Brisk start to Round Britain and Ireland Challenge

by Global Challenge/GN on 16 Oct 2005 The five yachts taking part in the Round Britain and Ireland Challenge 2005 were out of the Solent in record time, and heading for the Needles Fairway buoy. The race yachts are under the command of a Race Skipper, assisted by a professional mate, allowing up to 16 ordinary men and women per yacht to take part.

Starting and finishing in the Solent, the teams are expected to take around 12 days to complete the 1,800 nautical miles course around rugged headlands and off-lying islands.

After a 20 minute postponement due to fog, the race started Saturday at 11:30BST from a committee boat at Ryde Middle in a 15 knot easterly. Order of crossing the line - Pindar, Spirit of Sark, Me to You, Samsung and SAIC La Jolla.

There was a split in the fleet, Me to You, Spirit of Sark and Pindar went on starboard gybe heading towards the mainland, as Samsung and SAIC headed out on port gybe towards the Isle of Wight - SAIC having to clear a spectacular wrap in their spinnaker. All the yachts were flying 1.5oz spinnakers except Samsung and Pindar who have choose the heavier flankers.

In theory, the Island side would get a better tidal flow, and was the preferred gybe to be on, as it is more direct for passing Prince Consort to starboard.

The fleet were out of the Solent in record time, and heading for the Needles Fairway buoy by 13:00BST. The regular polling schedule is every eight hours, and is published twice a day at approx. 09:00BST and 17:00BST.

At 07:00BST Sunday morning, Spirit of Sark were leading from Samsung, Pindar and Saic la Jolla, with Me to You ten miles behind the pack. The first 24 hours run was 171 miles for Spirit of Sark.

Event website: http://www.roundbritainchallenge.com