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9:13 PM Sun 5 Apr 2009 GMT
Portimao Global Ocean Race - Leg 3, Week 6 Review.
Light and variable headwinds strangle progress as the fleet close in on the finish line off the Brazilian isand of Ilhabela. Capitalising on the lack of breeze, Michel Kleinjans on Open 40, Roaring Forty, become a serious threat to the Class 40s, making major gains as the boats tack north along the South American coast.
The deciding weather system is a cold front arriving on Wednesday and propelling Jeremy Salvesen and David Thomson on Team Mowgli and Roaring Forty towards the race leaders. For Boris Herrmann and Felix Oehme on Beluga Racer and Felipe Cubillos and Jos? Mu?oz on Desafio Cabo de Hornos, the front's arrival brings temporary relief before the breeze dies as the Chileans - with no diesel, minimal food and short on drinking water - eat into the German's lead. Postioned to windward of Beluga Racer, Cubillos and Mu?oz find stable breeze, overtaking Herrmann and Oehme three hours before the finish and taking first across the line in an incredible display of racing. After 7,500 miles and 40 days of racing, Beluga Racer crosses the line just 52 minutes behind the Chilean team with Team Mowgli taking third under nine hours later on Thursday night. The following morning, Kleinjans chases the double-handed boats home crossing the line on Roaring Forty a little under six hours behind Team Mowgli.
Day 36: Saturday 28th March
With 650 miles to the finish line in Ilhabela for the race leader Beluga Racer, the fleet continue climbing north in variable headwinds off the coast of Brazil. Team Mowgli are losing ground furthest west, trailing Beluga Racer by 168 miles - a 31 mile loss on the race leader in 24 hours - and Roaring Forty stalls to 5.6 knots as Kleinjans arrives in the southerly Brazil Current. Separated from the German team by 70 miles, Desafio Cabo de Hornos in second place report that diesel supplies on board are ruuning very low. Cubillos and Mu?oz switch off all electronics on board: any communications with the Race Organisation cease and the Chileans are forced to hand steer constantly, saving the remaining drops of diesel for powering the watermaker.
Day 37: Sunday 29th March
Light airs hit at midnight, reducing double-handed fleet speeds from 7-3 knots. Team Mowgli keep the breeze longest, 163 miles behind the race leader, and Desafio Cabo de Hornos make gains on the German Class 40, moving into 61 miles behind Beluga Racer. Benefitting from his Open 40's lightweight, carbon fibre construction, Kleinjans on Roaring Forty moves to 30 miles behind Team Mowgli making best speeds furthest offshore. The double-handed Class 40 fleet take up a line astern formation with a little over 500 miles of racing remaining for the German race leaders.
Day 38: Monday 30th March
As the Distance to Finish figure drops to 346 miles, Beluga Racer find some breeze 180 miles off the coast of Brazil and separate from the fleet making seven knot averages. In the early morning, the double-handed and single-handed fleets are spread over 250 miles with Desafio Cabo de Hornos dropping back to 75 miles behind Beluga Racer and Team Mowgli trailing the race leader by 192 miles.
Day 39: Tuesday 31st March
The fleet are averaging seven knots at midnight before Beluga Racer is first to run into light airs and speeds for the German team plummet to 1.7 knots as the fleet tack away from the coast. Desafio Cabo de Hornos maintains four knots, reeling in Herrmann and Oehme to 67 miles. Team Mowgli also manage four knots, 222 miles behind the Germans. Roaring Forty holds the breeze longest, 31 miles behind Team Mowgli as the fleet wait for a cold front to sweep north along the coast of South America.
Day 40: Wednesday 1st April
The cold front arrives at 0400 GMT for the backmarkers. Team Mowgli pick up the pace immediately from 3-8 knots; Desafio Cabo de Hornos build speed slightly later and Beluga Racer find the breeze at midday with the Chileans closing into 37 miles. Speed averages increase to 10 knots before Beluga Racer loses the breeze just before midnight while to the south, Team Mowgli and Roaring Forty ride the front in stronger, 20-30 knot breeze making 12 and 10 knot averages as the fleet begin to compress with under 200 miles to the finish for the German race leaders.
Day 41: Thursday 2nd April
The breeze drops at midnight for the race leaders although at 0800 GMT, Desafio Cabo de Hornos have moved to just nine miles behind Beluga Racer as the certainty of another leg victory for the Germans is suddenly threatened with the Chileans averaging four knots to the three knots of Beluga Racer. Team Mowgli are still making 12 knots but the speed decreases speed in the early morning, as the British team move up to 70 miles behind Beluga Racer at 0820 GMT. The German team are unable to move into the stronger breeze to windward and at 1020 GMT Desafio Cabo de Hornos overtake Beluga Racer and move into the lead for the first time in seven days. At 13:02:54 GMT, Desafio Cabo de Hornos cross the line in 15-20 knots of south-easterly breeze after 40d 11h 47m 54s. Just 52 minutes later, Beluga Racer cross the line at 13:54:54 GMT after 40d 12h 39m 54s. In darkness, Team Mowgli cross the line at 22:36:35 GMT after 40d 12h 38m 54s with the breeze failing one mile from the finish line and the duo are forced to drift north in 2.5 knots of favourable current to take third place.
Day 42: Friday 3rd April
Just six hours after the British team finish racing, the fleet's solo sailor Michel Kleinjans crosses the finish line on Roaring Forty at 04:05:30 GMT after 41d 02h 50m 30s of racing.
Leg 3 points:
Double-handed class:
Beluga Racer 34 points
Desafio Cabo de Hornos 29.5 points
Team Mowgli 22 points
Leg 3 double-handed finish times (leg times) on 02/04/09:
Desafio Cabo de Hornos 13:02:54 UTC (40d 11h 47min 54secs)
Beluga Racer 13:54:54 UTC (40d 12h 39min 54secs)
Team Mowgli 22:36:35 UTC (40d 21h 21min 35secs)
Single-handed class:
Roaring Forty 36 points 04:05:30 GMT (41d 02h 50m 30s)
www.portimaoglobaloceanrace.com
by Oliver Dewar
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