SIMONE SAILS IN THIRD
13th March 2003

Latest news: The big news of the day is that Alison Kent turns 9. Her dad will spend the day somewhere off the coast of Brazil aboard Everest Horizontal while Alison opens presents and shoulders the responsibility of raising money for the next leg. Yesterday was Inbar Bianchetti's birthday and her husband's first podium fininsh "was a great birthday present for me," she said. Meanwhile Emma Richards on Pindar was approximatley 65 miles from the finish line at 09:00 local time. She is expected to cross the line early this evening.

Original story: After a frustrating final few days that were marred by light winds, heavy squalls and an adverse current, Italian skipper Simone Bianchetti finally sailed his bright blue yacht Tiscali across the finish line in Salvador shortly after lunch today. His official finish time was 15:43:30 local time (18:43:30 GMT) A heavy haze hung low over the city as the people of Salvador sweated in the thick air. Watching the cobalt blue yacht cut through the water was like watching a breath of fresh air arriving in town. Indeed every time Simone arrives the dynamics of the place changes as his gregarious personality brightens even the most torrid days. To add to the festivities, a small samba band played loud music as the boat pulled up to the dock. Bianchetti looked more than a little dazed as his quiet world was suddenly barraged with bright colors and loud noises, but he took it all in stride.

For Simone it was his first podium finish for the race and he was clearly pleased. "I feel great," he said. "It was a good race, no problems. Each leg I am improving so maybe next leg I can be first or second." Bianchetti knows that a lot is riding on the final sprint to Newport. Emma Richards is a single point ahead of him and in order to beat the British sailor he will have to do better than just beat her across the finish line. That will even the point score and the race will then be decided on elapsed time, however with the dismasting on Leg 2 there is no way he can end up on the podium. Simone’s only chance is to beat Emma and put a boat between them.

Judging by the way he sailed this last leg, Simone Bianchetti is finally becoming a force to be reckoned with in the race. When asked if the fact that he missed finishing within Bernard Stamm’s 48 hour penalty time, Bianchetti was in fact relieved: "I am so happy to make this podium but also to do this properly; I really didn’t want to come second because of a friend who has a penalty, that’s not my spirit." For the first time since Leg 1 he is sailing with his own mast in the boat, but the fact that he had already lost two masts (one last summer and one on Leg 2) made his transit of the Southern Ocean a little cautious. "I knew that if I pushed like Bernard or Thierry I might damage the boat," he said. "Bernard damaged his boat and others have broken booms and lost masts. The goal was to bring my boat through the Southern Ocean in perfect condition, and I was ‘speaking’ to the new mast all the time. After Cape Horn everything was good so then I say ‘go’! I have come a long way since the dismasting in Leg 2, and now I am going to begin the next leg fighting for the overall podium."

Looking over Simone’s shoulder at his incredible racing machine, it looked to be in great condition. "Now I will relax, get some rest, some food, enjoy myself and be ready for the last leg." Not just a competitor to be reckoned with, this Italian circumnavigator is also a prolific poet at sea: "When you experience suffering, you learn more about life, and I have been through many troubles in this race, but the sea is my life and I have come to understand more out on the ocean; that gives me inspiration to write my poems." Simone joins Bernard Stamm and Thierry Dubois who are already in Salvador enjoying the hospitality of this wonderful town.

Audio link - Listen to the sound of samba music playing as Simone Bianchetti brings Tiscali into the dock

rtsp://video.aroundalone.com/aroundalone/samba.rm

--- Brian Hancock great.circle@verizon.net

Source: Around Alone Official Site