Although the front of the SAP Cape to Rio 2003 fleet seems to be catching some wind, race organisers are predicting that a section of the fleet will miss out on the final cut-off date of 5 February. Twenty-two entries still had over 2,000 nautical miles to go before reaching the Guanabara Bay in Rio de Janeiro by today’s report in.

The British entry Maiden appears to have had the best day at 252 miles and it looks like she may start catching up with the fleet after a slow start. Hasso Plattner on board Morning Glory also gained good distance of 226 miles to creep back up into the top five on handicap rating.

Gauteng-based Baleka holds onto the top spot on the handicap rankings with Gawie Fagan on Suidoos 2 tenaciously hanging onto second place. The other Fast 42 Investec is in third place. Skipper Bernhard Diebold, who is an Antarctic voyager, has inspired his crew of pupils from Reddam House to a fourth position on handicap.

The race to be the first boat to Rio is also gaining momentum. Brazilian catamaran Adrenalina Pura is currently lying only 57 miles behind Klabbe Nylöf’s trimaran Nicator. Nicator is now only 1400 miles from Rio and it seems as if Nylöf’s unorthodox route is paying off. Morning Glory is some 263 miles behind Nicator.

In the Rally fleet Cumin Thru’s lead must soon come under threat if she has another bad day – she covered just 57 miles and has Aquila breathing down her neck. Eastern Cape entry Inyoni is still in third position.

John Martin on board the Fast 42 MTU Fascination of Power has reported a very frustrating weekend. “We have been stuck in a hull with no wind for three days and we have absolutely no way of getting out of it. Obviously we are feeling extremely frustrated and disappointed. Fortunately the crew has an amazing sense of humour, otherwise it would have been a nightmare,” says Martin.

“The worst of it is that we’re not even catching any fish – with a West Coast fisherman on board! Adrian (Kuttel) is not impressed at all.”

Positions

Positions on handicap, skipper, latitude, longitude, distance from Cape Town, distance to Rio, miles covered, average speed

CLASS A

BALEKA, Alex Schon/Wolf Seitz,24.4.0S,5.4.0W,1362,2150,184.1,7.67

SUIDOOS 2,Gawie Fagan,22.14.0S,16.11.0W,1950,1529,115.7,4.82

INVESTEC,J McGraw/S Cumming,20.34.0S,3.9.0W,1397,2257,154.6,6.44

DIEL,Bernhard Diebold,24.7.0S,4.48.0 W,1348,2165,183.9,7.66

MORNING GLORY,Hasso Plattner,19.1.0S,12.58.0W,1897,1715,226.0,9.42

JULIE III,Robin Green,21.51.0S,12.24.0W,1779,1738,129.5,5.40

AUTO ATLANTIC T/Child,R & G Goldswain,20.16.0S,5.33.0W,1513,2124,162.8,6.78

KONICA/MALLINICKS INDABA, John Levin,20.59.0S,13.34.0W,1861,1672,138.7,5.78

DALYS INSURANCE,Mike Daly,20.29.0S,5.1.0W,1482,2152,157.7,6.57

BARRACUDA,Nicola Amundsen,22.20.0S,1193,2427,159.6,6.65

HELSAL II,Bill Rawson,20.45.0S,5.11.0W,1479, 2142,158.3,6.60

VCR 90.6 FM,G Boshoff / H Karolus,27.40.0S,37.0W,1048,2415,125.0,5.21

34 SOUTH @ KNYSNA,Theo Beens,25.40.0S,27.0E,1056,2457,147.1,6.13

MADAME PAZZAZZ,M Skeen / G Hewitt,23.58.0S,34.0E,1108,2458,128.2,5.34

INSPIA,Derek Shuttleworth,27.18.0S,1.36.0W,1105,2359,112.5,4.69

BIG REEF,Brian Sutherland,25.1.0S,1.36.0E,1026,2517,96.1,4.00

SAFARI – CTW,David Tideswell,25S,11.31.0W,1646,1809,84.3,3.51

FASCINATION OF POWER, John Martin,25.19.0S,24.0W,1106,2410,89.7,3.74

SCORPIO,H Oliphant/J Dickson,25.55.0S,1.9.0E,1016,2496,101.5,4.23

FTI FLYER,Keith Mattison,23.38.0S,7.52.0W,1508,1995,73.6,3.07

MAIDEN,Terry Nielsen,19.50.0S,1.22.0E,1240,2514,252.1,10.50

LOVE LIFE,Marion Cole,23.2.0S,2.47.0E,1049,2580,138.7,5.78

MADIBA RACING TEAM,20. 31.0S,2.39.0E,1160,2582,128.3,5.35

CLASS B

NICATOR,Klas Nylof,24.4.0S,18W,1989,1452,170.2,7.09

ADRENALINA PURA,G Ehrensperger,18.13.0S,16.47.0W,2104,1509,178.3,7.43

CLASS C

CUMIN THRU,Alexander Smith,23.49.0S,6.33.0W,1440,2068,57.3,2.39

AQUILA,Jon Thurlow,21.3.0S,10.32.0W,1715,1842,117.0,4.88

INYONI,HI Ferreira,24.18.0S,7.32.0W,1472,2017,73.7,3.07

ACALANTIS,M Tattavitto,24.58.0S,10.39.0W,1605,1855,121.3,5.05

NAUTY 40S,Falk Graser,23.44.0S,6.39.0W,1447,2062,62.4,2.60

ALBACORE,Grant Saunders,23.40.0S,7.9.0W,1473,2034,86.4,3.60

CLASS D

FORSDICKS BMW,M Avelino/H Dopke,24.40.0S,25.0E,1091,2451,105.5,4.40