2004 Global Challenge - 160 Miles To Finish Line For Leading Yacht: First Two Yachts Enter River Plate, Fleet Experiences 180 Degree Wind Shift

With under 200 miles to go to the finish line in Buenos Aires, only 44 miles separate the 6 leading yachts and the gap between 2nd place VAIO and leading yacht Barclays Adventurer is now a mere 4nm. "I tell you it's very exciting," says VAIO skipper Amedeo Sorrentino, in an audio interview this afternoon, "after 6000 miles we are in a match race again."

As expected, wind conditions have changed dramatically in the past few hours with both BP Explorer and VAIO reporting in their daily logs of a 180 degree wind shift from North-East to the South – meaning the crews have had to perform hasty spinnaker drops in order to prepare for battling up-wind again.

John Bass, an IT Consultant from Epping and crew-member on BP Explorer, describes the changing conditions in their daily log: “This morning we crossed a final hurdle - a low-pressure trough separating a north-easterly wind from a southerly that should take us to BA. The gust front when it does come, comes quickly. Rain lashes down and the wind rises dramatically, sometimes gusting up to 40 knots. Headsails go up, the kite comes down amid urgent shouting and frantic pulling. We are hard on the wind and the breeze has shifted all the way south.”

If the southerly winds persists, the yachts will be on a tight reach right up to the finish line outside Buenos Aires. However, as the yachts pass the waypoint 15 miles south of Punta del Este, the southern-most point of Uruguay, their next hurdle will be navigating the shallow waters of the River Plate.

VAIO crew-member Hugh Sutherland, a London-based Actuary, shares his thoughts on preparations for this crucial stage of the race: “There's the anxiety of the navigational responsibilities for the run to the finish. The course takes us round 4 waypoints in the River Plate, and the waters are shallow and strewn with wrecks and other obstructions. I think we've done the preparation fully - Admiralty pilot for details of hazards, tide streams and tide times, plotting the waypoints on the paper and electronic charts, calculating bearings and headings. All the same, I'm nervous - I've done plenty of this in theory (RYA exams) and practice (training sails, RYA exams) but only once before in race conditions.”

With numerous obstructions lurking underwater, shipping to avoid and tidal stream anomalies to contend with, the crews have got their work cut out for the next 24 hrs or so. The leaders will be only too aware that even small mistakes at this stage could cost them dearly and rival crews behind will be ready to capitalise on any chances they get. The Battle for the River Plate, and ultimately the first leg, has begun.

3 Nov 2004 16:24 GMT

Kate Hayler