Steve White crossed back into the Northern Hemisphere in the early hours of this morning on Toe in the Water as he continues with a comparatively straightforward Doldrums crossing.
He had a nominal slowdown last night making only two to three knots, a matter of two or three hours before he crossed the line, but White has mostly continued to return solid averages as he pushes on towards completing his first solo round the world race.
White, who was on the brink of losing his family house and his IMOCA Open 60 before a private backer rescued his dream of doing the Vendée Globe at the very last minute. The financial package provided was contingent on White publicizing Toe in the Water.
Toe in the Water is a British charity set up last year which utilizes the environment of competitive sailing as an attraction to motivate, rehabilitate and give back some enjoyment to injured servicmen and women working with the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Service in
The charity works with Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force and seeks to inspire men and women who have sustained traumatic injuries to move on from their disability and be re-inspired by their potential to enjoy active and fulfilling lives, not least by taking part in competitive sailing.
In the manner that White has seized his Vendée Globe opportunity and continually delivered his race to the wider public in his typically upbeat, often humorous but totally down to earth style, he has been a great ambassador for the charity, proving what can be achieved with his subtle blend of gritty determination, good seamanship, and a healthy dollop of self effacing good spirits.
The British skipper was making good speeds northwards, with around 100-110 miles of Doldrums still to cross although this morning he seems to be making over 10 knots at times and is forecast to be seeing 10-15 knots of NE’ly breeze.
Marc Guillemot (Safran) leads the fleet on the water now and has a theoretical, computed lead of about 108 miles over Sam Davies, GBR, (Roxy) which he has gained since yesterday morning. The soloist from Le Trinité is just shaving the northern fringes of the
As a comparison winner Mich Desj’s overall actual distance sailed is around 1000 miles more than that of runner up Armel Le Cléac’h who took the easterly option round the high, as has Davies. Foncia did sail fewer miles across Biscay after the start, but then generally took a more westerly line down the
Sam Davies in second on the water, a secure fourth place overall currently, is about 210 miles from the Azores and has ‘the pink rocket’ back ‘hooning’ in Kick Ass mode. Her speeds have rarely dropped below 13 knots and has mostly been making around 15 knots in the quick reaching conditions. She has about 1000 miles to sail to Cape Finisterre and looks set to pass through the middle of the Azores, although has politely declined an invitation to Tea at a school in the
Brian Thompson, GBR, (Bahrain Team Pindar) is about 400 miles directly, straight line distance behind Davies and has now been able to wind up his Open 60 a little more, making 12-13 knots through part of the night which has allowed him to hold distance on Dee Caffari, GBR (Aviva) who has only now started to feel the effects of the high pressure system. She is about 64 miles behind Thompson but had slowed back to just over six knots though she did not appear to have far to go to catch the same 20 knots S’ly breeze that Bahrain Team Pindar is enjoying.
1400 miles due east of Antigua Arnaud Boissières makes steady progress 11-13 knots and is 1100 miles ahead of Steve White and now 581 miles behind Dee Caffari.
Rich Wilson had a temporary slow down last night, still having problems with the linkage in his steering gear, and has replaced the offending bolt twice now. Racing in the light trade wind, 12 knots, he is 460 miles ESE of
Raphael Dinelli (Fondation Océan Vital) and Norbert Sedlacek, AUT, (Nauticsport-Kapsch) seem to be in fair shape as they take on a difficult low pressure system. The Austrian skipper has been slightly quicker in the downwind conditions but remains 400 miles behind his south Pacific partner.
