Top Speeds In Competitive Southern Ocean Leg 2
- Yachts topping 20 knots speeds in classic Southern Ocean sailing. Pen Duick VI FR (14), Spirit of Helsinki FI (71), Translated 9 IT (09) and Maiden UK (03) lead a tightly grouped fleet.
- Sterna SA (42) slips lines from home port, Cape Town, two days after fleet depart for Auckland.
- Godspeed USA (01) arrive to hugs and kisses after 58 days sailing.
- Explorer AU (28) to depart Sunday – crew spot available on Explorer Leg 3&4.
- Neptune FR (56) back racing after diversion to Port Elizabeth, SA, to repair rudder.
- Southern Ocean wildlife entertaining the fleet and time to reflect on race start.
- Five days into Leg 2 of the McIntyre Ocean Globe and the fleet is experiencing classic Southern Ocean sailing, whales, albatross and settling in for the next month of adventure. With little over 200 miles separating the first 10 yachts and light winds ahead for the lead pack, it’s compelling viewing. Pen Duick VI, Spirit of Helsinki, Translated 9 and Maiden are ahead on the leaderboard, similar to the situation throughout much of Leg One, until the Finnish Spirit of Helsinki took the lead from Pen Duick after 36 days of racing. Will history repeat itself?
The view from Translated 9’s perspective on the Cape Town start line Translated 9 IT (09) first in IRC ranking for leg one are holding onto the title, for now. Both Galiana WithSecure FI (17) and Outlaw AU (08) took the most southerly route and benefited from the Agulhas current running up to three knots, but it’s very early days and a long way to Auckland. The real challenges are yet to come.
Local yacht Sterna / AllSpice Yachting clearly forgot to pay for their morning coffee before heading off into the Southern Ocean. Credit: OGR2023 / JC van der Westhuizen The Southern African entrant Sterna SA (42) are now playing catch up after slipping lines two days after the fleet departed for Auckland on November 5th. They were forced to delay their start to complete repairs on their Swan 53 after discovering a crack behind their gooseneck fitting just hours before heading to the start line. Finally just before setting sail, skipper Rufus Brand and his crew were more than keen to get racing again.
Finally, the US entrant Godspeed made it to Cape Town after 58 days of racing and 3 days after the start of Leg 2. It was an extremely emotional reunion for the families of the popularSkeleton Crew. They’ve become firm favourites in the OGR, not necessarily leader-board wise, but for their spirit, determination and humour. They sailed the entire leg from the UK with seven fenders hanging off the transom in their unique practical style. A nonprofit organisation, with a mission to provide adventure sailing therapy to military service members and veterans they’ve made a big impression on the rest of the fleet. So much so, the crews who departed before seeing Godspeed in, left ‘Good Luck’ cards and gifts (mainly beer) to wish them Godspeed on leg 2.
