SAILING: Jonathan Spencer Jones
AS IF a reprisal for the windless conditions of the first leg of the BOC Challenge singlehanded around the world race, the second leg, which has taken the entrants from Cape Town to Sydney, Australia, was one of almost continuous gales from which few of the yachts have escaped damage.
But worst hit has been Isabelle Autissier, whose three years of preparation for the event seemed to have paid off when, on the first leg, she cut across the south Atlantic high — an area that is normally windless — to set up a new record for the leg and gain a massive five- and-a-half day lead on her nearest competitor.
The second leg saw her once again in the lead until, about 2 000 miles from Cape Town, she was dismasted when a rigging component failed. Under jury rig, she made her way to Kerguelen Island, where a second-hand rig was fitted to enable her to get to Sydney, but her dream of becoming the first woman to complete and win the Challenge was finally shattered when she was knocked down by a massive wave about 920 miles south- east of Adelaide — the boat turning through a full 360 degrees — and dismasted once again. But more seriously this time, with a five metre hole knocked in the coach- roof, all steering control lost and the aft section of the yacht flooded.
Realising she could go no further, she set off emergency beacons leading to her being rescued four days later by an Australian naval vessel and leaving her drifting yacht Ecureuil Poitou-Charentes 2 to be salvaged by a deep-sea trawler from Hobart.
Taking over the lead when Autissier was dismasted for the first time, Christophe Auguin sailing Sceta Calberson went on to notch up a succession of 300 mile- plus days deep in the southern ocean only to have a frustrating final night at sea with no wind before completing the leg in a record time of just under 25 days, over two days ahead of second placed Jean Luc van den Heede on Vendee Enterprises.
Having emerged relatively unscathed from the southern ocean, Van den Heede had a close call when, while taking a nap, his yacht ran aground 50 miles south of Sydney.
Less than a day later another four entrants followed, Steve Pettengill on Hunter’s Child, Dave Scully on Coyote and the two class IIs, Giolovanni Soldini on Kodak and David Adams on True Blue. And later that day — Christmas Day — also JJ Provoyeur on Novell South Africa.
But the leg is far from over, with four yachts still to finish and three of these making for Hobart to effect repairs before going on to Sydney.
The third leg, which will take the competitors back in the southern ocean and around Cape Horn before reaching Punta del Este in Uruguay, starts in Sydney on January 29.