SLIPPING THROUGH THE DOLDRUMS
18th April 2003

If yesterday the front runners were feeling pretty smug and happy with their performance, today they must be downright ecstatic. Bernard Stamm on Bobst Group Armor lux and Simone Bianchetti on Tiscali have been averaging well over 10 knots while at the back of Class 1 Emma Richards on Pindar was managing a paltry 3.5 knots at the last poll. The leaders have extended their lead over the back markers to more than 250 miles. Even the leading Class 2 boats have over taken both Pindar and Thierry Dubois on Solidaires. Tim Kent on Everest Horizontal was feeling quite pleased with his performance despite losing 20 miles to Brad Van Liew on Tommy Hilfiger Freedom America. "Well, I sailed into a patch of light wind last night and Brad legged out 20 miles on me," he wrote. " He's now about 62 miles ahead. What's more surprising is that we are ahead of two of the Open 60s; Emma on Pindar and Thierry on Solidaires. All this says is that the left side of the course is paying big dividends right now. This is the most competitive we have been in the entire race."

The first three boats have crossed the equator and are now back in the northern hemisphere for the first time since November last year. Stamm and Bianchetti crossed during the night while Bruce Schwab felt the bump during daylight hours. They all seem to have slipped through the doldrum belt without slowing as Bruce Schwab commented in his daily log. "I might jinx myself by saying this, but I may have escaped the doldrums relatively unscathed. . .but need to keep my fingers crossed for another day!" Bernard Stamm commented on his equator crossing. "It feels like home when you get back in the Northern Hemisphere after 7 months in the south," he wrote. "The atmosphere on the water is always very strange as you approach the equator. It is cloudy, but what is weird is that you can see all sorts of clouds, and that is something you don't get anywhere else." He also commented on his friend and rival Thierry Dubois's performance since leaving Brazil. "In the beginning I didn't want to let Thierry out of my sight, but the choices he made weren't right for me. I saw that he was heading straight for a calm zone. Having said that, being so far off to the side like we are at the moment is always a bit of a worry. If he comes out of the doldrums at the same time as I do he'll be better placed to pick up the northeasterly trade winds. I really can't relax." Those that know Stamm know that he never relaxes when racing. He is a bundle of nerves and energy and works every tenth of a knot of boat speed out of the boat as if his life depends upon it.

For Thierry Dubois's part, he is very philosophical. In a satellite phone call he described his tactics. " I wasn't planning to just follow the leader from the start of this leg," he said. "I needed a way to get Bernard behind me, so I tried a different option to go north. It didn't matter to me to be ahead at the Doldrums at this stage, only to be further north for the trade winds, but as soon as I realized that this option was not going to pay I was too committed to the route and now I am too far behind to catch up with Bernard even with the new trade winds. I am still pushing hard, the northeast trades are kicking in but it's too late now. But I won't stop and there is still a long way to go."

At the front of Class 2 Brad Van Liew on Tommy Hilfiger Freedom America is feeling the pressure from second place Tim Kent for the first time since the race started and commented on Tim's performance in his daily update. "My good friend Tim Kent aboard Everest Horizontal has put a very impressive leg together so far," he wrote. "He may appear to be a fun loving father of two, simply here for the adventure, but I can assure you that he is very much here to race, and sees Leg 5 as his opportunity to win a leg. Tim and I have engaged in a battle to be the first to the northern trade winds and he is taking it seriously. I might as well make it clear that if Tim thinks I am racing to finish and simply protect my first place overall then he's mistaken. My dream is to cross that final finish line first. I guess we might as well give him a fight 'til the final bell."

It's unlikely any of the competitors will be easing up until they cross the finish line. Alan Paris on BTC Velocity is suffering with cracked ribs, but still pushing hard as is Kojiro Shiarishi on Spirit of yukoh. While these sailors deal with the heat and fickle conditions, far to the south Derek Hatfield on Spirit of Canada is looking over his shoulder at a looming Southern Ocean storm. "The weather forecast is calling for 50 knots to the south of me," he wrote. "Hopefully I am far enough north to avoid the worst of it. I've just crossed 45 South and I'm headed due north to try and avoid the worst of the storm. It has been slowly getting warmer but today it's raining and overcast."

Happy Easter to all the skippers and especially to those of you who have followed these great sailors and this wonderful event since the start last September.

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

Source: Around Alone Official Site