Schwab within shouting distance

First potential American finisher in Vendee Globe heads across Biscay

Positions at 1500 GMT 22 February 2005
9. Bruce Schwab (Ocean Planet) 302.5 miles from the finish.
10. Benoît Parnaudeau (Max Havelaar Best Western) 1274.7 miles from 9th.
11. Anne Liardet (Roxy) 1739.1 miles from 9th.
12. Raphael Dinelli (Akena Verandas) 2376.7 miles from 9th.
13. Karen Leibovici (Benefic) 2679.7 miles from 9th.

American skipper Bruce Schwab on Ocean Planet had to tack pass Cape Finisterre (Spain) earlier today, as the wind headed at the last minute. This afternoon he is just 300 miles from the finish and already a huge international following are present in Les Sables d’Olonne to witness the arrival of the first American to finish the Vendée Globe. With solely the Bay of Biscay to negotiate, Bruce is likely to encounter NE’ly headwinds as he makes the final upwind slog under two reefs and staysail, waiting for the changing wind to sort itself out and hopefully lift to port. For now he is suffering up to 30 knot squalls pelting him with hail and realistically, given his current 4.6 knot average, he is looking at looping the loop of what has been a fantastic story of human endeavour on Thursday afternoon.

“I crossed the shipping lanes this morning and was very fast even under 3 reefs and staysail. I was being very conservative but still managed 12 knots. I only had to call up 2 freighters so it wasn’t too bad. The main traffic was fishing boats. I’ve got some fishermen around me right now. On the radar we have about 16/17 boats. There’s a rain squall coming so it’s very crowded and busy. I was hoping I would be close enough to steal some fish but that hasn’t been the case! I had to change course a little to avoid any collisions but fortunately there was a wind shift with the squalls that enabled me to get through two groups. A number of the fishermen are in pairs and I have around 6 groups of two around me.”

In the latest contact with 9th placed Bruce at 1330 GMT, he was in very shifty conditions making an average of just 4.6 knots over a four hour period. He reported very little wind one minute, his sails flogging from side to side, the next a 30 knot squall filled with hail. “It’s hard to say what the wind is going to do. It’s a very strange zone on the corner of a low pressure system as it moves over Spain. I’m just passing the cape and though it says I should have a NE’ly wind I’ve actually got N’ly near the coast. I’m hoping for the wind to lift to port and if that is the case I can continue to the E. An arrival on Thursday afternoon would be great but it could be very slow tomorrow. I hope the wind will hold and that Mother nature won’t throw too many curves at me!”