Friday, 18 October 2013

Race 3 Day 4: Jamaica get All Right and Qingdao fighting for Scoring Gate points

Jamaica Get All Right and Qingdao are battling it out to be the first to cross the Scoring Gate and win the three extra points which are up for grabs.

The two yachts - which are expected to cross the line within the next 24 hours - have taken  more of a risk by sailing further north than the rest of the fleet where there are lighter winds, but will aim to clip the southerly tip of the Scoring Gate and then head south again into stronger winds.
The rest of the fleet is very close, with yachts within sight of each other.
Vicky Ellis, skipper of Switzerland, describes the race.
“The Race Viewer must look like a Red Arrows aerobatics display formation, with wingers flying out and the sides of the pack swooping in to the centre only to peel off again.  As one of the "central" boats it's suddenly become very crowded in here, with a fly past this morning by Mission Performance and now OneDLLand Old Pulteney appearing on the radar. With miles of wide open ocean to play in, can't one find one’s own patch of sea?
“I should expect more of this as the forecast squeezes the fleet into a funnel around us and boat speed rather than tactics will pay off in this area of the course.  It’s not a bad area of the course either; it’s been a great night sail, surfing along with the stars out and a half moon to light the way.”
PSP Logistics is currently leading the fleet, followed byTeam Garmin and GREAT Britain.

No comments: