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Please consult The Around Alone Report Users Guide for an explanation of this report.
Somewhere has added to her class I lead by again setting a new 24 hour record. In Class II Cray Valley is back to her accustomed lead position.
Fleet Round Up:
Somewhere now has a lead of 34 miles over PRB. For the second time on Leg 3 Marc Thiercelin has sailed Somewhere to a new 24 record. This time between 0340 GMT on 13 February and 0340 GMT 14 February, Somewhere covered 396.5 miles at an average of 16.52 knots.
Somewhere is no longer the farthest south boat in the fleet. Thiercelin has altered course to east by north. He has also slowed to 14.1 knots. Is Somewhere slowing after her tremendous record setting push ?
PRB is 2nd trailing Somewhere by 34 miles. Isabelle Autissier has PRB farthest south at 55 degrees 4 minutes south. Her course is South East by east, meaning she will slip farther south. Her speed of 16.4 knots is the fastest in the fleet. The question is: will Autissier benefit from going even farther south ?
Fila is now 3rd 166 miles from 1st. Fila has stayed north, currently at 52 degrees south. Fila's course is east north east indicating no desire to head farther south. With Fila, the question is will the north pay off, and get him closer to the other class I boats ?
Gartmore is still underway to the Chatham Islands after being dismasted. Gartmore is 132 miles from her landfall.
Overall Class II leader, Cray Valley has completed her charge to the front. Cray Valley now leads by 39 miles.
Magellan Alpha is now 2nd. The last several days has seen highs and lows for Magellan and Mike Garside. The high:". I achieved a run of 308 miles in 24 hours - my best ever." Garside has stated that one of his goals is to match Pete Goss' 315 mile 24 hour run. Obviously a near miss on this goal. The low: "But as I looked up at my tired old main I saw I had ripped a ten foot seem between reefs 2 and 3." Mike managed a mainsail repair, but having the main on deck did not aid his cause. Currently he is back to normal and sailing at 11.2 knots, .1 faster than Cray Valley. Nothing is settled yet.
Balance Bar is 3rd in Class II by 106 miles. From Balance Bar Brad Van Liew reports; "Today is my 31st birthday and I am having a good ole time." Brad has Balance Bar sailing at 11.5 knots a good sign in his quest to stay close. The closer he is at Cape Horn the better chance he will have to attack in the expected variables after Cape Horn.
Next is the first of the 40 foot Class II entries, Wind of Change. Wind of Change is 298 miles back, but moving at 11.8 knots fastest of the top 4 Class II boats. Viktor Yazykov reports: "NOT TOO MUCH WIND TODAY, ALL DAY LONG [I'VE BEEN] MAKING NEW, MORE RELIABLE BOOM WANG AND PREVENTER."
Next is Shuten Dojhi II. Shuten lies 925 miles from 1st place.
Next is www.no-barriers.com. Neal Petersen is 976 miles back. Neal reports, "Another morning has dawned after a cold but quiet night of steady winds."
Paladin 2 comes next 1073 miles back.
What does it all mean ?
The class I boat are now spread out over 3 degree of latitude. We'll see what pays- south, middle or north. In Class II Magellan is back in fighting trim. We'll see if Magellan can reel Cray Valley back in.