BT Global Challenge - Week Three in Review
by Liz Addis, Writer, Quokka Sports on 30 Sep 2000
The final week of Leg One of the BT Global Challenge and the yachts were more than 300 miles apart.
They were traversing the Grand Banks, the setting for recent Hollywood blockbuster ‘The
Perfect Storm’, and were facing the possibility of heavy weather to come.
Meteorologist Chris Tibbs said the coastguards were forecasting winds of around 50 knots, storm
force 10. He said: “Two depressions are about to leave the American mainland and head towards the
fleet, combining together as they do so. The projected track of this storm has it heading in the general
direction of the fleet.”
Fortunately the weather wasn’t quite as vicious as it might have been although the fleet still got
caught in the tail end of Hurricane Helene.
Two of the boats, Spirit of Hong Kong and Logica, got knocked down when they were hit by squalls,
slightly injuring two of Logica’s crew members. Bowmen Glyn Billinghurst, 31, and Mike Villis, 46,
both received minor injuries and were confined to their bunks but were given the thumbs up by the
onboard medic, who suspected nothing more serious than bumps and bruises.
Spirit of Hong Kong suffered damaged sails as two hanks from the headsail were broken and a batten
box was blown off.
It was a baptism of fire for the yacht and its crews but skipper Stephen Wilkins was full of praise for
how both had performed. "I can honestly say that I am very proud of the way the team performed and
sailed safe during this true christening of the yacht. Please pass on my thanks to all at Challenge for
a bloody well-built boat," he said.
Isle of Man suffered damage during the bad weather as the squall came through and ripped a foresail
which got stuck as they tried to drop it.
Skipper Lin Parker said: “We had been sailing along broad reaching with Number One Yankee,
staysail and one reef, glorious morning (lots of wind the previous night 40 knots +) when ahead was
smallish looking squall. Dropped staysail, three reefs but unfortunately No 1 got stuck on the way
down. “Wind went from 25 to 35 to 45, 55, 65, 78…unfortunately the Yankee gave in and we have a
few seams and rips to be repaired.”
For race leaders Quadstone even the first storm of the Race failed to deter them even when squalls
caused them to about face momentarily.
Skipper Alex Phillips and the crew ran with the wind, at one point heading back east towards
England, while other boats took the lashing on the nose.
As they got over the effects of the first heavy weather of the Challenge, Quadstone powered ahead
and the race was on between BP, Compaq and LG FLATRON for second, third and fourth positions.
For TeamSpirIT the start of the week brought a morale boost as for the first time they rose out of last
place into 10th position and at one point even reached the heady heights of ninth.
As the week went on Quadstone’s lead developed even further and they victoriously streamed into
Boston harbour at 13:22:55 GMT. A few hours later BP claimed second place, followed shortly
afterwards by LG FLATRON and Compaq.
But drama was still to come as Logica crew member Jasmine Georgiou had to be airlifted from the
yacht to hospital with suspected appendicitis.
The boat was only hours away from the finish line when Georgiou’s deteriorating condition forced them
to call for the Canadian Coastguard Search and Rescue Team to take her to Nova Scotia Regional
Health Centre, in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia.
A perforated ulcer was diagnosed and she was immediately operated on and is now recovering well.
She said: “I will miss the next leg and I am upset about that but if I try and lift anything or get thrown
around the boat I could rupture my intestine or cause a hernia.
“But I hope to be back for the third leg. It is better to play it safe and then come back for Buenos
Aires. Now I see it as part of the adventure.”
VERITAS and Isle of Man had their own battle for fifth and sixth place and arrived in Boston not long
before Logica and Spirit of Hong Kong. Save the Children scooped ninth place while TeamSpirIT
gained 10th.
When Norwich Union and Olympic Group finally crossed the finishing line all the crews were once
more on dry land, ready to assess the wear and tear on the yachts, relax and enjoy themselves
before turning their minds to the next leg.
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