Around Alone Report for October 24

Change at the Top of Both Classes

Today both of Around Alone's classes have new leaders.   In Class I PRB has passed fellow French flagged yacht Somewhere.  PRB now has a 13 mile led.  Isabelle Autissier has positioned her yacht to the north and east.   At last report she was sailing at the top speed in the fleet- 13 knots as compared to Somewhere's 10.4.  This should lengthen her lead.  Isabelle really likes the close racing: "It motivates you -- for example, this morning I've already made four staysail/solent changes -- even though it's a real pain!"

The Class I leaders have had a collective course change.  They are now steering from 130 degrees (Fila) to 158 degrees (PRB).   They all must feel they can head more toward Cape Town and not run into the windless high pressure. 

In Class II Cray Valley has regained the lead.   Balance Bar has slipped to 2nd and a 23 mile deficit.  Cray Valley's J.P. Mouligne is glad to be back in the lead, but comments on the length of leg 1: "Tomorrow I would have been at sea for 28 days, my own record, and realistically I have another 2 weeks to go before reaching Cape town."  Also, as Cray Valley sails south and the weather cools, J.P.'s kit changes: "Since the start I had only been wearing a swim suit and topsiders day and night, but it is over, probably for 6 months. I have a one-piece sailing outfit on, and leather boots."

So, the leaders have changed.  Who amongst the rest of boats is making progress to the front ?  Well, Fila and Giovanni Soldini have cut their deficit to under 300 miles.  Soldini reports: "Well, as far as everything else is concerned, I think our position here is good with regard to the high pressure course."   Fila's western position is paying off in gains, but not as large as Soldini needs.  The 3rd place yacht in Class II Magellan Alpha has stopped losing ground.  Today she is 249 miles out of 1st which is 33 miles less than yesterday.  Magellan's Mike Garside views this gain as a good sign: "Things are looking up. For the first time in seven days I have made ground on Brad and J-P. .......  But I've started on the long haul back to the front."  He has been up front before and has several thousand miles to get there again.

From 4th place in Class I Gartmore's Josh Hall reports also that that the weather is cooling: "for the first time since Charleston I have donned trousers and even my sailing boots have seen some action now."  Also, after 4 weeks of high seas cuisine Hall says: "there is a limit to what garlic can do to inspire a freeze-dried meal!"

In Class 2 Neal Petersen and www.no-barriers.com have crossed the equator.   This crossing has significance for Neal: "He [King Neptune] is finally allowing me back into the hemisphere of my birth. It has been more than three years since I crossed this line going north, solo, and since then I have not had the opportunity to return home."

The majority of the fleet should have good winds, as the trades stretch from the Equator to 25 degrees south.  And it seems as though the leaders have gotten around the high so look for double digit speeds from them.