AFTER UTTER FRUSTRATION COMES ULTIMATE EXHILIRATION!

TIME:0339HRS

STAGE: FASTNET ROCK

WIND DIRECTION / STRENGTH / SEA: 020 / 20 knts / Rough

DISTANCE FROM FASTNET TO BISHOP’S ROCK: 140M

AVERAGE SPEED OF RECORD:13.86knots (1 day, 20 hours, 42 seconds)

MAXIMUM SPEED: 27.3 Knots

CURRENT SPEED: 22 Knots

POSITION: 51 15 N / 9 35 W

0100HRS: AFTER UTTER FRUSTRATION COMES ULTIMATE EXHILIRATION!

Ellen reports from Kingfisher at approx. 0100hrs: “We have finally caught up the front…and once again we are at cruising speed of 25 knots; steady. In, over and through waves. Hard work on the deck, with fire hydrant pressure of water throwing you around and the irregular motion of the boat making it impossible to stand up. It seems incredible that after a whole day of creeping along, that we might be at Fastnet in less than 2 hours.”

0339 HRS: ELLEN FIRST BRITISH HELM AS KINGFISHER ACCELERATE ROUND FASTNET

Ellen became the first British helm to round the Fastnet at 0339hrs and Kingfisher is currently flying along in total darkness with 20 knots of wind. The only words that could be heard from Ellen were: “It’s just totally awesome – like being in a washing machine, on a tube train, going for a head-on crash. We are all totally wet through, but the ride is priceless.”

Banque Populaire are only 12 minutes ahead so there is still a good fight on for these two multihulls as they charge back over the Irish sea to Plymouth.

Related Links to the Fastnet

  • Yachting World.
  • Weather at the finish line from CNN.
  • Official Site