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| Storm-Force Winds Batter Solo Racers |
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 | | Photo by OnEdition | | When the Velux Five Oceans single-handed round-the-world race began in Bilbao, Spain on Sunday OCtober 22, the forecast was for winds gusting to 40 mph. But within 24 hours, the fleet was being battered by 70-knot (hurricane-force) winds that severely tested the Open 60’ yachts and their skippers.
Of the six boats that crossed the line, four were forced back into port to repair damaged sails and rigs including all three English entrants. .
The two sailors who remained racing toward Fremantle, Australia 12,000 miles away were the Swiss Bernard Stamm on Cheminees Poujoulat, who won the 2002-3 race, in the lead and Japanese hero, Kojiro Shiraishi 160 miles behind.
The oldest competitor in the race, 67 year old Sir Robin Knox Johnson, the first man to sail around the world non-stop in 1969, described the waves as watery Himalayas, probably about 40 feet between trough and crest....all of the crests are breaking, and everything is white. He returned to the fray after repairing damaged mast track.
American skipper Tim Troy luckily escaped the carnage, as the safety committee would not allow him to start until he had added extra ballast to his yacht Margaret Anna. |
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