Today's Sailing News 

The Race: Team Adventure in Cape Town

This weekend has seen Club Med continue to stretch out on sister
ship Innovation Explorer. Although their hulls and rig are similar there sail inventories are not. Club Med has a big gennaker which allows her to sail deep downwind, with adding distance via jibing. Innovation Explorer lacks a proper downwind sail and so must constantly gybe and sail extra distance to sail the same course as Club Med.

Club Med's Grant Dalton is certainly not complacent: "As I looked at  the chart this morning stretching out to Cape Horn it occurred to me just how much Southern Ocean we have to travel and how much opportunity there is for problems to occur. It also reminded me how our lead over Innovation Explorer is really very small, and as I watch the speedo hovering in the mid 20's, how many long days it is going to take to get there."

Today then, Club Med's lead is 672 miles. Don't be entirely fooled by this big number. In the last 24 hours Innovation Explorer has the advantage 539 to 484 miles. During this run Innovation Explorer's peak speed was 40. 4 knots!

Still listed 3rd is Team Adventure. The remaining American entry arrived in Cape Town last nite.
The purpose of their stop over in Cape Town is two fold. 
One is to repair the damage to the boat. This is estimated to take 2 to 3 days.

Another is to see to the health of crew members. If their 2  injured crew can't continue for medical reasons, they can't be replaced. Team Adventure could leave with a healthy boat, but a crew reduced by 2.

Skipper Cam Lewis is still determined and optimistic stating: "What does this mean for Team Adventure? It is not certain how fast we can get the repairs done. With hard work and good luck it should take 48 hours.
At that point we will be about three days -- 1500 miles or so behind the
leader and 1000 miles behind the second placed boat when we hoist sails and begin our pursuit. The odds will be against us at that point to win. Odds have been against us for a long time, so lets forget the odds and get down the track. It is a big planet and lots can happen."

The two 'vintage' big cats of the fleet continue to sail on. Both are sailing under 10 knots and are hindered to varying degrees by high
pressure.

Essentially the views of both leader Grant Dalton and the skipper of the damaged Team Adventure are correct. It's a long race, with 
varying weather conditions and fragile boats. It's incorrect to say that
any firm conclusion has been reached.

Head to the Sailing Daily Forum and discuss sailing!

Today's Vendee Globe Report:    The Cycle

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 Today's Sailing News 

America's Cup: Britain back in

Great Britain will have an America's Cup challenge for the first time since 1987. As with most current day Cup teams there will be people from other countries involved.

Peter Harrison former owner of Chernikeeff Internet systems company
will back the challenge financially. He has already bought the pair of boats that the Nippon Challenge built for their most recent campaign.

The sailing team will be lead by double Olympic Silver Medallist Ian Walker. New Zealander David Barnes will be the operations manager.

The Japanese team that designed the Nippon Yachts may do design work for the British team. Other design team members may be: Ian Campbell, Derek Clark, Hugh Welborn, and Jo Richards.

The upcoming campaign is being billed as one that will set the groundwork for further British involvement. To conquer the Cup learning curve, but not necessarily to win. 

Times Clipper Update

Leg 5 is  from the Galapagos Islands to Hawaii, 4100 miles.

Leg 5 finishing order
1. Plymouth Clipper
2. Bristol Clipper
3. London Clipper
4. Liverpool Clipper
5. Jersey Clipper
6. Plymouth Clipper ETA Sunday Nite
7. Glasgow Clipper ETA Monday Morning
8. Leeds Clipper ETA Tuesday Morning