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Please consult The Around Alone Report Users Guide for an explanation of this report.
Class II's duel for 2nd place has been cut short. The duel has been ended by the dismasting of Brad Van Liew's Balance Bar. This occurred at 1600 GMT on Sunday. Conditions were 35 to 40 knots from the northeast. Balance Bar was sailing with 3 reefs and a staysail at the time. The mast broke six feet up from the deck. Class II leader Cray Valley was diverted to stand by. By 2140 GMT Van Liew had cleared the mess of rigging from Balance Bar. He has begun building a jury rig that will allow him to sail to Punta Del Este. Balance Bar is 90 miles from Punta Del Este.
Fleet Round Up:
Somewhere continues to lead the race and Class I. Somewhere has a 22 mile lead on Fila. Also, Somewhere has a 2 knot+ edge advantage in sped.
Fila is 2nd in Class I 22 miles back. Giovanni Soldini has given up his Eastern gambit. Fila is now steering 059 degrees (north east by east) only 1 degree different than Somewhere. Currently Somewhere simply seems faster.
Magellan Alpha leads Class II by 1 mile. Mike Garside describes the difficult post start sailing conditions, "We're heading north east and wind and water have been piling up from the north east to the point where Alphie is now triple reefed and slamming into viciously steep seas at eight knots."
Cray Valley is 2nd after her diversion after Balance Bar's dismasting.
Balance Bar is returning to Punta Del Este making 3.4 knots.
Next is the first of the 40 foot Class II entries, Wind of Change. Wind of Change is 37 miles back.
Next is Shuten Dojhi II. Shuten lies 67 miles from 1st place.
Paladin 2 is 71 miles back.
Next is www.no-barriers.com. Neal Petersen is 95 miles back. From the Atlantic Neal reports: "Things are very rough with winds of 40 to 50 knots. I am very seasick and not feeling well at all."
What does it all mean ?
Expected conditions are winds from the northeast @ 30 to 35 knots with squalls up to 60. This weather could break another boat.