Route du Rhum - Sir Robin Knox-Johnston savouring battle for podium

by Marina Thomas on 18 Nov 2014 Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, 75, is relishing his fight for a podium place in the Rhum class of solo Transatlantic race, the Route du Rhum – Destination Guadeloupe.

The British Clipper Race founder and first man to sail solo, nonstop round the world in 1968/9 is currently in fourth place on his Open 60 Grey Power. He is just three miles from the third-placed yacht, having dropped down a place this morning after holding onto third for almost 36 hours.

Sir Robin is involved in a 'stimulating' battle with three other yachts for the final podium in a week which has seen light winds, rain squalls and big wind shifts in the Azores high pressure system.

Sir Robin has 1253 miles to go till the finish line having set off from Saint-Malo, France, on 2 November on the 3,542 mile Transatlantic contest.

He said: 'The fight for third is very exciting. It has been a frustrating week at times though. The North Atlantic depressions pushed the Azores high South after the big yachts had passed through.

'This meant I had to go deeper South to avoid it, which means a greater distance to the finish. We have all been battling lighter than forecast winds, rain squalls and big shifts in the wind, but we are in the Tropics after all.

'I have had little sleep the last few days as I constantly need to keep my boat moving, but things have improved with the wind backing overnight and making more favourable conditions today.'

Sir Robin has been battling against Jean-Paul Froc on GroupeBertoall week with the two yachts within a mile of each other at times. And Sir Robin is now behind rival Andrea Mura in third on Vento di Sardegna.

Current ETA into Point a Pitre, Guadeloupe is 25 Clipper Round the World