSL: “Over the last 24 hours we have had big pressure with winds in the mid 30’s gusting 40’s,” explained Campbell Field on Tuesday afternoon. “Some of the most spectacular seascape I have ever seen,” he adds. “Last night, the skies were crystal clear glistening with millions of stars, lighting up the ocean of massive Southern Ocean swells - only to be superceded by the Aurora Australis – the Southern Lights - putting on a performance.” The father and son team paused briefly to admire the view at 47S. “Ross and I found ourselves sitting in the cockpit gazing at the horizon to the south with the lights shimmering away and backlighting thunderous storm clouds – it was the stuff of oil paintings.”

 

 

However, the high latitudes tourism was soon cut short: “Day break today and still massive pressure, feeling weary from the constant howling wind, but with cloudless skies, a huge swell running and what can only be described as a boiling sea,” Campbell reports. “A stunning seascape that no photo is ever going to do justice.” Current weather predictions suggest that the high pressure system to the north-east of the two leading Class40s will slip southwards ahead of Cessna Citation and BSL and a period of headwinds may arrive. “This has been a relentless and windy leg,” comments Campbell. “But we are in good shape and the ‘Young Ones’ to the south-east have been charging and they have a good buffer, but there are some interesting scenarios coming up over the next few days - we have not given up the chase looking for opportunities to exploit,” he confirms. “Never, ever give up!”

 

 

While the GOR fleet sail through the remote, Southern Ocean sector of the Indian Ocean, the teams continue to collect data and observations for the research programme initiated by the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA). With the GOR’s classic circumnavigation route taking the fleet into remote areas far beyond the range or budget of research vessels, the data collection provides an invaluable insight into the overall health of our planet’s oceans and will assist in assessing mankind’s impact on marine wildlife.

 

 

Jennifer Lonsdale, Director of the EIA, visited the GOR fleet in Cape Town at the end of Leg 1 and spoke with the teams (view a video interview with Jennifer Lonsdale discussing progress with the EIA-GOR programme here): “Sailing to Cape Town from Palma de Mallorca was challenging with ever-changing conditions, at times frustrating but often very thrilling,” says Lonsdale. “While sailing, the skippers were able to collect interesting information for EIA’s Eyes of the Ocean programme, including sightings of swallows and an egret taking a rest on the yachts; pilot whales and dolphins; flying fish; squid and gorgeous albatrosses,” she continues. “The wildlife was exciting but depressingly contrasted with worrying amounts of marine debris, which causes so much havoc to marine species and the ocean ecosystem.”

 

 

Throughout Leg 2 from Cape Town to Wellington, New Zealand, the GOR fleet have continuously logged observations when conditions have allowed. “Only a few days into their journey through the southern Indian Ocean and competitors were already reporting encounters with albatrosses, interesting fish and dolphins,” adds Lonsdale. “One yacht had a southern right whale breaching about 30 metres away; the crew was on close watch to ensure it did not come too close to their vessel.” Despite some very strong conditions, the skippers continue to assist with this valuable programme. “As they sail through the Roaring Forties, they have been asked to document evidence of marine debris if they can and this will make a useful contribution to EIA’s planned briefing on marine debris for the 2012 meeting of the International Whaling Commission,” Lonsdale concludes.

 

 

GOR Leg 2 leaderboard at 18:00 GMT 20/12/2011:

1. Cessna Citation: DTF 1527 15.2kts

2. BSL: DTL 220 10.6kts

3. Campagne de France: DTL 669 9.9kts

4. Financial Crisis: DTL 1187 11kts

5. Phesheya-Racing: DTL 1544 10.4kts

[smithy09 50]

Ya gotta take your hat off to Ross Feild. He's an old bastard, and two handing these must be physically punishing. I know that after a couple of stuff ups on the Marshall pulling kites on board (one in pieces ) that I was physically stuffed, and I'm younger than Ross by a good few years and reasonably fit.. Good on him. I'm impressed.

[Guest]

heres another update. BSL have closed the gap up slightly to the leaders but are still trailing by nearly 200nm.

