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Around Alone Report May 12

Magellan is Class II winner for Leg 4

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

By crossing the finish line yesterday in Charleston Mike Garside became the 4th sailor in this years Around Alone to take top leg honors.   Although he will end up 2nd in Class II overall Garside certainly has Leg 4 all his way.

Garside started the race in uncertain fashion.   For upon finishing the Atlantic Alone tune up race Garside said: "I hate sailing." 

However, Garside got Magellan off to a strong start on Leg 1. However, on October 16th only 6 miles from 1st place Magellan's canting keel became unstable.  By the time it was fixed he was nearly 300 miles back.  November 1st saw Garside still in 3rd place. 2 days from the finish Magellan was within 6 miles and the Magellan/Balance Bar duel was all on.  Magellan made it to Cape Town edging Balance Bar by an hour and a half.  This despite the keel problems and autopilot difficulties. 

Leg 2 began well for Garside and Magellan as they led the class for the first 10 days.  Magellan was again dogged by autopilot troubles.   Gradually Cray Valley pulled away.  Light in the Tasman Sea allowed Balance Bar to close in setting up a classic finish in Auckland.  A mere 2 minutes was Magellan's margin of victory over 2nd place.

Leg 3 again saw Magellan lead at times.  In the end Cray Valley again edged Magellan this time by 17 hours.  Again Magellan was close with Balance Bar.  7 hours was the difference this time.  At the finish of Leg 3 Garside felt he had Magellan well tuned.  In a typically self critical comment he said: ""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."  

Leg 4 was Garside's almost from the start.  The same day that his close rival Balance Bar was dismasted, Magellan took the Class II lead. This lead was held for over 5000 miles right to the finish. 

The leg 4 victory completed a transformation for Garside and Magellan.  Garside went from disliking sailing to saying upon the finish of the race, "I'm finding it very easy to be at one with the sea again.  I definitely plan to keep racing."  This transformation helped him achieve the potential that Magellan showed from time to time.  Perhaps more than anyone else Garside improved during Around Alone.  Sounds like he wants to keep improving. 

Fleet Round Up:

For more on Magellan Alpha's Leg 4 win click here.

Cray Valley is 133 miles from Charleston.  J.P. could finish by 2100 tonight.   This will clinch a Class II overall victory for Cray Valley.  Although Leg 4 will be disappointing as Cray Valley failed to sweep all 4 legs, J.P. surely will be joyous about his large victory.   J.P. Moulgine reports that he is without a spinnaker.  Although it won't impact placings it'll slow his offwind approach to Charleston.

Next is the first of the 40 foot Class II entries, Wind of Change.  Wind of Change is 688 miles back sailing at 7.3 knots. 

Balance Bar is 1578 miles back sailing at 6 knots.

www.no-barriers.com has again moved up to 4th place.  Neal Petersen reports: "Coming along steadily. Wind light. Under spinnaker. Overtaken Minoru again, and pulling away. Balance Bar will overtake me tonight. Nothing I could do."

Shuten Dojhi II shows in 5th place 1602 miles back.  Shuten has a .4 knot speed advantage on No Barriers meaning the 18 mile gap could close.

Paladin 2 is 1742 miles back moving at 5.6 knots.

What does it all mean ?

In simple terms, the battle of Leg 4 to Magellan, the war that is Around Alone to Cray Valley.

Cumulative Standings Table

Last Updated: 15-Feb-05 08:40