Fair winds to the finish

Mari Cha IV crew hanging on as record is within their grasp

Mon 6th Oct 03 at 20:26	52 47.44 ' N	35 36.24 ' W	76	21.8	19.83	1140.68	505.43
Tue 7th Oct 03 at 00:28	53 08.20 ' N	33 16.96 ' W	73	21.6	19.9	1055.84	511.56
Tue 7th Oct 03 at 04:30	53 28.88 ' N	30 54.20 ' W	81	22.2	19.96	970.95	513.02
Tue 7th Oct 03 at 08:32	53 27.64 ' N	28 33.56 ' W	95	22	19.99	887.3	509.56
Tue 7th Oct 03 at 15:06	53 22.56 ' N	24 34.72 ' W	99	21.6	20.05	745.26
Tue 7th Oct 03 at 20:30	53 00.28 ' N	21 32.92 ' W	115	20.8	20.07	634.18	506.5
Wed 8th Oct 03 at 00:32	52 30.12 ' N	19 28.96 ' W	116	17.6	20.06	554.98	500.86
Wed 8th Oct 03 at 04:34	51 54.12 ' N	17 31.00 ' W	128	20	20.05	477.6	493.35

Mari Cha IV earlier this morning had just 493 miles left to run in her high speed passage across the north Atlantic from New York to the Lizard. If her present speed holds then she is likely to cross the finish line tomorrow morning in a time potentially two days faster than Bernard Stamm's Open 50, the current holder of the west to east transat record.

"What an amazing few days we have had out here!" commented Mari Cha IV's helmsman Mike Sanderson. "We have been dreaming about this for a few years now since plans for this mighty yacht first took place, but to be honest, so far it has been even better then I had expected. The trip has just been an absolute pleasure. It has, without doubt, been the most enjoyable sailing I have ever done - day after day of awesome fast sailing with a fantastic boat and crew."

At present the crew are very aware that the west to east record is in the bag for them - unless there is some catastrophic gear failure. "Really the only reason that we won't beat the transatlantic record now would be if we were to break something, and, whilst running in 25 to 35 knots there is a reasonable chance of that, I am sitting here writing this as the boat is hurtling along in relatively flat water at 25/ 27 knots - just awesome sailing," continues Sanderson.

So far there have been a few minor issues - a bolt rope breaking in their Code 7 and a lock strop on their code 3 gennaker. Fortunately Sanderson says it is unlikely they will need it again prior to the finish.

Over the course of the next 24 hours the wind looks set to stay in the northwest, but the high pressure system looks set to weaken and drift south, so the winds are likely to be lighter as Mari Cha IV approaches the Cornish coast.