Sea, Sail & Surf newsAROUND ALONE
Restart from Tobarbay posponed 24 hrs to Monday 14th
dimanche 13 octobre 2002 –
Cynics might scoff at the thought of weather being the cause for the race delay given that these boats are designed and engineered to sail around the world, but it’s not that the boats can’t sail in a gale, it’s that they will not be able to get off the docks. The yachts have to be towed out of the marina because their engine shafts are sealed for the leg, and the tow boats are not able to manage especially with a strong easterly wind that brings a large swell into the harbor.
So with that as a given, race officials have decided to do the prudent thing and postpone the start by a day. "It’s absolutely the right thing to do," said Race Chairman Sir Robin Knox-Johnston. "Our main concern is to not have any damage to the boats and so if it makes sense to delay the start a day, that’s what we will do."
The Around Alone Race Organisation Organisation #organisation met with the Brixham Yacht Club officials, in charge of organizing the start, and all the Around Alone skippers to discuss the situation with the weather forecast, before deciding altogether to make this 24hr postponement. The reason for a day’s delay is also because in order to re-arrange the start, so many people in the community are involved in the organization.
John Dennis (Bayer Ascensia) voiced the reaction of the skippers : "It’s a smart decision. We’ve got a long race around the world, so why take a chance on some very violent weather which might damage our boats getting out of the harbour. The other thing is that we will now have Kojiro starting with us, as he thought he would have to start 24hrs later due to his keel damage."
Brad Van Liew (Tommy Hilfiger Freedom America) added : "We needed a decision now on the best available information. Robin’s main concern is that we get away safely from Brixham, it’s up to us to make sure we get ourselves to Cape Town."
Tim Kent (Everest Horizontal) explained : "There’s no point going out in this kind of weather. It’s not that the boats cannot handle this kind of weather in the open sea, but here in the bay it ?s the interface between land and sea that makes it dangerous."
Dans la même rubrique
Around Alone : Dennis Nears Torbay Unscathed and Optimistic
AROUND ALONE : Double win in Torbay for Bernard Stamm
Around Alone : Bernard Stamm sets new solo mono transat record
Around Alone : Van Liew Takes Dominant Lead in First Week of Around Alone
