Beast is loose

Kingfisher2 makes up for lost ground

1500 GMT 14.2.03 Position: 40 14'S 23 45'W

Av/Max boat speed in last hour: 18.05 / 27.4 knots
Av/Max wind speed in last hour: 29.8 / 39.8 knots Wind direction: 300
Distance to WP5 42 00'S / 18 28'W 490 nm south Cape Town: 1891 nm (theorectical shortest distance)


"THE BEAST IS LOOSE...."

Kingfisher2 is striding out - over 180 miles since the 0700 poll this morning and another potential 500+ mile 24 hour run. This is what Ellen and the crew have been waiting for: "The beast is loose - after spending the last week teasing and cajoling her to move, we are now doing our best to hang on... reaching into a head sea at 25+kts," said Damian Foxall in a phonecall from the boat this afternoon.

"We're shifting which is good," said MacArthur. "We just passed 40 degrees south an hour ago - the sky is grey and cloudy, classic Southern Ocean sky. The barometer is falling - we are chasing one depression ahead with another bigger depression coming behind in about two days time but we have good wind in between."

Kingfisher2 will hope to stay with the next depression for as long as they can - up to a week may be possible - but need to position themselves correctly at the right latitude (approximately 43 degrees south) to hitch the ride in the first place.

The next leg record on the Jules Verne course is the Ushant to Cape of Good Hope. Geronimo set a new leg record of 16 days, 14 hours and 35 minutes which is impossible for Kingfisher2 to beat as they would need to cross the Cape of Good Hope longitude at 018 28'W shortly after 2100 GMT tomorrow. KINGFISHER2 has approximately 1890 nautical miles to reach this point but how long it takes depends on the depression she is riding now and would need to cross longitude 018 28'W before 01:28GMT on Tuesday 18.2.03.

JULES VERNE USHANT (START) TO CAPE OF GOOD HOPE TIMES:
2003 Geronimo (de Kersauson) 16 days 14 hours 35 minutes 21 seconds
2002 Orange (Peyron) 18 days 18 hours 40 minutes
KF2 must cross longitude 018 28'W before 01:28GMT Tuesday 18.2.03
1997 Sport Elec (de Kersauson) 21 days 18 hours 17 minutes
KF2 must cross longitude 018 28'W before 01:05GMT Friday 21.2.03
1994 ENZA (Blake/Knox-Johnston) 19 days 17 hours 53 minutes
KF2 must cross longitude 018 28'W before 0041GMT Wednesday 19.2.03
1993 Commodore Explorer (Peyron) 21 days 12 hours 48 minutes
KF2 must cross longitude 018 28'W before 19:36 Thursday 20.2.03