Passing the exclusion zone

Salversen and Thomson lead in Portimão Global Ocean Race

The Portimão Global Ocean Race fleet streamed north of the western limit of the southern exclusion zone at 1800 GMT yesterday (27/02) with Jeremy Salvesen and David Thomson on Team Mowgli holding first place and the Chilean duo, Felipe Cubillos and José Muñoz on Desafio Cabo de Hornos in hot pursuit. Overnight, the fleet’s speeds fluctuated between 8-11 knots and this morning the formation remains the same with the four boats compressing as Boris Herrmann and Felix Oehme climb gradually north on Beluga Racer to link with the main pack.

In the latest 0620 GMT poll (29/02), Team Mowgli lead second placed Desafio Cabo de Hornos by a little under 3 miles with the German team on Beluga Racer furthest south, 50 miles north of the ice gate, trailing the leader by 16 miles. Meanwhile, solo sailor, Michel Kleinjans on Roaring Forty is maintaining excellent speed averages, racing on level terms with the double-handed fleet and currently trails the leading Class 40 by just 18 miles.

The highest speed average in the fleet this morning is 8.5 knots by Desafio Cabo de Hornos who are clearly unaffected by a sad loss on board the bright red Chilean Class 40 yesterday (27/02). “Unfortunately, today as the sun rose, our dear spinnaker, ‘Partouche’, who has given us loyal and noble service to our cause for the first two legs of the race, has ceased to exist,” reported Felipe Cubillos last night. “Literally, it has been pulverised by a gust of wind of 24 knots. But that’s life and we must continue sailing with what we have.”