1645GMT. movistar and ABN AMRO
ONE dispute the lead, so close together the satellite
poling can't separate them, though movistar is
six nautical miles to the north of the other black
boat. Then comes Pirates three miles behind, Ericsson
another three, Brasil 1 another mile in arrears,
ABN AMRO TWO is now a surprisng 12 miles from
the leaders. What is affecting the kids boat?
They lost ground going out of the heads, but don't
seem to be able to claw back any distance despite
posting good speeds. Boat speeds are in the region
of 22 to 23 knots in 22 knot winds from a direction
of roughly 225 degrees. Currently Brasil 1 is
the most northerly boat; Ericsson, the most southerly,
is making a clear effort to slide inexorably southwards,
doubtless hoping from assistance from more wind.
If they keep up this pace, the boats will be in
Wellington by Wednesday afternoon.
1100GMT. There is very little
between the boats as they sail the Bass Strait.
ABN AMRO ONE and Pirates dispute the lead, probably
within sight of one another, while Brasil 1 and
movistar have swapped places in third and fourth
over the past hour. These two are about three
to four miles astern of the leader. Ericsson has
been holding fifth for the past couple of hours,
but again, shows as being less than a mile from
fourth. ABN AMRO TWO brings up the rear some five
or six miles behind the leader. movistar is the
furthest north of the boats, Pirates and Brasil
1 furthest south, but there is only two miles
separation. For the moment the wind is easing
with the boats sailing at between 15 and 19 knots
in winds between 18 and 22 knots from 222 degrees.
Position reporting now reverts to the race standard
of six hourly updates at 1600GMT, 2200GMT, 0400GMT
and 1000GMT, these positions being shown in the
tables in the Results and Data section, reached
thrugh the button on the left of the page.
0720GMT. The fleet passed Mornington
at about 0600GMT, and since then has sailed in
an increasing wind towards the heads which mark
the opening of Port Phillip Bay into the Bass
Strait. The wind has increased to between 20 and
22 knots, and currently the leader is ABN AMRO
ONE who is sailing at 16 knots, just 11 miles
from the heads. Following ABN AMRO ONE as the
black boat continues her inevitable progress at
the front is Pirates of the Caribbean, then movistar,
Brasil 1, Ericsson and then ABN AMRO TWO. Only
a mile or so covers the whole fleet. Once through
the heads, the fleet can expect increasing winds
over (their) night as a front passes through the
area. Currently they are sailing in a northwesterly
wind which they can expect to shift to southwesterly
once the front comes through in about six hours.
0537GMT: Following the lead of
Brasil 1, ABN AMRO ONE and movistar have also
changed to smaller headsails.
0535GMT: Pirates got into the
sea breeze first and has taken the lead. Breeze
is now 12-15 kts from the south. Ericsson is now
in second, followed by ABN AMRO ONE. movistar
will have to tack from her inshore position to
get out to sea, and will be in fourth. ABN AMRO
TWO is in fifth place. Brasil 1 in sixth has slowed
down for a sail change. It will be a tacking duel
all the way to the mark at Mornington, with Pirates
in the best position. The breeze and sea state
continues to build.
0523GMT. The breeze is starting
to fill into Port Phillip Bay. There are a couple
of hundred boats at the Mornington mark, and several
hundred spectators on the beach and at the yacht
club. movistar is in front and as the most inshore
boat, looks like they may get to the new breeze
first. Next boat inshore is ABN AMRO TWO followed
by Ericsson, Pirates, Brasil 1 and ABN AMRO ONE,
furthest out into the bay. The race is who gets
to the line of breeze first. Pirates and movistar
neck and neck on opposite tacks; movistar just
tacked onto starboard and they are racing for
the breeze line.
0400GMT. In the last half hour
the wind has increased very slightly and the boats
are moving at about five knots towards the Mornington
mark, sailing in some four knots of wind. Current
order is: Brasil 1 back in the lead, followed
by movistar, Ericsson, Pirates of the Caribbean,
ABN AMRO TWO and finally ABN AMRO ONE. There is
very little distance between the boats and they
have about seven miles to sail to Mornington,
where a huge party in their honour is in full
swing on shore.
