Please consult The Around Alone Report Users Guide for an explanation of this report.
Both class leaders are now out of the Doldrums. Both have emerged with triple digit leads. The Doldrums tried to scramble the race order but were not successful.
Fleet Round Up:
Fila's lead has shrunk to 440 miles a loss of 27 miles. Still Fila is sailing at 11.6 knots. Observed winds near her position are east by south at force 6 indicating powerful downwind conditions for the race leader. From Fila Giovanni Soldini reports: "Fila's going strong and there are no problems - everything is hunky dory."
Somewhere is the fleets fastest boat at 13 knots. With such large deficit Somewhere needs more than this.
Magellan Alpha leads Class II by 213 miles 37 better than yesterday. Magellan is Class II's fastest at 12 knots. Mike Garside sums up his strong position after exiting the Doldrums, "Today it looks as if I may have finally broken clear. The sky is blue and there are a few tell-tale trade-wind clouds about. Alphie is close hauled, doing ten knots and holding the 315 degree course I need for Charleston. And I have a lead of 208 miles at the last count."
Cray Valley is 2nd. Although out of Doldrums and sailing at 11.5 knots, Cray Valley had some slow times in the Doldrums. J.P. Mouligne's description is as follows: "It was so light and fluky that I took one reef in the main sail to protect the flogging, rolled the genoa, attached the tiller on the center line and went to sleep."
Next is the first of the 40 foot Class II entries, Wind of Change. Wind of Change is 555 miles back. Although in the area of the Doldrums Wind of Change is sailing at 6.8 knots.
www.no-barriers.com is back in 4th place with a 50+ mile advantage over Shuten Dojhi. No Barriers will begin transiting the Doldrums today. Neal Petersen reports on conditions: "There is a strong current helping me. Many thunder squalls and rain today." He will probably see more squalls in the Doldrums.
Shuten Dojhi II is back to 5th place. Shuten lies 902 miles from 1st place. On board Minoru Saito is happy as, "today's my celebrate day that it has passed just 2 years since I left Japan, and sailed about 50,000 n.m. all singlehanded, same as in '94-'95."
Paladin 2 is 1095 miles back. Neil Hunter reports "Confused breezes that jump from 5 kts to 30 kts as they pass over, often dropping a load of rain just for good measure."
Balance Bar is back racing and trails the lead boats by 1607 miles.
What does it all mean ?
The leaders are through the Doldrums and into the tradewinds. Still there are 5 boats that have to experience the maddening Doldrums.