 

It has been another high-octane 24 hours for the double-handed, Global Ocean Race (GOR) Class40s. Down below 47 degrees South, Cessna Citation and BSL have been breaking and resetting the GOR’s 24-hour distance records as the two boats fast-reached east in sustained 30-35-knot winds while above the Australian Ice Limit at 45S, Financial Crisis in fourth place was hurled towards this virtual safety barrier in 60-knot, northerly gusts. In 25-30 knots of NNW wind, Campagne de France in third picked up the pace descending south and Phesheya-Racing are up to speed, running east above the ice limit and making up ground.

 

 

On Tuesday afternoon, the highest sustained speeds in the GOR were recorded by the fleet leaders, Conrad Colman and Artemis Offshore Academy sailor, Sam Goodchild on their Akilaria RC2 Class40, Cessna Citation, and the New Zealand, father-and-son duo of Ross and Campbell Field in second place on their Verdier-designed Class40, BSL, as the two boats hooked into strong north-westerly wind. Geovoile tracking data reveals that at 14:00 GMT, having polled averages of over 14 knots, the Fields clocked a 24-hour run of 355.6nm and two hours later – after polling averages of 16 knots – Colman and Goodchild set the 24-hour barrier at 359.1nm – phenomenal distances for a Class40.

 

 

On Cessna Citation, Colman and Goodchild judged the frontal system’s approach immaculately: “Sam and I decided to go for broke to consolidate our lead over the Fields,” reports Conrad Colman. “We ran deep through puffy 45+ knot squalls and positioned ourselves in the path of the beast,” he explains. “It might not be evident that sustained 35 knots was an opportunity to attack, but we figured that if we could keep our foot on the loud pedal and stay ahead of the worst of it, then we could play the edge of the front and skim off as much wind as we wanted.”

 

 

The New Zealand-British duo prepared for the ride of a lifetime: “The sky stayed blue and the white caps sparkled before being blown into the air as the wind built and stayed at 35 knots,” recalls 28 year-old Colman. “We were fully pressed, but still able to maintain control at 120-130 True Wind Angle and played the waves to surf for extra speed - Sam and I both saw 26 knots of boat speed on the dial.” With Cessna Citation flying south-east at 49S, it was everyman for himself on deck with both the co-skippers flung around the cockpit: “After one altercation with a wave I was bodily picked up and deposited, spread eagled on my back on top of the life raft, two meters from where I had been helming,” reports Colman. “I was able to regain control but it was an eye opening experience and a warning taken to heart,” he admits. “As proof that sometimes the great lessons in life need to be learned twice, Sam was later pushed off the helm and thrown into the sail stack on the back of the boat.”

 

 

Shortly before midnight on Tuesday, the breeze began to drop and averages decreased to ten knots on Cessna Citation: “Given the water play, I wasn’t too sad that we eventually out ran the stronger pressure and the wind dropped to a more sedate mid-20s,” Colman admits. As the breeze dropped for Colman and Goodchild, the Fields on BSL – 100 miles north of Cessna Citation – held the breeze longer as the two boats approached a high pressure system blocking the route south of Tasmania. By 15:00 GMT on Wednesday, Cessna Citation was averaging just under nine knots, while the Fields maintained 11 knots in a stronger band of breeze on BSL, 192 miles off the port quarter of Cessna Citation having netted a total of 38 miles from Colman and Goodchild in 24 hours.

 

 

Following the spinnaker incident on board BSL, alarm bells were ringing on shore for the friends and family of the Fields: “After my last blog, a few people have raised concerns for safety in these conditions, rightly so, and we take our safety very seriously,” assures Campbell Field. “There are pretty stringent rules on what we must carry on board, some argue that a lot of this gear is unnecessary as it is impractical and will not get used under any circumstances,” he adds. “We have a couple of devices that would be invaluable in case of a Man Over Board situation, both carried at all times on our person,” Campbell explains. “A Kannad safelink solo personal 406 EPIRB to let the world know you are in strife and a Kannad Safelink R10 AIS transmitter to let anyone in the near vicinity know your exact location - both are very small units and fit in pockets and you don’t even know they are there.”

