Day 24, Monday October 19, 1998

Golding's Team Group 4

The front runner's conditions were best described by Mike Golding: "The front four boats are now all in fairly strong trade winds from the NE and boy are we flying. I watch each schedule expecting to make some miles only to find everyone did. Everyone is pushing, pushing, pushing!"

"Pure fear is the one thing that kept me from making better progress last night. Team Group 4 was crashing over waves at up to 20 knots. On deck water screamed past like a fire hose and below, well it was unbearable. The noise, the motion all led me to fear that something must break. At 3 am I could stand it no longer and I took the genoa off leaving a staysail and a single reefed mainsail slowing from peaks of over 20+ to a steadier 18+. A few hours later the seas moderated and sorted themselves into a more regular procession and I was able to get going at full speed again."

Thiercelin's Somewhere © Foto Marek Slodownik
At the top of Class I was still Marc Thiercelin with Isabelle only 39 miles behind. Josh Hall was in third position 117 miles behind Marc, followed by Mike Golding. All were running with double digit boat speed doing about 240 miles a day. Thiercelin had a 254 miles leg one run record. It looked like Isabelle was going more on wind trying to break from the leading pack. She was the most easterly skipper among the front-runners.

Soldini's Fila
Giovanni Soldini was sailing in a very different weather pattern. He made only 188 miles and dropped 34 miles further back. Fedor Konioukhov had greater troubles. For last few days his ARGOS tracking system was showing zigzag course, making race headquarters nervous. Fortunately his son Oscar phoned the race office and confirmed that adverse wind and current caused Konioukhov zigzagging. Eventually Konioukhov himself finally called the headquarters to confirm his son's report.

Fedor Konioukhov © Foto Marek Slodownik

Fedor took the most southerly course in the entire fleet and the course he had taken had forced him to beat dead into the wind and current. On top of that, almost every squall had been right in his path. If he would go south to get over the hump of Brazil now, he would be sailing right into an enormous area of Doldrums.

Balance Bar
Second class sailors were still running in the same order led by Balance Bar. Only Garside was dropping back. He lost 90 miles on his class leaders and even Robin Davie was gaining on him. Meanwhile Viktor Yazykov, sailing a smaller 50-foot Class II boat and having started two days behind Konioukhov, was now ahead of his fellow countryman.

Positions:

Class 1

Class 2

Copyright © Richard Konkolski
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