The Race - 1800 - 24/1/01

Cam Lewis may be delayed by adverse weather in Cape Town, the race office reports

Quote/unquote
Dariusz Drapella (Warta-Polpharma): "Fantastic weather! Fantastic speed! Fantastic morale! We're on the motorway. The sea is flat and we are flying at 25 knots! We are increasing our lead over Team Legato and we hope to pass the latitude of Cape Town on Saturday. We have been seeing lots of albatrosses and last night we witnessed an extraordinary scene: 3 dolphins accompanied us for hours on end playing just under our nets, exactly between our two hulls! They shone and sang in a phosphorescent sea. It was marvellous!"

Larry Rosenfeld (Team Adventure): "The boys are now well rested. They have done a good job on board and have also been enjoying the fabulous welcome extended by the South Africans. The workmen worked for 11 hours non-stop yesterday. We are delighted with the work done on the beam. We are ready for a new challenge."

Xavier Dagault (Innovation Explorer): "Weather grey and overcast, freezing rain, light winds, slow speed. We doused the spinnaker this morning to repair and reinforce a few tears. We have just hoisted it again, but the wind is falling rather badly, I don't know if it will fill in these light airs. It is now so patched that it reminds me of Kevin Costner's boat in Waterworld. Morale is excellent. Loïck (Peyron) is magic. He knows how to get the best out of the men in an atmosphere that is both merry and concentrated. We are heading down south and are waiting for a strong shift expected this evening. At our speeds, I believe that the 60-day barrier is within our grasp.