The Race - Club Med becalmed in the Med
by Club Med Media 2 Mar 2001 16:35 GMT
Once again the weather has come back to play havoc with Club Med's progress towards the finish line in Marseilles. After a strong couple of days the pace was fast enough for Club Med to increase the lead over second placed Innovation Explorer to more than 1200 miles. The pair are now sailing at
completely different speeds again and at noon today Club Med sat wallowing in light airs some 592 miles from the finish line, watching its lead of 1020 miles diminish by the hour.
Club Med passed through the Straits of Gibraltar last night around midnight in strong conditions and managed to stay safely out of harm's way with regard to shipping and unexpected wind gusts, typical of this area.
Joined by satellite telephone earlier today, New Zealand-born skipper Grant Dalton had this to say:
"We completely lost the wind a few hours ago we've gone nowhere for 12 hours! It is mind-numbingly frustrating. The weather patterns change so quickly in this part of the world. We were hoping that the weather system that brought us up to the Straits of Gibraltar would see us through and into the Med, but it wasn't to be."
"The breeze is coming in a bit now. But we're not placing any bets on a finish time! No more ETAs! I have learnt my lesson so many times I can't believe I fell into the trap again of suggesting an ETA this time!"
"There's a warm front that's between the two lows that's meant we parked but we're now coming under the gradient breeze of the 2nd low pressure. There are gale warnings all over the Med. We'll get breeze soon, but whether we take it all the way through to Marseilles I don't know."
On the situation aboard second placed Innovation Explorer and still enjoying good speeds Dalton had these compliments to make:
"It's always fun when you're leading. I never envied Loick Peyron and Roger Nilson chasing us around the world, chasing but never really able to get to attack. They have done really well. I know how much effort we put into preparing Club Med and I know how little time they had to prepare their boat. I think they have been exemplary."
On the often-debated subject in the multihull world of trimaran versus catamaran and which would be most suitable for an event like The Race Dalton commented:
"I don't think the tri/cat debate is over. I don't even think it has started. Everything we thought is true a tri would struggle in the Southern Ocean but would destroy us all in the Atlantic. It will be interesting to see what de Kersauzon's tri ends up like when it is launched later this year."
Club Med should arrive in Marseille between Saturday 6pm and Sunday morning (depending on conditions).
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