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20 February 2003
Jules Verne Challenge Update: Day 20
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Ellen and Crew in Kingfisher 2
www.ellenmacarthur.com
www.teamkingfisher.com
Day 20 from start
Tuesday, 19 February 2003
SUMMARY: 1500
GMT 18.2.03
Position: 43 46'S 20 29'E (approx
1067 nm S of tip of South Africa / 772 nm from Prince Edward Islands)
Boat speed: 25 knots
Distance to WP6 46 00'S / 70 00'E 200
miles north of Kerguelen Islands: 2079 nm (theorectical shortest
distance)
KINGFISHER2 CROSSES
CAPE OF GOOD HOPE
KINGFISHER2 crossed the longitude 018 28'E at 09:18:59GMT today
- the first of three Capes she must keep to port as she crosses
the Southern Ocean. Cape Horn is 10,000 miles to the east with Cape
Leeuwin (tip of SW Australian) in between. The Cape of Good Hope
to Cape Leeuwin record is held by Olivier de Kersauson of 8 days,
23 hours and 17 minutes set in 1997 on Sport Elec. Geronimo were
a day off that gate record when they passed through this time.
"The next 24 hours are not looking brilliant,"
said MacArthur. "The weather models make it look simple but
the situation is pretty complicated as the actual wind field does
not match the forecast models with the models saying there will
be 40-50% less breeze." Over the next few days KINGFISHER2
will be moving south to avoid a huge high pressure zone in the mid
Indian Ocean but other lows that are moving around are forming a
convergence zone - basically a 200 mile corridor - that may not
hold as much pressure as Ellen and the crew would like. Both Orange
and Geronimo positioned further north, had "slower" periods
and lower 24 hour mileage rates during the same stage of their record
bids, so it is a good opportunity for KINGFISHER2 to get back more
time if the weather holds for them.
The next closest landmark will be the Prince Edward
Islands and the Les Crozet islands that are positioned another 772
miles to the east. KINGFISHER2 plan to keep these islands to starboard.
JULES VERNE USHANT (START) TO CAPE OF GOOD HOPE
TIMES:
2003 Geronimo (de Kersauson) 16 days 14 hours 35 minutes 21 seconds
2002 Orange (Peyron) 18 days 18 hours 40 minutes
2003 Kingfisher2 (MacArthur) 19 days 2 hours 30 minutes
1997 Sport Elec (de Kersauson) 21 days 18 hours 17 minutes
1994 ENZA (Blake/Knox-Johnston) 19 days 17 hours 53 minutes
1993 Commodore Explorer (Peyron) 21 days 12 hours 48 minutes
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