This Saturday will see the 4th and final
leg of Around Alone start. The 9-boat fleet will
start in Punta Del Este Uruguay and return to where
Around Alone started in September of 1998, Charleston
SC a distance of 5751 miles.
Two Class I boats remain. Leading both this
class and the race is Giovanni Soldini on Fila. Fila
begins the leg with a 12 day lead over the other Class
I boat, Somewhere. Barring a failure that results in a
DNF for Fila, the winner is decided.
However, Somewhere has been refitted with a new
carbon fibre spar and should be ready to sail on top
form. Indeed Somewhere holds the record for greatest 24
hour run and has the potential to win Leg 4.
The Class I record for this Leg was set in 1995
by Christophe Augin. His record time was: 24 days 20 hours
17 minutes and 29 seconds for an average speed of 9.65 knots.
This record should fall.
Giovanni Soldini also has a shot to break the
Around Alone overall record. This record is 120 days
22 hours. If Fila matches the Leg 4 record her overall
time would be 113 days. So, essentially Fila has a week
lead on breaking the record.
Class II is led by Cray Valley sailed by J.P.
Moulgine. His lead over 2nd place Magellan Alpha is
7 days. However, very closely bunched with Magellan
is Balance Bar. Only 9 hours separates these two
boats. If Balance Bar can finally edge Magellan
it could mean a step up on the overall race podium.
Cray Valley also is on pace to set a record
for Class II. As Leg 4 starts Cray Valley is about
1 days ahead of David Adams record pace from 1995.
Also in play is Adams Leg 4 record for Class II of
29 days 55 minutes 30 seconds. Cray Valley will need
to sail very close to this record pace to set the Class
II race record. Whether or not Cray Valley chooses
to chase this record or simply protect her considerable
Class II lead will be interesting.
In 4th place in Class II is Viktor Yazykov's
Wind of Change the fleets first 40 footer. This is
Wind of Change's last chance at a podium finish.
Neal Petersen will be sailing his 40 foot
www.no-barriers.com. His lead over Shuten Dojhi II
is 6 days.
Shuten Dojhi II sailed by Minoru Saito will
attempt to finish Around Alone for the third time.
Although not in the mix for a podium spot, the Saito/
Shuten combination is one the most reliable in Around
Alone's history.
Paladin 2 will be looking to finish Leg 4,
and as on Leg 1 and 2 beat at least one boat.
Leg 4 will not truly conclude until the awards
ceremony planned for 29 May in Charleston. All 9 boats
and skippers will leave Punta hoping to make this
celebration. Paladin's Neil Hunter put Leg 4 in the
following perspective: "The next one's the hardest cause
it's the only one left. We'll look forward to finishing
in Charleston and really celebrating."
For daily reports on each boat please see:
http://www.torresen.com/aroundalone/leg4/default.htm