Latest ETA for leader - Friday morning - EDS Atlantic Challenge

by Kingfisher Challenges on 23 Aug 2001 FILA tears mainsail in half, as ECOVER takes the lead - just over 500 miles to go. Repaired sail allowing them to continue, but not at 100% until wind goes lighter...as expected to do so in next 24 hours.

KINGFISHER throttles back amidst concern over the repeat of a rigging problem that first appeared on leg 3 - skipper, Nick Moloney - 'we're focusing on safety and what we need to do to win the event'

As surfing conditions continue albeit with a moderating, now southerly sector wind the fleet prepare and position for lighter winds ahead in the English Channel. This won't be over until its over, that is for sure!


DIRECT from KINGFISHER this morning :
[relayed by BT satellite phone call]

Yesterday morning as we changed up a gear, going for the gennaker, we noticed the top of the rig was out of column and unstable. We immediately changed down again to make the rig safe, and have been examining the problem and trying to resolve it ever since. Youngster has been up the mast, and we've made some improvements, but its not solved.

Since we discovered this we've throttled back, and will wait for lighter winds for the loads to come off to see if we can retune the standing rigging and come back up closer to 100%. Right now we're at about 80% to 90%, and have been for 24 hours, although we're still averaging some good speeds in a really kind wave pattern.

Its encouraging that we have not lost so many miles to ECOVER, and certainly have not given up hope of attacking them as the winds go lighter as we approach the finish. Obviously there is some disappointment, its been an awesome ride and battle so far, but technical issues are very much part of a race, and we are focusing on safety and what we need to do to win the event.

Nick


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