Whitbread Log: Leg 4, Sydney to Auckland
EF Language in Leg 4
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Day 5 - Jan. 8, 1998
0748 GMT
35° 08'S, 174° 17'E
Miles to Auckland: 108
Place: 4th; distance behind 1st-place boat: 1.2 miles
From: Paul Cayard, skipper EF Language
It has been a strange day to say the least. Our investment to the south on Tuesday paid off well and we closed in on Chessie and
Merit, while passing Silk Cut.
This afternoon, as we approached North Cape, the wind died
everywhere except right on the beach. Merit did a nice job of
recognizing this, and she and Chessie cut inshore and passed a
floundering Swedish Match and Toshiba. We followed Chessie and
Merit, passing Swedish Match and closing on the pack.
We all got around the North Cape and sailed in a nice 16-knot
southwesterly for 30 miles. Then the wind just shifted in a wall
to the northeast. We were literally half a mile from Toshiba,
sailing parallel on opposite tacks, with good pressure. Now, the
four of us are sailing close to land in the light northeasterly.
We think this is a thermal induced breeze and that tonight the
wind will die and come back from the southwest.
This leg is playing out true to predictions, tricky and all will
be decided on the east coast.
Right now, Merit leads, with Chessie second, Toshiba third, and us
fourth, all within one mile. Match is 5 miles back.
It will be a long night and day until we finish. No sleep, I
imagine.
Leg 4 positions at 1900 GMT today:
| Boat | Points* | Position
Overall |
- Merit Cup
- EF Language (P. Cayard, skipper)
- Toshiba
- Chessie Racing (J. Kostecki, tactician)
- Swedish Match
- Silk Cut
- Innovation Kvaerner
- BrunelSunergy
- EF Education
|
333
394
288
283
313
258
307
96
100
|
2
1
5
6
3
7
4
9
8
|
* Aggregate points total, including points scored for the first, second and third legs and points for the fourth leg according to current positions.
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