Globe 40 leaders duel down the Northland coast, in Round the World Race
by Richard Gladwell, Sail-World.com/nz 15 Oct 2022 01:11 BST
15 October 2022
Start of the third leg of the Globe40 from Mauritius to New Zealand © Jean-Marie Liot / #Globe40
The lead boats in the Globe40 around the world race are making slow progress down the Northland coast, with 100nm left to sail.
The race leader is Sec Hayai (NED) co-skippered by Frans Budel, an experienced amateur with many offshore races to his credit, and Ysbrand Endt, a professional skipper from the world of the Volvo Ocean Race. With just over 100nm to sail they have a lead of just 2.8nm over the second placed Milai Around The World, with its Japanese skipper Masa Suzuki and its Italian co-skipper Luca Rosetti. Suzuki comes from the Mini 6.50, and has also competed in the Transat Jacques Vabre.
The two leaders have been locked together since the start of Leg 3 in Mauritius on September 11, 2022. The Globe40 is the first Round the World Race to visit Auckland since the 2017/18 Volvo Ocean Race.
Earlier in the week Sec Hayai had worked out a handy lead over Milai, however as so often happens when around the world racers round North Cape, the race seems to restart, and this tradition has continued with the Globe 40 RTWR.
Since the previous sked, Sec Hayai's lead has reduced to just 2.8nm with Milai making a gain of almost 14nm in the 6hr period. At the last sked the two were just north of Cape Brett in the Bay of Islands.
A third competitor Amhas co-skippered by Brian Harris (USA) and Kyle Hubley (CAN) is almost at North Cape, now 108nm behind the leaders, having chopped 29nm out of the race leader since the previous sked. They have not yet hit the light winds being experienced by the front runners, and were sailing at 9kts VMG compared to the leaders 4.5kts.
The race leader has taken a course out to sea, chasing more breeze, while Milai is closer to the Northland coast.
The next two boats in the race Gryphon Solo II (Joe Harris USA/Roger Junet ITA) and Whiskey Jack Melodie Schaffer CAN/Jeronimo Gonzalez ESP) are over 500nm begind the race leaders. Two other competitors have retired from the race, which started in Tangier. The first leg finished in Cap Verde islands and the second finished in Mauritius. From Auckland they race to Papeete, before heading for Cape Horn.
Website: www.globe40.com
About the Class40:
The Class40 is a monohull dedicated to offshore racing. This boat has existed since 2004 as an intermediate oceanic boat, between the Mini 650 (6.50m) and the 60-foot Imoca (18.24m).
A boat framed by a strict gauge:
– Maximum length: 12.19 m.
– Maximum width: 4.50 m.
– Maximum draft: 3 m.
– Maximum air draft: 19 m.
– Maximum displacement (weight): 4,500 kg.
– Maximum sail area: 115 m2.
– Ballasts: 1,500 liters.
– Fixed keel and mast (tilting keel and tilting mast prohibited).
– Maximum removable bowsprit: 2 m.
– Average freeboard: must be at least equal to 1.08 m.
– Daggerboard and foils prohibited.
– Several prohibited materials such as carbon and Kevlar.
Currently more than 170 boats have been built to the Class40 Rule.