Transat Australia’s Moloney oversleeps

by Offshore Challenges on 13 Jun 2004 Nick Moloney is hopeful of retaining fourth place in The Transat solo race that finishes in Boston this weekend.

His Open 60 Skandia was 99 miles behind third-placed Pindar Alphagraphics sailed by Kiwi Mike Sanderson, on Saturday morning.

More importantly, Nick's position doesn't look threatened by British yacht Hellomoto, over 87 miles astern, although he isn't taking anything for granted.

‘It looks pretty light for the finish right now,’ he said. ‘I have a 100-mile buffer [at 0500 GMT] on Conrad [Humphreys Hellomoto and I hope I can maintain that. I would like to finish with the minimum amount of stress.’

When asked about his chances of overhauling Sanderson and making the podium, Nick replied: ‘I can‚t really see that happening with the forecast we have. I am not expecting to see a big bunching up at the front - I just hope the
guys behind me don't compress on me. I don't think we will see it with the forecast showing reasonable winds.’

The light winds yesterday left little time for rest and this morning he overslept, getting in full 75 minutes shut-eye. ‘I just had the longest sleep of the journey and went off course!’ he said.’ I slept for about one and quarter hours so it is shocking when you wake up! I just ran on deck checking everything and then realised we had gone off course a bit but nothing too drastic.

‘The radar is showing more traffic so it is busy and not much time to rest.

It's good I've rested now,’ he added, continuing: ‘I'm enjoying the conditions; flat water and sunshine. After the last few days, this is great.’

Mike Golding continues to lead. His yacht Ecover had 167 miles to sail this morning. Dominique Wavre on Temenos still has work to do to cement second place. The Swiss yachtsman was only ten miles ahead of Mike Sanderson.

IMOCA POSITIONS 1100 GMT
NAME / SKIPPER / LAT / LONG / DIST
1. ECOVER / GOLDING / 42 07.40' N / 67 19.20' W / 162 miles to finish
2. TEMENOS / WAVRE / 42 19.80' N / 66 38.80' W / 29.5 miles behind leader
3. PINDAR / SANDERSON / 42 20.24' N / 66 25.12' W / 39.2 miles behind leader
4. SKANDIA / MOLONEY / 43 03.68' N / 64 12.88' W / 138.3 miles behind leader
5. HELLOMOTO/ HUMPHREYS / 41 01.64' N / 61 54.88' W / 250.5 miles behind leader
ABD CHEMINÉES POUJOULAT - AMOR LUX / STAMM
ABD PRB / RIOU
ABD VIRBAC / Dick