Round Britain & Ireland - Kunachi Holds Her Course But Can She Retain Her Lead?: What Challenges Have The Fleet Got Left?

9 Jun 2004 17:09 GMT Nails are starting to be bitten down as our 8 yachts charge around East Anglia Kunachi still just in the lead, holding their course with Team Seven and BP Explorer, virtually neck and neck, taking more of a westerly course. Which yacht will profit? Can Kunachi keep the lead?

At the back of the fleet Besso is breathing down Save the Children’s neck and building up the deficit that has recently eluded them from challenging the leader board. This morning they were 18 miles behind Save the Children but have now come striding back into the race and closed the gap by 9 miles.

Barclays Adventurer has closed the gap now too, by two miles, and is now just 7 miles behind BP Explorer!

Still got any nails left?

SAIC is still in fifth place – skipper, Eero Lehinten explaining in the daily log that he has just had a shower and a shave with thoughts now turning towards his first pint of Stella! This must have worked as they have now made up 8 miles with just 14 miles to close up to the leading pack.

The Firm still has 8 miles to catch up to SAIC and Save the Children also has 8 miles to catch up but, as we explained this morning, don’t think for one second that positions won’t change! As identical yachts, there’s not much in it.

Wow, what a race! After we picked ourselves off the floor from all the excitement we had a chat to Jeremy Troughton, Sailing and Training Manager, here at Challenge Business, about the next section of the race. He explained: “The wind is set to continue in a south westerly direction which will see them hard on the wind as they cross the Thames Estuary and continue down the Kent Coast.

“However, between then and now there are the sand banks of the Thames Estuary to judge plus buoys and waypoints to go around.

“They also have to negotiate the notorious Goodwin Sands before they hit the strong tides and increased shipping of the Dover Straits. As we saw last time, things can change right up to the finish as the south coast represents considerable tidal challenges for the fleet on its final stretch home.”

So what is the ETA for the leading boats? Well, we’re currently looking at late afternoon tomorrow but for the latest news ring the recorded information on 07963 834 686.

We know that you’re going to be on the edge of your seats to find out where the boats are and how well they’re doing so, as of 8am tomorrow morning, we’ll be polling the yachts every two hours.

So, hold on tight to your seats, they’ve nearly finished, but none will be finishing without a fight!

Official Site: www.roundbritainchallenge.com