Team Mowgoli and Roaring Forty face big breezes in Portimao GOR

6:58 AM Sat 17 Jan 2009 GMT

While the crews of Beluga Racer and Desafio Cabo de Hornos acclimatise to life onshore in Wellington after 32 days at sea, solo sailor, Michel Kleinjans on Roaring Forty, and the British double-handed yachtsmen, Jeremy Salvesen and David Thomson on Class 40, Team Mowgli, have a further three to five days at sea until reaching the finish line.

The two boats are currently separated by a handful miles in the middle of the Tasman Sea, 390 miles to the east of Tasmania's southern tip and 480 miles from the coast of South Island, New Zealand.

At around midday GMT on Wednesday, third place Team Mowgli bottomed out of their descent south-east at 47?S and began their ascent of the Tasman Sea with Kleinjans just 67 miles behind and positioned further north. As Salvesen and Thomson climbed north, Team Mowgli and Roaring Forty converged: 'I have to say that it's really nice of Mowgli to wait for me,' commented Kleinjans last night. On 28th December while 450 miles north of the Kerguelan Islands, Roaring Forty was tasked to turn around and make best speed towards solo sailor, Nico Budel, on his damaged Open 40, Hayai. The following day, MRCC Reunion stood down Kleinjans as the bulk carrier, CSK Radiance steamed closer to Hayai and Roaring Forty could resume racing. However, the miles lost heading west to rescue Budel isolated Kleinjans from the fleet: 'After I turned back towards Nico, I was so far behind I thought it wasn't worth trying to catch up with anyone,' he admits. 'But now at least I have a reference point to race against.' With slightly over 800 miles remaining to the finish line, this proximity to another competitor is a bonus, but the Belgian solo sailor is already pushing hard: 'Frankly, even without them in the neighbourhood, I would hurry because it has been and still is a nice leg, but I begin to long for land, my beloved ones and everything that comes with it!'

Both Team Mowgli and Roaring Forty are beginning to feel the effects of a low pressure system passing to the south with south-westerly winds of between 30-40 knots forecast until Saturday morning and are both averaging 11 knots. For Salvesen and Thomson, the focus will remain reaching Wellington and making repairs to damage sustained over Christmas and New Year in a succession of brutal storms and for Kleinjans, the current options are clear: 'The tactics have been very simple,' he explains. 'Stay out of the light patches and for the rest, point as closely as possible at the next corner, Cape Farewell, and that is what I am doing right now.'

www.portimaorace.com

by Brian Hancock

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