The Match Race Continues

LOCATION: 190 miles S of Buenos Aires
BOATSPEED: 12.3 KTS
WINDSPEED: 19 KTS
HEADING: 064 degrees
DISTANCE TO FINISH: 730 miles

And so the match race continues. Another day, another few tacks. Groupama and us are always within sight of each other and realistically, this could be the way it stays until the finish. We’ve long ago accepted the fact that we wont be getting much of a break before then!

I think by now our confidence in the boat is cemented. We’ve spent two days straight-line sailing against the French and we haven’t lost any more than we’ve gained. Fortunately, that helps the decision making process as we don’t feel the need to do anything drastic or radical. So our game plan remains the same: stay in the same patch of ocean, cover when we can, and sail for the small shifts.

Unfortunately, the strong upwind conditions we hoped we’d miss have arrived, and we’re back to slamming upwind in 20 knots. It’s stirring some horrible memories of the start of this leg, memories none of us have yet had time to displace. The uncomfortable sound of a bashing boat is only going to make our limited sleeping hours that much tougher. Oh well.

The breeze is expected to go aft at some point and we should start reaching north towards Itajaí. Then, and only then, will the 700-odd miles between us and Brazil start disappearing at a likeable rate!

- Amory

Amory Ross

Media Crew Member

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“Can you imagine the tailspin this boat will go into if we run out of coffee?” - Crew of PUMA's Mar Mostro