The rich get richer

(by Brian Hancock) The boys on Beluga Racer are enjoying a fast ride south while their competitors languish on a sloppy leftover sea. Boris Herrmann and Felix Oehme have caught the edge of a low pressure cell and are on a romp toward Cape Town. The tight area of low pressure formed off the coast of South America and has spun out into the South Atlantic on a trajectory that is almost perfect for Beluga Racer. On the eastern side of the low are moderate north-easterly winds and Beluga Racer has all sails set making a steady 10 knots. Just a few hundred miles to the north the following three boats are stuck like molasses to a sullen sea as a ridge of high pressure promises sun but no breeze. Roaring Forty, Team Mowgli and Desafio Cabo de Hornos are all barely managing three knots at the last poll.

While this looks to be good news for Beluga Racer, and for sure it is, it’s also a risky tactic. They may be able to ride the low pressure for a couple of days but inevitably the system will weaken and probably dissipate leaving Beluga Racer slap bang in the middle of the South Atlantic in a region normally dominated by high pressure. If this happens it will be very difficult for the German boat to break free. So while they are enjoying fast and fun sailing on a course that is taking them directly toward Cape Town, the next few days will be interesting, and perhaps frustrating for Boris and Felix.

The mid-ocean match race between Team Mowgli and Desafio Cabo de Hornos continues with the British entry, Team Mowgli, holding onto the slimmest of leads. At the 18:20 UTC poll Salvesen and Thomson were just 8 miles ahead on a distance-to-go basis. The two boats have been locked in a head-to-head battle since crossing the equator and it looks likely to continue for a long while yet. No restful weekend onboard either boat.

The flying Dutchman, Nico Budel, on Hayai became the fifth boat to round the mandatory Recife Gate passing by the waypoint mid Saturday afternoon. No doubt Nico will mark the occasion with a splash of good port and a toast to the wind gods. With a steady hand Nico has opened up a 100-mile lead on the South African team on board Kazimir Partners.