Phil Sharp updates from aboard Imerys Clean Energy
Position: 2nd
“Leaving the mad weather behind I’ve now being able to settle into a good eating, sleeping and strategy making routine – thanks to these stable conditions. The latest routing shows it will take around 10 days to get to Guadeloupe from where we are now, currently between the Azores and Madeira.
“The good news is that today the new Lombard Lift Veedol rocket-ship is now going slightly slower than me for the first time in the race! He could well be in lighter winds at the moment, but it’s a relief to see that the boat can actually sail at less than 10 knots… I have a lot of work to do to catch up, but I’m hungry for it!
“Meanwhile Aina, who we have always fought closely with in other races, is only 10 miles away to leeward with very similar pace. It is actually very useful having a boat near you as a performance reference to maximise on boat speed and increase our chances of closing in on the leader. Obviously it would be nice if he can stay behind me during that process…
“Taking a step back, I am relieved to be where we are now and satisfied to be standing strong after such a wild time since Sunday. Last night was a clear sky and we were sailing towards the bright starts of Orion, a good sign that we are heading south into warmer and more stable airs – Phil”.