0330GMT. with the fleet stalled
about ten miles north of Mornington, movistar
is in the lead from Ericsson, Brasil 1, ABN AMRO
TWO, Pirates of the Caribbean and then ABN AMRO
ONE. The north to north westerly gradient wind
is giving way to the southerly sea breeze, but
it will take some time to establish a new wind
and get the boats on their way again. It's restart
time. We will update the positions of the boats
as we get information from the Race Headquarters
via the satellite tracking systems on the boats.
Check back to this page for information at regular
intervals and once the boats are out into the
Bass Strait, remember to check for position reports
via the Home Page or through Results and Data
on the left hand menu buttons on every page
0320GMT. movistar has sailed into
the lead by being the most leeward boat and the
one closest to the shore. Off in the middle of
the bay Pirates and ABN AMRO ONE are sailing under
headsails in the last of the old wind. There seems
to be general movement to Code Zeroes and headsails
instead of spinnakers, though movistar and Ericsson
are still managing to keep theirs full - probably
with their keels canted to leeward to keep the
boats heeled. Ericsson is second, Brasil 1 third,
then ABN AMRO TWO, Pirates and ABN AMRO ONE.
0315GMT. The wind has gone from
well over 15 knots to about two. movistar has
slipped away from ABN AMRO TWO and is drawing
level, though well to leeward, with the leaders.
They have gone from being about a mile astern,
to level in some 15 minutes.
0310GMT. Now the big gap between
the front and the back of the fleet seems to have
closed right up. movistar has closed right up
on ABN AMRO ONE as the wind dies back to about
three knots for the front runners. Now the usual
light weather lottery will come into play. If
anyone gets a gust they will make a gain, but
could lose just as easily. If there is to be a
sea breeze, will Ericsson and ABN AMRO TWO, the
most leeward boats, gain? It could be a complete
parking lot here until the sea breeze fills in
perhaps in an hour. Ericsson has slowly sailed
thrugh to leeward and ahead of Brasil 1. Brasil
1 is settng up for a sail change. ABN AMRO TWO
and movistar look as though they might slip through
to leeward of the rest and go into the lead. They
are coming level with the leaders at the moment
and have overtaken Pirates and ABN AMRO ONE.
0300GMT. Wind going lighter and
looking very light ahead. The boats at the back
seem to be closing up on the leaders. Pirates
are closing on the two in front, Brasil 1 and
Ericsson. movistar and ABN AMRO TWO are closing
and might sail round the leaders if they sail
into a windless hole.
0255GMT. Brasil 1 and Pirates
sailing under Code Zero headsails, Ericsson with
an asymmetric spinnaker. ABN AMRO TWO is way to
leeward almost on the shore and well behind. The
wind has dropped slightly which has allowed Pirates
to open on ABN AMRO ONE. Ericsson seems to be
gaining on Brasil 1. The wind is dropping and
going left and the local knowledge seems to indicate
that the wind will keep going left until perhaps
it comes from the south instead of north westerly
as it is at the moment. ABN AMRO TWO and movistar
seem to be sailing in a stronger wind and are
gaining on the leaders.
0250GMT. The leading four boats
have opened up a huge gap on the trailing two,
ABN AMRO TWO and movistar. Brasil 1 still lead
by a few lengths from Ericsson who are to leeward
by about 700m. The two leaders have opened a big
gap on Pirates and ABN AMRO ONE, with Pirates
just in third and to leeward of ABN AMRO ONE.
0245GMT. The wind is from the
north west and has settled now to something around
15 knots. The boats are sailng at about the same
speed or more. The spectator fleet is struggling
to keep pace with the boats as they fly downwind.
ABN AMRO TWO and movistar have missed out on the
wind that has split the fleet. There is the best
part of a mile between the leading four and the
two at the back. At this speed the fleet will
be in Mornington in about 45 minutes where a huge
municipal party is underway at the sailing club.
Brasil 1 and Ericsson leading, ABN AMRO ONE has
split from the other boats and is going out to
windward with Pirates.
0240GMT. Brasil 1 and Ericsson
lead, about five lengths between them. ABN AMRO
ONE have peeled their spinnaker and the new sail
is suiting them better than the fuller sail thay
were using earlier. Pirates have got back into
the wind and are closing the gap on ABN AMRO ONE.
Brasil 1 holding a superb lead in the lighter
conditions. movistar and ABN AMRO TWO struggling
at the back of the feet. The surprise is the slowness
of movistar.
