Global protest could affect results

by Rachel Anning on 9 Jun 2005 All yachts in the Global Challenge have now finished Leg 5, the longest leg in the race, with the last yacht, Pindar, making her entrance into Boston Harbour on June 8, local time.

Crews are now enjoying Massachusetts city and relaxing in the sun. They are delighted to have finished the leg, which was a hard slog, often exacerbated by no wind and fiercely competitive, as always.

BG SPIRIT’s bold tactical move east paid huge dividends for the crew who shot into first and claimed the longest lead win in the event’s history – 36 hours.

Jubilant skipper, Andy Forbes commented, ‘we didn’t expect it to pay off as much as it has done.

‘We moved into different weather systems and it was pretty much all done and dusted. For some reason our lead just kept extending and extending – it was an amazing feeling.’

BG SPIRIT also won Leg 3 in a similarly brave fashion, by making a bold move to the south of the course when the rest of the fleet stayed north; a result which earned them first place on the overall leaderboard.

‘When we left Sydney we were four points clear,’ said Andy, ‘but when we left Cape Town, we were four points behind. We said then that things could change - and it looks like they might.’

Leg 1 winner, Barclays Adventurer, came in second with VAIO in third; a team who look like they have finally put their inter crew unrest behind them and lifted them back to a podium place standing.

Skipper, Amedeo Sorrentino, explained his jubilation on the dockside: ‘It’s a great result for us - and we were fighting for first all the way. It was very stressful for routing and navigation though, but a podium place was our target.

The close finishes, which have characterised the race so far, made reappearance when SAIC La Jolla, which led throughout much of the early stages of the leg, came in three and a half hours behind VAIO.

A small gap enabled the shore team in the US to get some rest and clear the champagne corks off the pontoons before the next three yachts charged dramatically to the finish.

First to power to the line was BP Explorer, desperate to finish fifth to retain their overall first place standing, followed by arch rivals Spirit of Sark who they have shared much of the limelight with.

It looked like Spirit of Sark was going to catch BP Explorer – after a near suicidal tactical error grounded them – but they managed to pull it off by just 1 minute 32 seconds to take fifth place.

Right behind them – still desperate for a podium place after they were piped to the first place post in Leg 4 – was Imagine. It Done, just 3 min 25 seconds minutes behind Spirit of Sark.

In keeping with the exceptionally close finish times, Team Stelmar came in eighth just in front of Me to You, eight minutes behind, after 36 solid days of racing.

Samsung arrived 10th, followed by Team Save the Children, with Pindar’s arrival completing the fleet.

‘It's a disappointing result,’ said skipper Loz Marriott just after crossing the line. ‘It's been very frustrating for the crew and myself [because] we've performed so much better in the past.’

The outcome of Leg 5, and hence the overall leg results, will now be wholly dependent on the outcome of the jury, following a protest lodged against BP Explorer by Imagine It. Done.

Matthew Ratsey, Technical Director Challenge Business issued the official statement: ‘Today Monday 6th June at 1930 EST skipper of Imagine It. Done, Dee Cafari, submitted a protest against BP Explorer for an alleged 'luffing after sunset' incident earlier on the 6th June at 0052 UTC.

‘The protest was lodged within the required timescales as specified in the General Sailing Instructions. The protest hearing is currently scheduled to be heard on Saturday 11th June. Further information to follow.’

If BP Explorer is found guilty this will have a major impact on the overall leaderboard standings.


Positions

1. BG SPIRIT – 34days 0hr 24min 10sec

2. Barclays Adventurer – 35d 14 h 24 m 10s

3. VAIO – 35 d 17g 21m 0s

4. SAIC – 35 d 20h 56 m 45 s

5. BP Explorer - 36d 1h 5m 28s

6. Spirit of Sark - 36d 1h 7m 0s

7. Imagine It. Done - 36d 1 h 10m 25s

8. Team Stelmar - 36d 16h 2m 46s

9. Me to You - 36d 16h 10m 36s

10. Samsung - 36d 18h 44m 20s

11. Team Save the Children - 37d 4h 20m 52 s

12. Pindar - 7d 14h 19m 25s

*Amended by Sail-World