Please select your home edition
Edition
A+T Instruments 2024 Leaderboard

The Race...Club Med led is ebbing away

by Mer & Media on 27 Feb 2001
Club Med has been once again halted by light winds. Still on track to finish in Marseilles at the weekend, the forecasted winds to speed the international crew on their way to Marseilles are late.

With a lead of 644 miles over second placed Innovation Explorer and just 2200 miles to sail to the finish and with just the Straits of Gibraltar to be tackled before the final leg across the Mediterranean, the Club Med crew is relatively comfortable with its leading position. Joined by satellite telephone this morning skipper Grant Dalton had this to say: 'We've been sailing really slowly for the past 24 hours. This wind hasn't filled in as quickly as expected. But when it does we'll be gone. We've been heading North to get to the wind rather than sailing the course to Gibraltar, so our rate of approach to the finish has dropped. We had no wind all night. The ridge of high pressure that has been affecting the boats in the Vendée Globe is hurting us too. It is really unusual to see something this solid over this period of time.'

Second placed Innovation Explorer continues to steal miles back from Club Med, keeping the leading crew on its toes: 'We've lost quite a lot more of our lead over Innovation Explorer. Just as well we had a buffer the size of a house. We bled off another 60 miles last night. It's highly unlikely that we'll get any of these real miles back.'

And retrospectively on the whole of the trip North from the Southern Ocean Dalton made the following observations: 'Looking back on the Atlantic since Cape Horn, we've been on the wrong side of everything. We have had walls thrown up in front of us, and weather patterns that should never have been there block our progress. Every time we managed to get through we have had to watch as the second placed boat slipped through the same area without having the same problems. It is really frustrating. When this wind comes through however, it will be end of the last gate, the last weather window and effectively the last chance for Innovation Explorer to get past.'

Latest Positions, 11:00 GMT:

1.Club Med / dtf 2271.3 miles
2.Innovation Explorer / dtl 644.7 miles
3.TeamAdventure / dtl 5886.3 miles
4.Warta Polpharma / dtl 6142.5 miles
5.Team Legato / dtl 8030.9 miles

Related Articles

Biotherm has arrived in Kiel
Ahead of the Start of The Ocean Race Europe on 10th August At 1:00 am on Saturday 5 July, Biotherm came alongside in Kiel's marina, north-east Germany, following a 48-hour delivery trip across the Baltic Sea.
Posted today at 5:51 am
Transpac 2025 final starters depart LA
The largest boats with the longest waterlines already burning up the miles to Hawaii The 20 biggest, fastest boats racing in the 2025 Transpac began their offshore sprint from Los Angeles, California, to Honolulu, Hawaii, on Saturday.
Posted today at 1:05 am
Final countdown to the AEGEAN 600
60 teams assembled at Olympic Marine for Sunday's start of the AEGEAN 600 On Saturday, the 60 teams assembled at Olympic Marine for Sunday's start of the AEGEAN 600 are using their final pre-race day to make last checks on their rigging, sails, and electronic systems, provision for the days they expect to be at sea.
Posted on 5 Jul
29er Europeans at Lake Garda day 3
The fleet is now ready for the finals at Fraglia Vela Riva The 29er European Championship 2025 in Riva del Garda is already making history. With 251 teams from 29 nations, this year's edition has gathered one of the largest and most competitive fleets in class history.
Posted on 5 Jul
Team Malizia secures 4th in Course des Caps
After thrilling high-speed finale to Boulogne-sur-Mer After six days of intense racing around the British Isles, Team Malizia crossed the finish line in Boulogne-sur-Mer to secure an impressive fourth place in the Course des Caps 2025.
Posted on 5 Jul
Holcim-PRB finishes 3rd in the Course des Caps
Despite a bowsprit failure occurring just 40 nautical miles from the finish After 6 days, 4 hours, and 26 minutes of intense sailing around the British Isles, the Holcim-PRB crew crossed the finish line of the Course des Caps Boulogne-sur-Mer – Banque Populaire du Nord, completing a route as demanding as it was strategic.
Posted on 5 Jul
2025 IKA Youth Europeans in Gizzeria day 4
It's been a week of steady breeze and near-perfect conditions off the Calabrian coast It's been a week of steady breeze and near-perfect conditions off the Calabrian coast, and Gizzeria has put on a great show as host of the 2025 IKA Youth European Championships.
Posted on 5 Jul
Rolex TP52 Worlds in Cascais day 4
All on the line Sunday as American Magic Quantum Racing seek to close out eighth world title After three spectacular races today on Cascais, Portugal's showcase high winds arena, Doug DeVos' seven times world title winners American Magic Quantum Racing lead into the final day of the 2025 Rolex TP52 Worlds with a hard earned five points buffer.
Posted on 5 Jul
MACIF Santé Prévoyance wins Course des Caps Race
An exceptional performance in terms of speed and focus throughout the race This Saturday, July 5, the IMOCA MACIF Santé Prévoyance crossed the finish line of the Cape Race in Boulogne-sur-Mer in first place. After six days at sea, the crew achieved an exceptional performance in terms of speed and focus throughout the race.
Posted on 5 Jul
Melges 24 European Series in Monfalcone day 2
The Melges 24 fleet flies on early morning Bora as Nefeli retains the lead The Bora wind made its mark on the second day of the seventh event of the 2025 Melges 24 European Sailing Series, also serving as the second stage of the 2025 Trofeo Gaudi, hosted by Yacht Club Monfalcone.
Posted on 5 Jul