Transat 6,50 Update 23/10/01
The 52-strong fleet are now battling through the Doldrums with British sailor Brian Thompson aboard Lighthouse Life Foundation stretching his lead to 40 miles.
The Cape Verdian entrant, Antonio Pedro Da Cruz was dismasted yesterday in an unfortunate repetition of the ’99 race when he also lost his mast. Da Cruz has had some really bad luck already so far on the first leg when he damaged a rudder and then collided with a cargo ship causing further damage. Da Cruz finished the first leg only hours before the re-start of the second leg in Lanzarote, and set off again an hour after the rest of the fleet. The race office have said that it appears he was caught by a heavy squall and a sudden change of wind direction Da Cruz has showed great commitment to the race and has told the organisers that he intends to continue under jury rig.
Brian Thompson who decided on a more westerly course through the Doldrums seems to be enjoying better winds than those in the east. However, the Doldrums will be tricky until the sailors are free of them and the next couple of days will be telling. Great gains and losses can be made on a daily basis and currently the race office is recording varying speeds of between 1 and 5 knots among the fleet.
Fellow Brit Simon Curwen is currently in 5th behind Yannick Bestaven, Ronan Guerin and Corentin Douguet who is less than a mile ahead. British woman Sam Davies is currently in 13th and has suffered since entering the Doldrums only covering 50 miles yesterday. Paul Peggs was lying in 18th but his beacon has not been working for two days with Ian Munslow in 22nd and Mike Inglis in 25th place.
In the one-design fleet Olivier Desport still holds the lead on My Workplace but apparently has had little sleep and is very tired. No doubt by now all the skippers will be feeling a little frayed with the heat from the sun being one of the most draining aspects.
Latest Positions below
Classement Prototype du 22 octobre 2001 15:35
CL; N° COURSE; SKIPPER; BATEAU; CODE; DIST.; LAT; LONG
1; 247; THOMPSON Brian; LIGHTHOUSE LIFE FOUNDATION; CL; 1215.8; N043248; W0285073
2; 304; BESTAVEN Yannick; AQUARELLE.COM; CL; 1252.2; N044328; W0275011
3; 348; GUERIN Ronan; L’ARTISANAT 1ère ENTREPRISE DE FRANCE; CL; 1261.7; N043956; W0272336
4; 347; DOUGUET Corentin; POUR QUE L’OCEAN RESTE BLEU; CL; 1282.0; N051813; W0275271
5; 240; CURWEN Simon; QDS; CL; 1282.3; N052190; W0275963
6; 303; BOISSIERES Arnaud; AQUARELLE.COM; CL; 1282.7; N055385; W0291060
7; 151; LE BLEVEC Yves; ACTUAL INTERIM; CL; 1287.5; N051430; W0273320
8; 258; MANUARD Samuel; TIP TOP / CHARMILLES SALES; CL; 1293.6; N054033; W0281208
9; 260; PARNAUDEAU Benoît; REGION POITOU-CHARENTES; CL; 1294.4; N052691; W0274261
10; 231; LUCAS François; MARINS SANS FRONTIERES; CL; 1298.7; N052881; W0273698
11; 305; DE PAS Damien; CINÉ-GROUPE; CL; 1308.1; N053446; W0272733
12; 232; RAISON David; NAUTI-PARK / KLEY France; CL; 1336.7; N062318; W0280179
13; 276; DAVIES Samantha; ABERDEEN ASSET MANAGEMENT; CL; 1347.7; N064793; W0283101
14; 132; CASO Jean-Christophe; EURO FORMALITES; CL; 1368.8; N070905; W0282685
15; 33; LEQUIN Benoît; AIXLESBAINS.COM; CL; 1393.1; N080276; W0294280
16; 198; LEIBOVICI Karen; RADICALBOATS.COM; CL; 1397.2; N073798; W0282235
17; 117; BIGOT Gaël; TEAM 117; CL; 1406.1; N072976; W0274048
18; 135; CORNIC Antoine; OCEANIC; CL; 1410.7; N072865; W0272680
19; 139; GREGOIRE Jeanne; AQUARELLE .COM; CL; 1411.9; N072821; W0272310
20; 238; RIONDEL Jean; TOULON VAR PROVENCE; CL; 1452.7; N083168; W0280686
21; 194; BAKKER Sander; MAN OF ALL SEASONS; CL; 1473.1; N084806; W0275293
22; 326; MUNSLOW Ian; ISHTAR; CL; 1475.2; N084701; W0274491
23; 252; BROWNING Gale; HARTOFT MARINE SURVEY LDT; CL; 1516.0; N092333; W0272575
24; 265; JANTET André; ELA; CL; 1517.0; N092985; W0273891
25; 56; INGLIS Michael; ATOMIC; CL; 1517.7; N091633; W02