On Roaring Forty shroud breaks again -Portimao GOR

9:49 PM Mon 10 Nov 2008 GMT

'A wet Michel Kleinjans - ww.michelkleinjans.be - Portim?o Global Ocean Race' Portim?o Global Ocean Race

The weather has turned grim for the first four boats in the Portim?o Global Ocean Race. A small area of high pressure to the south of the fleet is feeding them strong easterly winds in an area where westerlies normally blow 11 months of the year. It's a cruel twist a month into the race, but not as cruel as it was for Michel Kleinjans, the leading solo sailor aboard his Open 40, Roaring Forty.

The main shroud that holds up his mast has broken, again. In a short email to Race HQ he lamented. 'The D1 shroud has snapped once again. I immediately tacked over and the rig is OK for now but it's dark out and I can't see too much. But it seems OK.'

The race tracker shows Kleinjans sailing due south. It's in fact not a bad direction given the easterly winds. A few hours later a second email. 'Fixed the D1 but think the one on the second spreader has also broken. I am continuing without ballast and only with a small jib and not sailing close to the wind. I just hope that I can make it to Cape Town with the mast still in the boat.' Michel is a resourceful sailor and will sail slowly to South Africa. His chances of beating Team Mowgli and Desafio Cabo de Hornos are reduced to zero. He need to concentrate on staying ahead of Nico Budel steaming up astern of him on Hayai.

While Michel was dealing with near disaster, the crew on Team Mowgli were in a celebrating frame of mind not because of any great position improvement, but because David Thomson had a birthday. Jeremy Salvesen reported on the activities in his log. 'Today was David's birthday. Had a few presents this morning and some champagne this evening so life is good, if a little uncomfortable. Sleep is almost impossible as you clench yourself waiting for the next crash.' In fact life on board the good ship Team Mowgli is more than a little uncomfortable. It's downright grim. Salvesen's log continues.

'We had been edging along in 3-4 knots of wind with the big kite up, full main with me on the helm. We knew there was a wind shift coming at some point in the morning, but we just didn't know when or how sudden it would be. In the space of about two minutes, the wind veered over 90 degrees and picked up to 22 knots - we need to get some sail down, and fast! Since then we have been sailing in 30 - 35 knots of wind on the nose and the seas have built up tremendously. We are slamming into many of the waves in front - literally falling off one and crashing into the next. Your stomach and everything else goes into free-fall. Like being in a car crash a couple of times a minute! How poor old Mowgli puts up with it I'll never know but she is doing great. Still, making good progress if not exactly towards Cape Town and made a few miles back on those Chillies. Only 40 miles between us after 5,600 miles of racing and still all to play for.'

The weather looks like it's going to be grim for a few more days but it will open up some opportunities for Team Mowgli to sneak past Desafio Cabo de Hornos, and for both boats to chase down Beluga Racer. It's all about opportunity and a steady westerly wind might be nice, but winning is better. So the chess game continues.!

www.portimaoglobaloceanrace.com

by Brian Hancock

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