0235GMT. Brasil 1 takes the lead
as Torben Grael shows his skill in the light inshore
winds. Pirates peels the spinnaker. It was Brasil
1, not Pirates that started with a Code Zero and
it seems as though the flatter sail has proved
to be more effective. ABN AMRO ONE is suffering
with a very strapped in asymmetric spinnaker.
movistar is going out to the left side to look
for a different wind. Pirates is dropping back
into fourth as a gust takes the boats to windward
ahead of the erstwhile leader.
0230GMT. Pirates losing their
lead, and struggling in lighter winds to leeward.
Pirates change to a flatter sail to gain height
to windward. Brasil 1 leading from Pirates, Ericsson
and ABN AMRO ONE. Not much now between any of
the boats as the lighter and gusty wind is causing
the fleet to concertina.
0225GMT. The wind is getting lighter
and shifty. But the boats have been doing 12 to
15 knots. Pirates might be looking for a sail
change. Pirates 500 metres to leeward of the most
windward boat. Ericsson and ABN AMRO ONE are battling
it out for third behind Pirates and Brasil 1.
As the wind gets lighter the two ABN AMRO boats
slow more than the others. ABN AMRO TWO particularly
seems to be slow and might have given a place
to movistar.
0220GMT. Pirates in the lead and
extending, Brasil 1 matching them about three
lengths behind. Ericsson into third, battling
with ABN AMRO ONE, then TWO and finally movistar.
The leg is quite tight and Pirates are sailing
best with their Code Zero rather than the spinnakers
on the others boats. Pirates in good pressure
extending their lead as they sail towards the
gate that marks the southerly exit of the starting
area.
0215GMT. START! Pre start the
boats paired up on the line, Brasil 1 and Ericsson,
the two ABN AMRO boats, movistar and Pirates.
At the gun the best starts are from movistar and
Pirates, Pirates perhaps the best with Ericsson
and Barsil 1. As in many previous starts the two
ABN AMRO boats are hanging back. Pirates hoist
a Code Zero. One minute after the start, Pirates,
ABN AMRO ONE, Ericsson, movistar, Brasil 1 and
ABN AMRO TWO is the order, Pirates got their Code
Zero open first, ABN AMRO ONE has a problem getting
their spinnaker set from the snuffer.
0210GMT. Five minute gun has gone,
ABN AMRO ONE, ABN AMRO TWO, Brasil 1, Ericsson,
movistar and Pirates of the Caribbean are all
setting themselves up for the start. The wind
looks lighter on the shore side, perhaps the sea
breeze is starting to take effect and minimise
the gradient wind.
0205GMT. Not the five minute gun,
but apparently the ten has now gone. It's a downwind
start under spinnaker.
0204GMT. It's a sunny day in Melbourne,
blue sky and a lot of boats on the water to enjoy
the spectacle. There are some clouds over the
land indicating that a sea breeze might come in,
but at the moment it's out of the north at about
12 to 15 knots. Current indications are that there
are about five hundred spectator boats out at
the moment. Five minutes to the start.
0200GMT. The start has been delayed
for ten minutes to reset the line and to clear
the air above the start. The forecast has a big
night ahead for the boats with big winds expected
at about 1100GMT. The one minute gun has gone
to alert the fleet that the ten minute gun will
go at 0200GMT.
0155GMT. Six boats on the water
as Brunel is still ashore having modifications.
The plan is that she comes back into the race
in Baltimore, but this is causing consternation
among the rest of the fleet. It seems that the
boat will come out with twin dagger boards as
well as many other mods.
0150GMT. The delay seems to have
been caused by the Roulettes taking up the air
space overhead, preventing the TV helicopters
from coming in to the air space. Wind currently
ten knots from the north or nor-nor'west, but
sea breeze expected off Mornington, though that
might make for some lighter, even no wind conditions.
Once out into the Bass Strait, the forecast for
a front coming through might give 40 knots - conditions
worse than the start night from Vigo. The start
line is being moved to the new wind.
0147GMT. The Race committee announces
a ten minute delay at the start
0145GMT. The boats are on the
water, the scene is set. The RAAF Roulettes aerobatic
flight is overhead - well, not so much overhead,
but something under mast height perhaps. . .
MARINE 