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16th Nov 2009
Blog La Solidaire du Chocolat - November 16th - 22ndJust few miles to the Mexican coast!
Taking 5th place in La Solidaire du Chocolat, British yachtsman, Tim Wright, and his Australian co-skipper, Nicko Brennan, crossed the finish line off Progreso at 1447 GMT today, Monday 16 November, on Wright's two year-old Akilaria Class40, Sail4Cancer. “It is a real relief to finish and it is great to finally stop racing. The race was very difficult and very long,” said Tim Wright shortly after crossing the finish line. “Sailing through the gate at St. Barts was a very memorable moment: it was a great relief, but at the same time, we still had 1,500 miles to sail,” he continued. “The last week wasn't easy with very unstable wind in both force in direction,” recalls Wright. “Very hard on the nerves! We are happy to have completed this beautiful race, but we were severely tested right up to the finish line,” admits the British skipper. “For my part, I am not sure I could embark on such a huge challenge again,” says Wright. “We were really punished by the weather conditions and sailed the entire race on our own, without seeing another boat.” Tim and Nicko have completed the Solidaire du Chocolat race in 28 days, 20 hours and 57 minutes.
With four boats from the Solidaire du Chocolat fleet across the finish line, the fifth boat, Sail4Cancer, is making good speed along the coast of the Yucatan Peninsula and at 0800 GMT, the Anglo-Australian team of Tim Wright and Nicko Brennan are making just under 10 knots with 40 miles of racing remaining. Wright and Brennan, who are both ex-Global Challenge sailors, will be the first non-professional team to complete the race. Just over 100 miles further east, Desafio Cabo de Hornos in 6th rounded Cape Catoche earlier this morning and are currently making the best speed in the fleet at ten knots with 148 miles remaining. “It has been tiring with really unstable conditions at night,” admits Bravo Silva. “But we're still in front of the nearest boats to us and we're adding to the distance over the British boat behind us.” At 0800 GMT today, Desafio Cabo de Hornos holds a 36 mile lead over 40 Degrees in 7th. With 184 miles of racing remaining, conditions have just improved for 40 Degrees. “After the horrible night we had yesterday, the wind filled in just before dawn, and we were treated to a gorgeous day of proper Caribbean sailing,” reports Merron this morning. “We are crossing the Yucatan Channel, and can see the loom of light on the Yucatan Peninsula,” she explains. In the latest position poll, the British duo are approaching Cape Catoche. Trailing 40 Degrees by 341 miles this morning, Groupe Picoty in 8th place continue to head north-west towards the Yucatan and while the French duo are currently due south of the Cayman Islands, the pack of five boats following Groupe Picoty have split either side of Jamaica. The group opting to leave Jamaica to starboard is led by PLAN in 9th place with Keysource in 11th and Crédit Maritime in 12th with 52 miles separating the trio of Class40s. While ORBIS in 14th are still east of Jamaica, Axa Atout Coeur Pour Aides in 10th and Adriatech in 13th have left the island to port. According to the position poll issued at 1200 GMT local time, Palanad II maintains in 5th position at only 8 miles averaging a speed of 8.4 knots. Story by Sandrine Wallace For further information: |
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