Today's Sailing News 

The Race: Speed!

An all around fast day for the Race fleet in the Southern Ocean. Leading both the day and the fleet is Club Med. Club Med's 24 hour run of 599.2 miles was the best. Innovation Explorer was not far off that pace sailing 584.5 miles
in 24 hours. From onboard Loick Peyron says, "Some of the passengers on our cruise are happy because, as promised in the brochure, we have seen an iceberg up close. At the moment we are in 25-30 knots of wind, doing between 25 and 30 knots! We are currently flying 1,200 sq. yards of canvas, using the big gennaker, the stay sail and the mainsail."

Warta Polpharma the fleets smallest boat managed 504 miles. The crew reports, "It's not cold here compared to the Polish winters that we are used to."

The only boat to miss out on the speed party was Team Legato.  Plagued by light air she made only 142 miles.

All this high speed work has seen Club Med's lead over Innovation Explorer dip to a little over 600 miles. At these magnificent paces that's a little over a day. Club Med's goal is a 48 hour lead so they have time
for a pit stop which by race rules must last 48 hours.

While most of the boats sped on, Team Adventure has restarted from
Cape Town at 1100 GMT today. Initially the cat is becalmed in the wind
shadow of Cape Town's Table Mountain.

However, the calm shouldn't last long as SE winds 30 knots and up lie ahead. Skipper Cam Lewis describes what comes next: "We will have to claw our way south on port tack, with two reefs in the main and the stay sail."

Team Adventure rejoins The Race with a 10 man crew. There are 3 Americans and 7 Frenchman all of whom hope to sail the Race Class cat to the finish in Marseilles France.

Before leaving Cape Town Team Adventure attempted to find a way to take more than 10 crew. However, race rules clearly state crew can't be added so Team Adventure got no relief on this issue.

The fleet will be back to 5. The high speeds of the Southern Ocean make the standings flexible.

Head to the Sailing Daily Forum and discuss sailing!

Today's Vendee Globe Report:    An important 8 miles

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 Today's Sailing News 

Olympic Sailing

With the most recent Olympic regatta having been held in September, Olympic sailing is starting a new 4 year cycle. With the next chance at gold years away, teams are beginning their plans to have that chance.

The Miami Regatta for Olympic classes is the USA's only top level
Olympic class regatta. Accordingly it is one of great importance for  US Olympic class sailors.
All Olympic classes are sailing with the exception of the Yngling, the new women's keelboat class.

With mens and womens 470 teams sailing together Day 2 belonged to the team of Stephen Hunt and Michael Miller who won 2 of 3 races. They are tied at 12 points with Kevin Teborek and Tal Ingram who won Thursday's other race. Top women's team is skippered by Courteny Dey and is 3 points back.

The 49er skiff lead has been taken by the experienced team of Andy Mack and Adam Lowry. They are 3 points ahead of the Couvreux brother team that led after day 1.

Meg Gaillard added to her Europe class lead by winning all three races. She has won 5 of 6 races.

The single handed Finn class is led by Canadian Chris Cook by 3  points over Eric Oetgen of the USA.

On top of the regattas largest fleet is Ed Wright of Great Britian. Top American is Brett Davis in 3rd place.

Peter Wells of the USA has taken the lead in the Mistral board class. 
The only Olympic multi hull class is the Tornado. There's a tie for the lead between a Canadian team the American duo of Robbie Daniel and Eric Jacobsen.

The Star class was dominated by the current class Olympic gold
medallists Mark Reynolds and Magnus Liljerdah who won 3 straight races and are now 2nd. John Macausland and Peter Bromby retained the lead by 2 points. 

Racing will continue today with moderate NE winds expected.

The regatta will conclude Saturday. Monday's Sailing Daily will have a wrap up report.