 

 

The prospect of falling off the boat or being washed over, or through, the guardrails is chilling: “Of course, you could simply not have a MOB situation,” reasons Campbell. “But sh*t happens and there is risk in everything we do and both Ross and I are aware of that,” he confirms. “If you want to completely avoid this risk, then the only solution is to go and sit under a tree. But then there will be some safety executive that will insist that you wear a hard hat and safety goggles in case an apple falls out and hits you on the head and you may want to sue the person who planted the tree; or the person who didn’t put the sign up saying this apple tree may contain apples; or Newton for not letting you know that the laws of gravity apply to you too.”

 

 

Meanwhile, Health & Safety executives would have been alarmed by conditions on Financial Crisis. North of the ice limit by 80 miles and with Australia 580 miles off their port quarter on Tuesday afternoon GMT, Marco Nannini and Hugo Ramon were tearing south in winds up to Force 10. “Not far away in Australia, I imagine it is all sun, surf, beaches and bikinis,” wondered Hugo Ramon. “For us, it has rained solidly as the front approached and then we spent a couple of hours with 60 knots and apocalyptic waves of about eight to ten metres in height.” Running south on port gybe, neither Nannini or Ramon wanted to harden-up and overload their boat or put Financial Crisis beam-to the huge seas: “The only option we had was to run with the gale at the risk of crossing the ice limit,” explains Ramon.

 

 

Conditions were truly grim on board as the front passed through: “In the dark I saw an actual mountain of water against the sky - black, monstrous and cruel,” continues the Spanish skipper. “Everything was totally confused; the wind shifted through 130 degrees, varying from 25-50 knots, with the pilot totally losing the plot forcing us to hand steer and prevent a crash gybe.” Nannini and Ramon eventually gybed 60 miles above the ice limit and on Wednesday afternoon, Financial Crisis was averaging just under ten knots on port gybe in around 20 knots of breeze with the eastern extremity of the ice limit 193 miles ahead.

 

 

While Nannini and Ramon clung onto Financial Crisis as the front passed through, 550 miles to the east, Halvard Mabire and Miranda Merron had found northerly breeze and began to descend through the Roaring Forties with speed averages between 11-13 knots on board Campagne de France. “We’re reaching and the fire hose on deck has started up again,” reported Halvard Mabire on Wednesday morning. “But since we are a little towards the north, the water is actually quite warm and has reached the fabulous temperature of 9.6C, which is totally acceptable!” By 15:00 GMT on Wednesday, Campagne de France was averaging the best speed in the fleet at just over 13 knots and had taken 35 miles out of the lead held by BSL and Cessna Citation in the past 24 hours. “The sea state is manageable at the moment, although it is obviously extremely rough, which is normal in 25 to 30 knots of wind, but by Indian Ocean standards, it’s relatively peaceful,” he explains. “The sky is low and grey and we are are around 750 miles off Tasmania,” confirms Mabire. “At the moment, the weather is so complex that it is too early to tell how close to Tasmania we’ll go,” he adds. Currently, weather files suggest that the high pressure system around Tasmania could produce a large windless area south of the island on Thursday and Friday.

 

 

At 15:00 GMT on Wednesday, the South African duo of Nick Leggatt and Phillippa Hutton-Squire on Phesheya-Racing were averaging over ten knots, trailing Financial Crisis by 312 miles and taking 45 miles from Nannini and Ramon’s lead in 24 hours. Unlike Financial Crisis, Leggatt and Hutton-Squire avoided the strong winds in the cold front: “It didn’t last all that long as the front came and the wind shifted round and we had to do some quick sail changes and gybe,” reported Phillippa Hutton-Squire on Wednesday. “It still amazes me as to how quick the fronts pass over you,” she adds. “One moment they are there, the next they are gone and you have had 30 plus knots and the wind had shifted so quickly.”

 

 

Sailing 120 miles north of the Australian Ice Limit, the duo have passed the 3,000-mile DTF milestone after 22 days of racing: “That put a big smile on my face,” Hutton-Squire continues. “It’s kind of like we have one transatlantic to go!” she calculates. “Well, I know I can do that and I’ll take it in my stride.” The South Africans have also taken time during the good conditions to monitor the wildlife at 44S: “Last night we thought we might have seen our first Royal Albatross for this trip,” says Hutton-Squire. “Wandering and Royal Albatrosses fall under the same group, Great Albatrosses,” she explains. “Have now sailed into the waters were the Royal Albatross fly, so we must keep our eyes peeled!”

 

 

GOR Leg 2 leaderboard at 15:00 GMT 21/12/2011:

1. Cessna Citation: DTF 1344 8.8kts

2. BSL: DTL 192 11kts

3. Campagne de France: DTL 606 13.1kts

4. Financial Crisis: DTL 1232 9.6kts

5. Phesheya-Racing: DTL 1544 10.1kts

[Guest]

For those wanting a close finish with boats comming from the southern ocean here you go. The Kiwi and the Pom have been the first to hit the light airs and they have lost 80nm overnight. Game on!!!!!!!

 

As the leading double-handed Class40s in the Global Ocean Race (GOR) prepare to enter the Tasman Sea with 1,200 miles of Leg 2 remaining, the light conditions are conspiring to shake up the ranking table for the remaining miles to the finish line in Wellington, New Zealand.

 

 

After leading the fleet for 13 days and over 3,000 miles and having logged phenomenal speeds and broken the GOR’s 24-hour distance record, Conrad Colman and Sam Goodchild on the Akilaria RC2 Cessna Citation have hit the buffers 350 miles below Tasmania at 49S with Ross and Campbell Field, further north in second place with BSL, slowing down, but holding the breeze and closing in. In third place, the Franco-British duo of Halvard Mabire and Miranda Merron are polling the highest speed averages with Campagne de France as they drop south taking miles out of the leaders.

 

 

Recovering from 60-knot blasts, Marco Nannini and Hugo Ramon in fourth on Financial Crisis have cleared the eastern end of the Australian Ice Limit and are drying out in good conditions as they prepare to slip below 45S and in fifth place, Nick Leggatt and Phillippa Hutton-Squire are 40 miles north of the ice limit in stunning, running conditions with Phesheya-Racing. “The Roaring Forties is really a place of superlatives,” says Leggatt. “But to be honest, today is a glorious day, and in the same vein, a glorious day here is truly magnificent!” he adds. At 15:00 GMT on Thursday, the South African’s were on starboard gybe and averaging 8.5 knots with 300 miles of ice limit restriction remaining. “Blue skies with 25-33 knots of wind, interspersed with the occasional rain shower and squall to 42 knots, long, high, rolling swells with the crests being whipped off by the wind, and a balmy 12 degrees on deck,” reports the South African skipper.

 

 

On Thursday afternoon, Marco Nannini and Hugo Ramon on Financial Crisis were leading Phesheya-Racing by 350 miles in mild conditions. Marco Nannini could barely believe the temperature: “After all the nasty weather we had to endure for over a week, today we are blessed with sunshine in what feels like a hot summer day, relatively speaking, but 20C is the most we’ve seen since leaving Cape Town,” says the Italian skipper. Averaging just under ten knots at 15:00 GMT in westerly breeze, the environment was perfect for recuperation: “We’re gently surfing with our A5 spinnaker and really appreciating the break from heavy weather,” he confirms. “As we dry our clothes and bones in the sunshine and dream of hot showers steaks and beers, we hope you are all gearing up for Christmas,” says Nannini. “I’ve never been a fan, but all it takes is a few southern Ocean storms to realise that eating good food surrounded by your family and loved ones is actually a damn nice thing to do… so, I think I’ll really miss this one.”

 

 

Sailing without a major sponsor, Nannini and Ramon have survived on personal savings and donations to fund their campaign, but the recent storms have caused breakages on board that will seriously impact their budget. However, help is at hand: “Christmas has come early on board Financial Crisis and donations to the race funds have come in hard and fast,” Nannini confirms. “One person in particular donated a staggering £1,000.” Initially, Nannini was confused by this incredibly generous gesture. “A brief message added that his wife has MS, multiple sclerosis, and wished we could remind the world of this terrible disease,” he explains. “So if anyone in Wellington knows people working in this field, perhaps working for a charity either researching MS or assisting people affected by this disease, we’d like to meet them and see how we can generate some informative interest on the subject during the stopover using this race as a loud speaker to the rest of the world.”

 

 

Leading Financial Crisis by 649 miles on Thursday afternoon, Halvard Mabire and Miranda Merron with Campagne de France were 371 miles behind BSL – a 43-mile gain on the leaders in 24 hours. However, despite the gains, conditions were oppressive 430 miles south-west of Tasmania. “Grey sea, grey fog, grey drizzle,” described Miranda Merron on Thursday morning. “Not a particularly inspiring day here in the South; not very pre-Christmas cheer,” she adds. However, a gift in Cape Town from one of the GOR’s sponsors is providing a distraction. “Thanks to the bluQube girls, we have an advent calendar, and it contains chocolate,” says Merron. “We don't open it on a daily basis, partly because we are running on GMT which means that the entire night falls within a GMT day as we travel east - dark at midday and dawn at 19:00, or something like that - so we are never quite sure what day it is, and partly because that way there isn't a fight over one piece of chocolate,” she explains. “So today, we opened six days-worth of chocolate advent calendar!”

 

 

To the south-east of Campagne de France, Ross and Campbell Field continued to keep BSL moving at nine knots on Thursday afternoon as the wind decreased south of Tasmania. For Conrad Colman and Artemis Offshore Academy sailor, Sam Goodchild, sailing 70 miles further south, the breeze vapourised at midday GMT on Thursday and Cessna Citation was averaging just 1.7 knots by mid-afternoon. The net result is a 75-mile gain for the Fields over the past 24 hours.

 

 

While the Fields eat into the lead held by Cessna Citation, there are food issues on board BSL. The father and son duo operate a system – organised by Ross Field – with bags of food supplies lasting five days and containing everything from paper towel to coffee and sugar. Once the bag is empty, the next five-day pack is opened….in theory. “Something went wrong,” confesses Campbell Field. “We now have all the coffee and sugar stowed in one part of the boat, all the condiments in a plastic bin that also contains WD40, watermaker pickling agent, winch spares and spare electrical tape to name a few random items,” he explains. “The paper towels were stored in the bow until we lost a few to water, so are now all wedged against the deck head above the nav station and the contents of one week of food is dumped on the leeward bunk, so you can go and make your selection, much like your average buffet.” The freedom to pick preferred food from the spread is irresistible: “Kind of works, but the last week of any leg is painful as the only meals left are the ones we don’t like,” adds Campbell.

 

 

While the food situation is confusing, sailing with his father is becoming complicated for Campbell Field: “We both have thermal beanies with ear flaps, waterproof and fleece lined,” he says. “Ross got up this morning and got dressed and couldn’t find his and went around cursing and swearing and bashing and crashing for three hours looking for the bloody thing.” Tension and hat-envy began to build: “He wanted to take mine; wanted me to get out of my bunk and help him look and I could see the near-accusation in his eyes that I had taken it,” recalls Campbell. Eventually, it was Campbell’s turn on watch and Ross headed for the bunk: “He takes off his dry top and - hey presto - there is the hat, on a piece of string around his neck under the dry top!” The psychology on BSL is clearly complex: “If I had 50 days, and 50 chocolates, I would have one per day,” says Campbell. “Ross would sit down and eat the lot, complain about feeling sick, then pester me for the next 50 days for a chocolate because I have lots left, and come up with a million reasons why I should give him half of them,” he believes. “I guess all this is good training for when my son gets to the age of about six…”

 

 

The weather ahead of the leaders is nearly as complicated as life on board BSL. Weather forecasts suggest that the area of light airs south of Tasmania could expand over the next 24 hours and trap Cessna Citation and BSL while Campagne de France may carry the available breeze on the descent south.

 

 

The GOR’s Race Ambassador, Dee Caffari, has a busy schedule in her new role as skipper of Oman Sail’s all-female team for the 2012 Sailing Arabia – The Tour (SATT), but she has been monitoring the teams throughout the Indian Ocean. “The young guns on board Cessna Citation are not letting off challenging the seasoned, experience of BSL and Campagne de France,” says Dee. “They are working hard and pushing hard and sailing an excellent race,” she comments. “They have surprised and impressed a number of followers of this race and I am sure Conrad Colman is driven by the thought he could arrive first in to his home country, but I am also sure that the Fields have different plans for that!”

