Rhythm of the Race A slow phase considering the sailing is being done in the Southern Ocean.  Several boats below 10 knots.

Standings table 

Top 3

1.  PRB  46:4 South 51 East
2.  Sill 45:4 South 48:3 East + 96 miles 
3.  Aquitaine Innovations 49:4 South 46:2 East +198 miles

Fleet round up section 

PRB has had a good 24 hours in the lead.  Gain of 61 miles on 2nd place Sill.  Highest speed of the top boats at 12.9 knots.  And the highest wind of the top boats, 13.7 knots.  Still skipper Michel Desjoyeaux comments, "It’s not always great to be in the lead!"

Back in 8th place is Dominique Wavre and UBP.  Perhaps the fatigue of his record 24 hour voyage is holding him back.

Raphael Dinelli has arrived in Cape Town.  Here he will repair damage done to his keel by a whale.  Dinelli reports, "Apart from that keel problem all is well and it is a bit sad, we should leave as soon as possible, I hope friday. We will see once the boat is out of the water. I would like to catch Munduteguy, the Russian skipper and Mike Golding.”



Skipper Communications

Fedor Konioukhov Modern University for the Humanities "Today is my 49 birthday. It’s happened so, that in every sailing around the world, I met my birthday in different ocean: Pacific, Indian, now Atlantic."

Catherine Chabaud Whirlpool "Last night I had winds of 30 to 35 knots wind speed. The waves and swell tend to catch up with the transom. We are surfing like mad, as if the boat was on rails, knows where its going… We don’t."

Joe Seeten Nord Pas de Calais Chocolats du Monde "I ended up a couple of times in the trough of a wave, and three times the boat broached. Attached, harnessed, but I shouldn’t be quite such a cowboy!"  

Josh Hall EBP/Gartmore "The wind’s up to 39 knots and the boat’s going along at 15 knots...In fact, I got out my chart, and exactly 2 years ago, I was just 100 miles North of here, during the Around Alone race.... It’s phenomenal to think we’ll be under Australia in 9/10 days after 6 weeks at sea! It’s a classic route and one I expect the old Clipper ships would have loved to have done at the speed we’re going!"

From Torresen Sailing Site's Archives: Around Alone Report 12 December 1998.  Josh Hall says, "It's been a bit frustrating to get overtaken by a high pressure ridge the past 36hrs while the leaders have held the breeze." 

Michel Desjoyeaux PRB "What I’ve lived through this morning is definitely not the norm for the Southern Ocean. Great big sun, 15 knots of wind, under pilot, just a little swell, and every kind of bird flying around me."

Didier Munduteguy DDP 60e Sud "At last I’ve seen an albatross! Really impressive watching it glide. Yesterday there were about 4 of them hovering around the boat. I noted down their markings so that if I see any more I can compare them."

Marc Thiercelin Active Wear ". I spent the day being a tourist, passing the middle of the Prince Edward Islands. I saw a seal and some penguins. I’ve only seen this island during this race! A big brown seal broke the surface of the water and watched me going by as if to say ’what are you doing here?’ I really had to laugh at that."

Current weather conditions Atypical Southern Ocean conditions.  Winds of Force 3-4 ranging West by North to North West.

Weather Forecast Next depression appears to be forming to the north.  Large high pressure hole will remain in place to the South.

What does it all mean

Visions of Southern Ocean sailing are built on sailing the deep south latitudes.  For now, the fleet will sail a race north to the benefits of the next depression.