Spectacular OGR Southern Ocean Sleigh Rides

Spectacular OGR Southern Ocean Sleigh Rides . . . McIntyre Ocean Globe fleet halfway, surfing and driving hard’n fast to Auckland.

• Cold, wet and wild! Pen Duick VI FR (14) first on leaderboard, IRC and Flyer Class.
• Translated 9 IT (09) snapping at their stern just an hour behind in IRC.
• Maiden UK (03) third on leaderboard, IRC and Flyer. The race is on!

It doesn’t come much better, or closer racing than this at the bottom of the world, deep in the Southern Ocean. Pen Duick VI FR (14), skipped by Marie Tabarly, is first on the leaderboard, IRC ranking and Flyer Class.

She and her historic 73 ft Bermudian Ketch have something to prove that goes right back to that very first Whitbread, 50 years ago and she’s doing just that, backed by a committed crew.

Translated 9 IT (09), second on the leaderboard, IRC and FlyerClass, and Maiden UK (03), third on the leaderboard, IRC and Flyer – making the rankings look very ordered, neat, and tidy indeed.

But this can all change in the blink of an eye, or as we call it, the four-hourly Yellow Brick tracker update.

That’s just what is making Leg 2, Cape Town-to-Auckland, such compelling viewing. With the whole fleet posting impressive daily averages, the lead pack is now over halfway to the City of Sails and the pressure is mounting daily.

 
The determined sailors on board the Swan 65 Translated 9 first skippered by Clare Francis as ADC Accutrac in the 1977 Whitbread and now skipped by the much-respected Vittorio Malingri, whose father and uncle entered the first 1973 Whitbread, are just ONE hour behind Pen Duick VI in IRC.

After 18 days of racing and 4000 miles sailed it’s hard to believe just 60 minutes separates first and second place in IRC.

Spirit of Helsinki FI (71) who took line honours in Leg One is leading in Sayula Class.

Skipper of the Swan 651, Jussi Paavoseppä, explained that they’d had a busy week. As well as using their energy growing moustaches for “Movember”, the crew removed their mainsail three times to complete repairs.

Former Whitbread winner L’Esprit d’équipe FR (85) is close behind.

Triana FR (66), leading Adventure class, has taken the most Southerly route which is paying off for the Swan 53.

They had three birthdays onboard this week, including the skipper’s Jean d’Arthuys, who celebrated by breaking the boat speed record of 20.6 knots.

Galiana WithSecure FI (17), Evrika FR (07) and Outlaw AU (08) are keeping up the speeds too despite some issues.

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the first Whitbread the OGR is hosting a Whitbread Reunion on 11 January, 6pm – 8pm, Wynyard Pavilion, Auckland. ALL veterans are invited!

The first yachts are expected into Auckland in the middle of December and restart date for Leg three is 14 January 2024.