 

 

Caffari has completed four circumnavigations fully-crewed, single-handed and double-handed and is very familiar with the potential stress of high-latitude sailing: “Those apprehensive of the South are doing a great job of keeping going in the depths of the Southern Ocean,” says Dee. “Spanish sailor, Hugo Ramon, has been awarded a prestigious sailing award during a satellite call with Real Club Nautico de Palma Mallorca, so his spirits will have been lifted despite the chilly temperatures and ferocious waves they have experienced.”

 

 

The GOR’s Australian Ice Limit at 45S, 600 miles south of south-western Australia, may have been a factor in reducing stress levels on board the competing Class40s: “Being below Australia is a huge milestone and psychologically it makes you feel better because rescue is closer and New Zealand is just around the corner,” Caffari believes. “The teams need to beware though because the Southern Ocean tests everyone to the limit and passing Tasmania and crossing the Tasman Sea can be a challenge,” she advises. “Even when they think the hard part is done, never under estimate Cook Strait,” warns Dee. “This last test will use the last ounces of energy the crew can find to get to the fabulous hospitality of Wellington,” she predicts. “After all, the nickname ‘Windy Wellington’ came about for a reason!”

 

 

GOR Leg 2 leaderboard at 18:00 GMT 22/12/2011:

1. Cessna Citation: DTF 1189 1.7kts

2. BSL: DTL 117 9kts

3. Campagne de France: DTL 488 10.5kts

4. Financial Crisis: DTL 1139 9.9kts

5. Phesheya-Racing: DTL 1489 8.5kts

[Guest]

The park-up south of Tasmania continues for the leading double-handed, Global Ocean Race (GOR) Class40s with Cessna Citation and BSL grinding to a halt and Campagne de France swooping down from the north as Financial Crisis and Phesheya-Racing exit the Australian Ice Limit.

 

 

Since midday on Thursday, the speeds have tumbled at the front of the fleet as the leading Class40s ran into a large, windless zone 300 miles below Tasmania. Conrad Colman and Sam Goodchild, leading the fleet on Cessna Citation, were first into the Roaring Forties breeze vacuum and watched Ross and Campbell Field closing in. “Sadly, our prize for being in the lead has been to have it halved,” confirms Conrad Colman. “We were the first into the light winds but there’s no guarantee that we’ll be the first out,” he adds. Colman’s co-skipper is disappointed, but pragmatic: “For the first time in two weeks we’ve seen our average speed drop below ten knots,” reports Sam Goodchild. Polling sub-six knot speed averages for 24 hours, the high pressure system blocking the GOR fleet’s path has at least brought fine weather after the succession of low pressure systems and cold fronts that have hammered the five boats. “The sun has been great,” comments Goodchild. “We now have the privilege of wearing dry clothing all the time as well as having a dry boat. On the other hand, we are now unfortunately learning, the hard way, the disadvantage of being at the front of the fleet.”

 

 

Without a boat in front to hint at the severity of the windless conditions, Cessna Citation piled into the high pressure dropping 40 miles in 24 hours to the Fields. “The weather situation is pretty complicated and we pick up a new file at least every 12 hours,” continues Goodchild. “We are struggling to see much consistency with our arrival date changing by days with each GRIB.” The weather forecasts arriving on Cessna Citation are not helpful. “I‘m starting to think that the files are coming from an art class somewhere and not a weather centre,” he says. “Every 12 hours there is a drawing competition for the Tasman Sea, a few pretty lines for isobars, scattered arrows, a splash of colour and bingo…a weather file.” Current weather predictions suggest the light airs may stalk the fleet for the next two days. “After getting the 24-hour speed record we’re now aiming for the 24-hour slow record,” adds Goodchild as Cessna Citation polls just four knots at 15:00 GMT on Friday. “We debated not picking up the position report but we did, and it was painful…”

 

 

Meanwhile, Conrad Colman has been studying the weather files hard: “Our only hope is that the wedge shaped ridge extending down from Tasmania holds in place and allows us to pass through the narrow part while leaving the thick end for the boys on BSL,” he believes. “For the moment, however, they appear to be Teflon Kiwis, carrying on through forecasted calms as if they’ve got an open tab at the Wind Bar.”

