Please select your home edition
Edition
Leaderboard June to September

Oz tells the story..The Race..Team Legato..around the corner & away!!

by Barry Pickthall on 13 Mar 2001
As Tony Bullimore and his crew continue to head northwards, chasing their
Polish rivals on Warta Polpharma and the April 2 deadline to finish in
Marseilles, Paul Larson, TEAM LEGATO's Australian watch leader recounts a
memorable rounding of Cape Horn on Sunday.

'Lights...Cameras.. Action!!!

For so long it had just been a waypoint in our minds. Something to be
rounded, hopefully safely, and then left behind as quickly as possible. Now
here I was steering TEAM LEGATO at breakneck speed, on course under a cloud
shrouded full moon. Far from being a moment to be dispensed with quickly, at
a constant 25-32 knots, this was a moment to savour.

We're doin' it boys, we're doin' it!!!

Fifty miles from the Cape, bearing of 70 degrees true, steaming in on a
broad reach in 30 knots of breeze with 2 reefs and a staysail up, TEAM
LEGATO is hitting her straps. After some of the slow painful miles just
gone, this is bliss. I'm yelling at the top of my lungs 'Eat this'
(referring to our nearest competition), each time we smoke off at over 30
knots.

Mike Gettinger is standing by in the cockpit and Tony is down below
navigating when I notice a light to starboard winking through the squalls
and waves. Gotta be a boat thinks I. Hang on... doesn't look like navigation
lights to me.... Matter of fact it's showing all the characteristics of a
lighthouse. What the...????? As far as I knew we only had to leave the Horn
to starboard and that was it. Now I'm rocketing up the wrong side (to my way
of thinking) of a lighthouse! Of all places Larsen...

Mike is now on deck, Tony is checking it out and the radar is switched on
etc. etc. We got all hands on deck, dropped sails and hove to whilst we re-
assessed our position. It turns out that the light was marking the largest
of a group of islands called the 'Islas Diego Ramirez' and they were further
west than we expected. They are pretty poorly marked on both charts
electronic and paper. These little 'dirtbergs' live right on the edge of the
continental shelf which now in turn caused the sea state to rise
considerably. Big squalls were coming through with winds just under 50
knots. Lying side on, the spray is peeling across the decks in stinging
sheets.

We gingerly make our way north under bare poles before taking off again
downhill towards the Atlantic. The wind is now touching 50 knots and with
only the staysail up we are still managing bursts up to 27 knots! We decide
not to pass as closely to the Horn as we would have liked. Damn it, I really
wanted to see it. The conditions certainly aren't disappointing us, as it is
freezing cold, howling, grey and lumpy with poor visibility.

Freddy Dahirel spots it first off our port beam. The unmistakable outline of
Cape Horn can be made out through the gloom of low scudding cloud. Perhaps
this is how she should be seen. There's a rush of excitement as everyone
runs for their cameras and momentos. The night's action had left us not as
well prepared for this occasion as we might have hoped but what the hell.
There it is in all its bleak glory. The bane of yachtsmen for centuries, the
Everest of Capes. Forget the race for a moment and enjoy the here and now.
We made it!'


Leading positions at 07:00 GMT today
1. Club Med Finished Marseilles 19:56GMT 4.03.01
2. Innovation Explorer Finished Marseilles 11:32GMT 6.03.01
3. Team Adventure +2,972 miles - Cape Horn 28.02.01
4. Warta Polpharma +1,550 miles - Cape Horn 02.03.01
5. Team Legato +3,484 miles - Cape Horn 11.03.01
6. PlayStation - RETIRED 14.01.01


For action pictures of Paul Larson and other members of the crew, and audio
feeds from TEAM LEGATO, 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

Related Articles

Wanderer Nationals at Whitstable
No upsetting the weather gods this year! There has been a feeling amongst the Wanderer fleet that someone in the near past has done something to upset the weather gods. We seem to have been experiencing two day events where at least one of the days featured either no wind or far too much wind.
Posted today at 11:07 am
Packing for a Summer Sailing Weekend
Just because it's summer doesn't mean you're going to stay warm and dry all the time Just because it's summer doesn't mean you're going to stay warm and dry all the time, particularly when you're out on the water. The day may start windless, with a little dew on the ground, but a sea breeze can pick up in the afternoon.
Posted today at 11:00 am
Impressive results for the Performance Academy
At the 2025 ILCA 4 Youth Europeans in Poland Nine British sailors spent two weeks in Puck, Poland with the Performance Academy and ILCA UK for the ILCA 4 Youth European Championships, supported by Head Coach Charlie Linsell and Manager James Parker-Mowbray.
Posted today at 9:10 am
Young Sailors Invited to the 2025 Fireball Worlds
A special discounted entry fee for eligible youth participants for the event at Lake Garda Circolo Vela Arco and Fireball International are inviting young sailors from around the world to take part in the 2025 Fireball World Championship at spectacular Lake Garda, with a special discounted entry fee for eligible youth participants.
Posted today at 8:02 am
Jazz Turner completes Project FEAR
Drama right to the end in her non-stop, solo, unassisted navigation of the British Isles Jazz Turner has completed Project FEAR, her non-stop, solo, unassisted navigation of the British Isles in her Albin 27 yacht. A flotilla of supporters met her in Seaford Bay, which grew and grew the closer they came to Brighton Marina.
Posted today at 5:39 am
HD Sails Scottish Solo Travellers at Loch Venachar
A seriously breezy event amongst the beautiful Trossachs hills In the lead-up to this event in the HD Sails Scottish travellers series I was worried that sailing on an inland loch amongst the beautiful Trossachs hills in mid-summer meant that we would struggle with light and shifty winds from every direction.
Posted today at 4:59 am
GKSS Match Cup Sweden & Nordea Women's Trophy D1
Sunday's storm winds cleared to deliver ideal conditions for the opening race day Sunday's storm winds cleared to deliver ideal conditions for the opening race day of the 2025 GKSS Match Cup Sweden and Nordea Women's Trophy, official championship stages of the World Match Racing Tour and Women's World Match Racing Tour.
Posted today at 4:33 am
Freestyle Pro Tour Paros day 2
The strong Meltemi blowing all throughout the night, greeted the riders in the morning Day 2 at the Freestyle Pro Tour Paros once again delivered, with the strong Meltemi blowing all throughout the night, greeting the riders at around 30 knots in the morning.
Posted on 30 Jun
World Sailing announces split venues for LA28
The boards will be at Long Beach, with the dinghy events at the Port World Sailing has said it welcomes the confirmation of sailing venues for the Olympic Games LA28 the boards will be at Long Beach, with the dinghy events at the Port.
Posted on 30 Jun
NYYC International Women's Championship update
The first group of invited skippers have been announced Elite-level international women's keelboat competition will return to Newport, R.I., in late summer of 2026 when the New York Yacht Club hosts the inaugural International Women's Championship.
Posted on 30 Jun