© Photo Richard Konkolski
© Photo Richard Konkolski
Mike Garside and Brad Van Liew were approaching Cape Reinga at the top of North Island this morning. Russian skipper Viktor Yazykov was just 52 miles behind Van Liew and making nearly nine knots.
Garside's Magellan Alpha
Michael Garside was quite frustrated with no-wind conditions. He wrote: "Today it's the 34th day of Leg 2 of Around Alone and the sun is just breaking through a small gap between the horizon and the sheet cloud overhead. And yet again the wind has died away to nothing. As Magellan Alpha shakes and shudders on a nasty broken sea and the sails slat and bang against the rigging, I can sit here at my nav station and honestly say that the last 11 days of this race have been one on the most dreary, depressing experiences of my whole life. I will never be able to look back on the Tasman Sea with any pleasure at all. And now that Alphie has crept to another windless halt I wonder whether I am going to drift north onto the rocks of Three Kings or south east into the shallows off Cape Reinga.
Yazykov's Wond of Change Russia © Photo Billy Black
By the end of the day Garside had 55 miles to go with Balance Bar only one mile behind his stern. Yazykov and his 40-footer Wind of Change cut the gap to 50 miles. The remaining distance to the finish line was too short now for Victor to be able to improve his standing. But second place was open for Magellan Alpha and Balance Bar, which were only one mile apart.
Minoru Saito © Photo Billy Black 
In fifth place, Minoru Saito was 1893 miles from Auckland. Saito was leading a pack of five sailors who still had over 2.000 miles to go: Neal Petersen, Neil Hunter, Fedor Konioukhov and Robin Davie. These competitors were now also racing the clock. By race rules, to be eligible for Leg 3 all skippers must be in Auckland on 30th of January, one week prior to the 6th of February restart.
© Photo Richard Konkolski
Place |
Skipper |
Boat |
Latitude |
Longitude |
Dist. to go |
Speed |
Dist. to first |
Time |
1 |
Soldini |
Fila |
Auckland |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
Thierceli |
Somewhere |
Auckland |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
Autissier |
PRB |
Auckland |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
Hall |
Gartmore |
Auckland |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
5 |
Konioukhov |
Mod.Univ.Human. |
47 46S |
112 34E |
2933 |
5.9 |
2933 |
2140 |
6 |
Golding |
Team Group 4 |
Retired |
Auckland |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Place |
Skipper |
Boat |
Latitude |
Longitude |
Dist. to go |
Speed |
Dist. to first |
Time |
1 |
Mouligne |
Cray Valley |
Auckland |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
Garside |
Magellan Alpha |
35 52S |
174 36E |
55 |
8.1 |
55.2 |
2144 |
3 |
Van Liew |
Balance Bar |
35 51S |
174 37E |
56 |
8.7 |
55.8 |
2144 |
4 |
Yazykov |
Wind of Change |
35 04S |
174 20E |
105 |
3.9 |
105.4 |
2216 |
5 |
Saito |
Shuten-dohji II |
45 57S |
137 55E |
1893 |
8.2 |
1893.4 |
2144 |
6 |
Petersen |
No Barriers |
45 54S |
135 43E |
1984 |
6.7 |
1983.5 |
2144 |
7 |
Hunter |
Paladin II |
45 48S |
126 33E |
2364 |
4.4 |
2364.1 |
2144 |
8 |
Davie |
South Carolina |
49 50S |
098 26E |
3531 |
8 |
3530.9 |
2144 |
9 |
Stricker |
Rapscallion III |
Retired |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Copyright © Richard Konkolski
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