405 miles in past 24 hours for Team Legato

by Barry Pickthall on 15 Feb 2001 TEAM LEGATO - The Fastest Boat in the Fleet - for 2nd day running

15:00 GMT TEAM LEGATO WARTA POLPHARMA
Position: 50 01'S; 154.58'E 41 58'S; 166 37'E
Speed at time of satellite poll: 18.3 knots 14.2 knots
Average speed for last 4 hours: 16.9 knots 11.4knots
Distance covered over 24 hours: 405 miles 274 miles
Distance between the two: +651 miles

For two days running,, Tony Bullimore and his TEAM LEGATO crew have been
setting the fastest pace in THE RACE, having clocked up a further 405 miles
during the past 24 hours. This has brought the British catamaran within 650
miles of Polish rival Warta Polpharma which is scheduled to stop in
Wellington to replace a satellite communications aerial.

Third placed Team Adventure pulled in to Wellington today for a minimum 60
hour stop to make repairs, and with Warta Polpharma currently struggling in
light airs, the Bullimore Boys suddenly see an opportunity to move two
places up the leader board.

Tony Bullimore reported today:

Team Adventure arrived in Wellington about an hour ago to undergo repairs.
Skipper Cam Lewis has had problems, what with diverting first to Cape Town
to repair the cross beams and now Wellington. It's really hard on him and
his crew. Warta Polpharma are also making their second stop to get their
communications equipment repaired or replaced. This must
be trying for Roman but they will at least receive another time allowance
because of the problems they have.

It is great to be able to tell you that both our generators are now working.
Mike Gettinger
(alias Yukon Jack) from Colorado USA is responsible for the maintenance and
well being of the generators / engines. He has done a fantastic job. Both
engines are now up and going and he seems to have everything under control.
I take my hat off to him because I know how difficult it is to crawl around
in a tiny space filled with diesel fumes when the boat is doing 20 knots in
rough and bumpy seas.

But when you have someone like Kevin Pahl (alias Indian Joe) again from the
USA, on the helm, it does at least give Mike a bit of comfort knowing that
TEAM LEGATO is going in the right direction. Kevin, who is pretty good on
the helm, was one of the original boat builders to work on Team Legato (then
called TAG Heuer) when she was built in Montreal, Canada by Canadair

We have had a tremendous run over the last four or five days, which has
helped us catch up to Warta Polpharma. It would be great if we are under 500
miles behind her when we leave
Cook's Straits and get back out on the super highway to Cape Horn.

Lunch today was vegetable Risotto (dehydrated) and a tiny piece of chocolate
sponge cake that Rob Salvidge made. One thing for sure, I m really keen to
lose weight and the diet we are following is certainly going to help. The
other good point is that this race keeps us away from all the easy to get
bits and pieces that we normally eat or drink ashore. We are going through a
detoxifying period which is good for all of us.

It is very cold down here but we have not seen icebergs or growlers and
it hasn't snowed. But when we get waves dropping into the cockpit it can be
pretty awful.

I have decided that when we get back to Bristol, I am going to hold a party.
It has got to be in my back garden on a very cold night, preferably when the
wind is howling and the rain is dropping from the heavens. Everybody is
going to eat dehydrated Indonesian curry, which is a kind of slimy yellow
with little red blobs in it. Then and only then will everybody start to
appreciate what we sailors have to go through when racing around the Globe.'




Leading positions at 15:00 GMT today
1. Club Med 5,279 miles to finish - Rounded Cape Horn 11.02.01
2. Innovation Explorer +927 miles - Cape Horn 12.02.01
3. Team Adventure 6,038 miles - Reached Wellington today
4. Warta Polpharma 6,441 miles
5. Team Legato 7.091 miles
6. PlayStation - Retired 14.01.01

For further details, pictures and daily audio feed from the boat, contact
Barry Pickthall at the Team Legato Race office
Mobile Phone: +44 (0) 7768 395719
Office +44 (0) 1243 555561 Fax: +44 (0)1243 555562
E.mail: ppl@mistral.co.uk Web site: www.teamlegato.com