Stamm leads

As Around Alone fleet tackles the Atlantic

Technology often conspires against you, particularly when it combines racing across oceans, computers and high technology satellite communications. Following the teething problems Clipper Ventures have had as they attempt to keep the general public, not to mention the press, up to date about the progress of their race, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, Chairman of the Around Alone Race Committee must be wondering whether it wasn't quicker in the old days when skippers used to call in their positions by SSB radio via the gentlefolk of the now defunct Portishead Radio.

Last night Bernard Stamm had opened up a 65 mile lead over second placed Thierry Dubois, with Patrick de Radigues moving up to third. Dubois and Stamm are currently on the right hand side of the course with de Radigues and Bianchetti in their own private battle to the north west, on the left hand side of course equidistant between the leaders and the southeastern tip of Newfoundland.

In class two favourite Brad van Liew is out in front with second placed Tim Kent out on the right hand side of the course and John Dennis in Bayer Ascensia out to the west, trying to stay in the favourable winds to the north of a high pressure system that is chasing the fleet away from America.

At present all the competitors are trying to avoid the clutches of this high pressure system that is going to be compressed from the north by a low pressure system forming over Newfoundland at present. Depending upon the timing of how all this unfolds, Stamm and Dubois may get out of the effect of the high pressure system to the east, while de Radigues and Bianchetti to the north west may be better positioned to feel the first effects of the low pressure system which could well set them off on a rollercoaster ride across the north Atlantic in 30knot westerlies. This scenario could well end up in a case of the rich getting richer, but the position and size of the high pressure system over Bermuda would suggest that being north will pay over the next few days.

British competitor Emma Richards is currently lying a disappointing last in class one and it is understood that part of the problem has been due to communications - her Inmarsat B terminal is down and it is understood that she hasn't been able to pick up weather information, not even GRIB files through her Iridium phone as the connection was dropping every time she went across a wave. However it is believed that this may now have resolved itself and Emma was said to be more 'chilled' this morning.

Graham Dalton has recovered after Hexagon's main halyard broke on Wednesday. See his report on page 2...

If you want a bit of a laugh then read the unedited forum on the Around Alone site...

Positions

Pos	Boat	Skipper	Lat	Long	Speed	DTF	DTL
	Class One
1	Bobst Group-Armor Lux	Bernard Stamm	45 15.640 N	43 26.880 W	16.00 kt	1638.39 nm	0
2	Solidaires	Thierry Dubois	44 15.320 N	45 28.320 W	13.00 kt	1741.95 nm	103.56
3	Garnier	Patrick de Radigues	45 22.360 N	48 14.320 W	11.00 kt	1820.45 nm	182.06
4	Tiscali	Simone Bianchetti	44 43.240 N	48 48.840 W	7.00 kt	1858.99 nm	220.6
5	Hexagon	Graham Dalton	44 29.600 N	49 15.400 W	7.60 kt	1881.93 nm	243.54
6	Ocean Planet	Bruce Schwab	43 53.160 N	49 02.920 W	6.20 kt	1890.04 nm	251.65
7	Pindar	Emma Richards	43 10.480 N	50 12.840 W	7.80 kt	1954.67 nm	316.28
	Class Two
1	Tommy Hilfiger Freedom America	Brad van Liew	43 05.160 N	52 23.640 W	3.86 kt	2041.35 nm	0
2	Spirit of Canada	Derek Hatfield	43 29.920 N	56 12.840 W	7.29 kt	2176.44 nm	135.09
3	Everest Horizontal	Tim Kent	38 24.920 N	52 43.640 W	8.77 kt	2200.60 nm	159.25
4	Bayer Ascensia	John Dennis	43 39.800 N	57 41.040 W	4.54 kt	2227.95 nm	186.6
5	BTC Velocity	Alan Paris	41 52.440 N	57 47.440 W	0.72 kt	2284.97 nm	243.62
6	Spirit of Yukoh	Kojiro Shiraishi	no poll