Around Alone Report March 8

2nd place for Magellan

Please consult The Around Alone Report Users Guide for an explanation of this report. 

Class II now has 3 finishers, and for the third leg running the same boats have taken the classes top 3 spots. The second finisher for the 3rd consecutive leg is Magellan.  Magellan skippered, by Mike Garside completed leg 3 in 30 days 7 hours 37 minutes and 57 seconds, an average speed of 8.19.  Magellan was again beat by 1st place Cray Valley.   J.P. Mouligne sailed Cray Valley to a 3rd consecutive 1st place in a time of 29 days 15 hours 16 minutes and 34 seconds an average speed of 8.38. In what has become a familiar spot is Balance Bar.  Brad Van Liew sailed Balance Bar to a leg time of 30 days 15 hours 30 minutes and 45 seconds.   Balance Bar is expected to receive a time allowance for the hours spent diverting toward Gartmore when Josh Hall's 60 footer was dismasted.

Fleet Round Up:

Cray Valley now has 3 firsts in 3 legs. Along with another 1st, Cray Valley became the 1st class 2 boat to finish 2nd overall for a leg.  At the finish, J.P. Moulgine said: "It was a very long, very hard leg."  He noted further that at this point in the race Magellan has as much boat speed as Cray Valley and, ""He [Mike Garside]  is getting very good and it's becoming harder and harder to beat him."

Cray Valley is approximately 2 days ahead of the Class II race record set in 1994-95 by David Adams.  So, Cray Valley canstill  win all 4 legs and set a new race record for Class II.

Magellan Alpha is now the possessor of 2nd place in Class II status for the third leg in a row.  This leg, Garside finished with positive thoughts abounding.  For one he is happy with his boat and improved autopilot system.  For another, he has become familiar with Magellan's swing keel, and as confirmed by Moulgine's comment, is sailing the boat to its speed potential.   Finally, Garside who is normally a harsh self critic says, "The last thing is that I'm still crap at tactics. I have no idea what to do."  Garside is set to defend his hard earned 2nd place and says,""I shall have every bit of sail up I can possible go for."

Balance Bar is now 9 hours back of Magellan for 2nd place.  Brad Van Liew descrived Leg 3 this way: "It was hell. From two hours into it when an airplane crashed right in front of me, to having to tack to get in here, it was awful."  Looking ahead to Leg 4 Van Liew think that,   "The leg should favor my boat a little more than the Southern Ocean." He vows: "I'm going to bust my ass. Hopefully my age factor will come in too. I'll be perfectly ready."

Next is the first of the 40 foot Class II entries, Wind of Change.  Wind of Change is 390 miles from the finish line.

Next is Shuten Dojhi II.   Shuten lies 1936 from the finish. Minoru reports more rough weather sailing, "many times knockdown but very beautiful skies no clouds anywhere."

Next is www.no-barriers.com.  Neal Petersen is 2084 miles from leg's end.  Neal says, "Minuro reported having too much wind and Neil complained about not having enough. I seem to have found the middle ground."

Paladin 2 comes next 2807 from the finish. Neil Hunter says, "All OK and no dramas. Apart from being extremely
frustrated."  The frustration is due to a lack of wind.

Somewhere is back in the race.   Somewhere is sailing with a 18 meter aluminum mast, shorter than the 25 meter carbon mast Somehwere formerly sailed with.  Upon reaching Punta Del Este Marc Thiercelin will see if his sponsor will fund a new, properly sized mast.  Until then he has only a 2 sail inventory. 

South Carolina has finally left Auckland as an unofficial competitor.  Davie will sail into the Southern Hemisphere winter and will likely have worse conditions than the fleet has experienced.    will tell if Robin can complete his 'Third Time Around' voyage in time for the 29 May prize giving ceremony in Charleston SC.

What does it all mean ?

After Balance Bar's finish, Wind of Change will be next, but not until Wednesday.

Cumulative Standings Table

Last Updated: 15-Feb-05 08:40