 

 

At 22:00 GMT on Thursday night, Ross and Campbell Field piled into the windless zone and the constant eight-knot speed averages on BSL abruptly ceased: “We had been making miles on Cessna and then we parked too,” confirms Ross Field. “There is this huge parking lot south of Tasmania and there are two Class 40s parked, ready to pay their tickets and exit and Halvard and Miranda are charging into the parking lot, too, just to make it interesting,” he reports. “Talk about stress! Give me a good 30 knots downwind anytime.”

 

 

In the 15:00 GMT position poll on Friday, BSL was averaging just under 6 knots and closing into 107 miles behind Cessna Citation. “From blowing dogs off chains, policemen out of doughnut shops, Poms out of pubs, to a flat calm - does your head in a bit,” admits Ross who has been attempting to keep himself occupied: “I tried to service a winch this afternoon and I spat the dummy, threw parts of the winch into a bucket and said - ‘f*** you’,” he admits. “I might, just might, try and assemble it later on today - the winch was very lucky it wasn’t committed to the deep!” Any weather evaluation only adds to the frustration on BSL: “The constant banging of sails, wind coming and wind going just does one’s head in,” says Ross. “Campbell said we could have two days of this - f*#*@~*!” There is, however, a possible up-side to the situation: “I do have to admit that this isn’t as stressful as trying to buy your wife an Xmas present, on Xmas Eve, in a shopping centre full of thousands of people,” he confirms.

 

 

In the 15:00 GMT position poll, Campagne de France was making the best speed in the fleet at 11 knots, trailing BSL by 219 miles. Halvard Mabire and Miranda Merron have removed 152 miles from the Fields in 24 hours, but conditions 260 miles south-west of Tasmania aren’t appealing. “We have been travelling with the same band of cloud for a couple of days now - even the birds have had enough of the grey drizzle and have gone away!” observes Miranda Merron. “It’s the Friday before Christmas, and it would be lovely to drop into a pub for a pint of beer and catch up with friends,” dreams Merron.

 

Meanwhile, Halvard Mabire – possibly guilt-ridden by raiding the on board advent calendar early – has put out a personal appeal to Father Christmas: “I don’t know if I’ve been a good boy this year, or even very clever,” admits Mabire. “I’ve dropped everything to do this round-the-world race, leaving behind my friends, family and my home,” he writes. “So I don’t know if I really deserve a visit as you pass between Tasmania and Antarctica, but, dear Father Christmas, I love you a lot, and even if the other skippers make fun of me, I can say that I’ve always believed in you,” assures Mabire. “I’m certain that it’s through this belief that all the GOR teams will arrive safely in Wellington at the end of this leg.”

 

 

At 15:00 GMT on Friday, Nick Leggatt and Phillippa Hutton-Squire were just 90 miles from the eastern end of the Australian Ice Limit with Phesheya-Racing, trailing Financial Crisis by 340 miles. “One thing has occurred to me over the last few days about being in the Southern Ocean: Everything is Massive or Huge,” says Phillippa Hutton-Squire. “I‘m not sure which one is bigger, ‘Huge’ or ‘Massive’, but those are good words down here,” she adds. “You don’t really realise it after a while and it becomes normal to have huge waves and not ripples on the sea. The waves are deep blue with white rolling tops just like the table cloth that comes over the top of Table Mountain and they are not much different in size either.”

 

 

While the leaders struggle to the south-east, the South Africans are having a perfect sail and averaging ten knots: “The sun is shining and we have less than 20 knots of wind for a change,” Hutton-Squire reports. “We are watching out for big squalls but the sky is almost clear and we have a white-capped Albatross following the boat.” Averaging just over seven knots to the south-east of Phesheya-Racing and dropping down through the Roaring Forties on Friday afternoon, Marco Nannini and Hugo Ramon on Financial Crisis were also in good conditions as they head south: “In the unlikely setting of a sunny, Southern Ocean day, flying the biggest spinnaker under a blue sky, we dream of home, of friends, family and loved ones…and beer and steak,” says Nannini.

