Leg 3 kicks off today

The brave men and woman of Around Alone set out into the Southern Ocean

Above: the valiant skippers...top row (left to right): Kojiro Shiraishi, John Dennis, Simone Bianchetti, Thierry Dubois, Derek Hatfield, Emma Richards and Alan Paris, bottom row (left to right) Bruce Schwab, Graham Dalton, Brad van Liew, Tim Kent, Bernard Stamm

The third leg of Around Alone kicks off today from Cape Town, South Africa, taking the solo sailors into the perilous waters of the Southern Ocean bound for Tauranga in New Zealand some 7,190 nautical miles away.

Despite the recent morning fog, the indications are for fair winds from the south at the start of the race at 12:00hrs local time (1000GMT), which will shift to the South West to give headwinds for the fleet for the first 6–8 hours (for an analysis of the course see page 2...)

All the skippers were in fine spirits during yesterday's press conference prior to the ‘serious leg’ as described by American skipper Tim Kent on Everest Horizontal.

Overall current leader with 20 points, Swiss skipper Bernard Stamm on Bobst Group-Armor Lux, explained how he saw this next Southern Ocean leg: “The only time I have been in this ocean is on a cargo ship so this time it will be quite different! First I will sail safely, as the biggest danger of all is myself – to know the limits of the boat is not a simple task, these boats are complicated machines. I’ve changed the mainsail so I can take four reefs in instead of three, and we’ve added a cuddy in the cockpit so that I can shelter a little from the weather. As for my competition, well, we are great friends, but out there it’s war, and if the race is not for winning, then what?!”

French circumnavigator, Thierry Dubois on Solidaires, currently second in the overall rankings just two points behind Stamm, added: “I am looking forward to strong winds – and I mean above 40 knots! The weather in the South was kind when I raced in the Vendée Globe, so the fact that I have already been around the bottom of world is not really significant here.”

Dubois is no stranger to the perils that face the boats in this stretch of water. During the 1996 Vendee Globe while some 1,000 miles south of Australia his Open 60 turned upside down during a massive storm and remained that way. In one of the most extraordinary tales, a rescue mission was mounted to save him and British sailor Tony Bullimore. With his boat sinking Dubois had to abandon ship and only survived thanks to the Royal Australian Air Force dropping two liferafts from a plane. He swam (remember we're talking the middle of the Southern Ocean here) to one liftraft only to clamber in and find it was deflating... Fortunately the other liferaft was still attached and he was able to make it across to that one. He and Bullimore were eventually rescued by a Australian frigate

British skipper Emma Richards on Open 60 Pindar, lying third overall in Class 1 with 15 points, was last in this stretch of the Southern Ocean during her attempt on the Jules Verne Trophy on board Tracy Edwards' catamaran Royal & Sun Alliance. She reminded everyone of the pleasures of sailing in the South: “I love it – well except for the ice and isolation! There is the most fantastic sailing ahead of us, it is so beautiful down there, and I hope all of us will enjoy the strong winds and big waves.”

For Graham Dalton leg three will see him racing into his homeport aboard Hexagon: “The aim is always to get to the finish in the quickest time possible, especially as I know that the people of Tauranga will come out in their thousands to welcome the boats in. I did my first sail training in these waters and the boat is really sorted now, so I’m going all out to beat the others in to port.”

Class 2 leader Brad Van Liew on Tommy Hilfiger Freedom America, the only Around Alone veteran, has tasted the South before, unlike his fellow class 2 competitors. This time round he is a father, which inevitably adds to the emotion of leaving family and friends for a month long stretch of racing in the harshest seas on this planet: “Of course I don’t like to leave my wife Meaghan and little girl Tate, but part of me will be driven to get to the next port quickest so I can see them again.”

The oldest competitor in the fleet, diabetic skipper John Dennis on Bayer Ascensia, has his boat all set and is looking forward to the experience ahead: “Brad is a smart guy and knows where he is going, and Tim Kent on the other 50 footer is now called ‘scooter’, as he has tendancies to scoot from one side of the course to the other! I’m going to be keeping a close eye on these two and if I can keep a straight line between them, I’m hoping to get to the finish line a bit quicker than I did in this last leg.” All of John’s closest competitors are taking John’s medication for his diabetes on board in case he ever needs to be rescued by a fellow skipper during the leg.

Japanese skipper Kojiro Shiraishi on Spirit of yukoh is the other skipper in ‘Eastern’ waters, which he knows better. His aim: “To take pictures of icebergs and remain in good humour! My Finot designed boat will go much faster I hope, it is made for the South.”

See page two for information about the race course for leg 3...