BP Explorer takes the lead of Global Challenge

Taken from News Report on 9:09 AM Mon 16 May 2005

BP Explorer has taken the lead in the Global Challenge, knocking the BG Spirit crew off the top spot.

BG Spirit had held for the past few days, and taken the accolade of being the first to cross the equator.

David Melville, skipper of the yacht, jubilantly called the Race Office saying, 'having crossed the Equator this morning, all on board are in good spirits.

'The skipper and navigator, however, are slightly anxious - being the most easterly boat looks OK on the current weather forecasts, but is historically a poor position to be in. So it's whisky for most on board to celebrate crossing the Equator, and fingers crossed for the skipper and navigator.'

Crossing the equator will be another huge milestone for all the 200+ strong crew across the whole fleet, and a sign they are ever closer to finishing their round the world adventure and an achievement that very few can boast of.

On this, the fifth and longest leg, questions are already being raised as to whether the fleet is actually going to encounter the doldrums.

'As of 0600 UTC morning,' says Challenge Business Sailing Manager Cal Tomlinson, 'the ITCZ (InterTropical Convergence Zone) which is usually situated at a latitude of around 5 degrees north seems to be very small.

'As the week progresses there will be a windless area extending from the African coast westward which could possibly impede the progress of the second half of the fleet.

'For the moment it seems as though the first five to seven yachts can look forward to a swift passage through this potentially frustrating area.

'The yachts that transit this area quickly can in turn look forward to a swift overall passage – once through they can look forward to 1500 miles of reaching across the north east trades.

'Traditionally, the western route through the ITCZ is generally favoured, however, with the St Peter and St Paul waypoint to be kept to port, yachts are having to play the middle ground.'

This next waypoint - the Penedos de Sao Pedro a Sao Paulo (St Peter and St Paul Rocks) are north of Ascension Island, relatively close to the coast of Brazil.

They are submarine mountains, which extend 3000 metres up from the ocean floor, but only 19.5m above sea level. However, the islands do not have to be passed close by.

Yachts have to report to the race office when passing that point to port, but the reporting point is determined to be when the boat crosses the latitude of the islands (0° 23’ N).

They are expected to reach this waypoint in the next 12-18 hours.

Race positions:

BP Explorer 3,497 (distance to finish)
BG SPIRIT 2 (miles to leader)
VAIO 5
SAIC La Jolla 11
Spirit of Sark 32
Team Stelmar 48
Me To You 53
Barclays Adventurer 62
Imagine It. Done 111
Samsung 129
Pindar 149
Team Save the Children 200

by Rachel Anning