Global Ocean Race - Heading south and heating up

As the double-handed, Class40 Global Ocean Race (GOR) fleet straddle the Cape Verde Islands, the route through the North Atlantic archipelago has presented a variety of risks and options for the six boats. Leading Class40, Campagne de France with BSL in second took the more direct route straight through the islands with both boats slowing dramatically. Ross and Campbell Field were becalmed on BSL while Halvard Mabire and Miranda Merron exited the Cape Verdes with a 50-mile lead over the New Zealand duo who waited until dusk on Thursday before breeze arrived and BSL picked up speed to eight knots.

Opting to leave the islands to port, Conrad Colman and Hugo Ramon in third on Cessna Citation gybed around Santo Antao at the north-western edge of the archipelago at 02:00 GMT on Friday, adding distance to their route and trailing BSL by 150 miles. Meanwhile, 85 miles north-east of Santo Antao and closing down the gap to Colman and Ramon to 68 miles, Marco Nannini and Paul Peggs on Financial Crisis sailed a hotter angle due west producing the highest speed in the fleet of 10-11 knots in around 15-17 knots of breeze. In the strongest breeze of around 20 knots, 200 miles north of the islands, Phesheya-Racing and Sec.

Hayai continued to bank miles to the west with the two Class40s separated by just over 30 miles.

By midday on Friday, Mabire and Merron had built a 70-mile lead over BSL: “Deep blue water, 32 degrees, perfect for a bucket shower at the back of the boat,” reported Miranda Merron in the morning. “Bliss to be clean, salt and sweat-free and dry, just for the short time frame for the wind to change, requiring a rearrangement in sauna-like conditions of the entire interior of Campagne de France,” she explains. “It’s very hot and humid.” For Mabire and Merron, taking the route through the islands was a calculated risk: “We knew there would always be the threat of light winds and calm conditions, but it was the most direct route and seemed the most logical plan,” explained Mabire on Friday. “As Class40s are relatively small boats, you’ve really got to avoid putting in extra miles,” he continues. “We’re not on a massive, Jules Verne multihull capable of making 700 miles a day where you can shoot off to hunt down a good looking area of weather and position yourself in the most favourable spot.” During the 2008-09 GOR, the average speed of the winning double-handed Class40, Beluga Racer, for the complete circumnavigation was 8.18 knots. “On a Class40 it’s difficult to predict or rely on what will happen 500-1,000 miles down the course as the whole situation may have changed by the time you get there.”