 

GOR Leg 2 leaderboard at 18:00 GMT 23/12/2011:

1. Cessna Citation: DTF 1093 4kts

2. BSL: DTL 107 5.7kts

3. Campagne de France: DTL 326 11.1kts

4. Financial Crisis: DTL 1026 7.3kts

5. Phesheya-Racing: DTL 1366 10.1kts

[Guest]

Cessna Citation closes in on Cook Strait

After 29 days and 7,000 miles of racing through the high-latitudes of the Indian Ocean, the five, double-handed Global Ocean Race (GOR) Class40s are being severely tested as they approach the Leg 2 finish line in Wellington, New Zealand. At the head of the fleet, on race leader Cessna Citation, Kiwi yachtsman, Conrad Colman, and his British co-skipper, Sam Goodchild, escaped an area of light airs off the west coast of South Island on Wednesday evening GMT, only to run into strong headwinds and punishing seas along the continental shelf with under 200 miles to the finish. The second Kiwi team, Ross and Campbell Field on BSL, came to within 70 miles of Cessna Citation at 03:00 GMT on Thursday as they chase Colman and Goodchild along the coast.

 

In mid-fleet, the Franco-British duo of Halvard Mabire and Miranda Merron in third on Campagne de France remained trapped in light airs 380 miles west of South Island showing brief bursts of speed before slowing down early evening on Wednesday. While Campagne de France suffered mid-Tasman Sea, the Italian-Spanish duo of Marco Nannini and Hugo Ramon in fourth on Financial Crisis continued to poll the best speeds in the fleet, fast reaching in 25-30 knots of breeze despite the batten damage sustained on Wednesday and stealing an impressive haul of miles from Mabire and Merron. Meanwhile, the South African duo of Nick Leggatt and Phillippa Hutton-Squire in fifth place on Phesheya-Racing were dropping below 45S, running downwind in strong winds, sustaining batten damage in a crash gybe 120 miles south of Tasmania.

 

At 03:00 GMT on Thursday, after 20 days at the head of the GOR fleet, the event’s youngest team of 28 year-old Conrad Colman and 22 year-old Artemis Offshore Academy sailor, Sam Goodchild, on their Akilaria RC2, Cessna Citation, were undergoing an upwind pummelling as they beat towards Cape Farewell before turning east into Cook Strait towards the finish line in Wellington Harbour. However, the final 163 miles are looking tough. Shortly after midnight GMT, Sam Goodchild informed the GOR Race Organisation of conditions 50 miles off the coast, just south-west of the appropriately-named, Cape Foulwind: “We’re slamming upwind again, putting our Class40 through every condition it doesn’t like,” reported Goodchild. “Firstly drifting in little to no wind where trying to drag the wide rear end of our 40-foot boat is like an ocean plough, and now we’re going upwind in 25 knots and horrible, short and steep waves along the continental shelf where the depth goes from 700 metres to 150 metres deep in the space of a few miles,” he explains.

After 7,000 miles of pushing their new boat to the very limit and setting a new Class40 24-hour distance record, Colman and Goodchild are keeping everything crossed, hoping Cessna Citation doesn’t suffer any major damage or failure. “The boat is going airborne off every wave only to come crashing back down landing on its flat bottom,” describes Goodchild. “Inside, it’s almost deafening, like being on the inside of a drum, it makes you cringe, hoping the boat stays in one piece.” However, the sudden proximity of land is a novelty for the duo: “For the first time in four weeks we started to see signs of life today,” he continues. “Firstly we got mobile signal, only briefly as we passed 35 miles from the coast. We still couldn’t see New Zealand but as it was Vodafone NZ, I assume New Zealand is there somewhere,” reasons Goodchild. “Then shortly afterwards, we got caught by surprise by a close visit from a fishing boat…the only human activity we’ve seen since losing sight of the southern tip of Africa at the end of November.” Cessna Citation should round Cape Farewell at midnight (local) for the final, 100-mile passage along Cook Strait to the finish line.