Race 8 Day 10: Tacking duels get underway as the battle continues

While OneDLL battles to retain its lead, a series of gritty duels have been fought in the last 24 hours, as the marathon race to Singapore continues.

It was a fiercely competitive night in the Bismarck Sea for the fleet which saw Derry~Londonderry~Doire and Old Pulteney caught in a tough battle for second place. Sean McCarter skipper of the Northern Irish entry recalls the tactical strategy that saw it fend off the relentless determination of its nearest competitor.

“Just as both teams passed into the grey curtain, we pulled a sneaky one and tacked south on the wind shift. This quickly changed to due west which meant that until they tacked, Old Pulteney would have been heading north. It was hard to see with the rain blinding us but sure enough we saw Old Pulteney pass about five boat lengths ahead like the Mary Celeste heading north. They tacked soon afterwards but the damage was done; we'd sneaked 2.5 miles in about 25 minutes.”

As the close match racing continues the entire fleet is feeling the pressure and battling hard to climb the leaderboard.   

As Invest Africa and Team Garmin entered a squall, skipper of Invest Africa watched on as ‘everything that each squall took from us it gave to Team Garmin.’ While GREAT Britain came face to face with its nemesis in Race 8, PSP Logistics, a ‘tacking duel’ ensued leaving PSP Logistics to claim fourth place leaving the UK entry in its wake.

With less than 5 miles separating Switzerland and Henri Lloyd, skipper of Switzerland, Vicky Ellis knows all too well that Race 8 is still anyone’s for the taking at this stage:

“We were locked in a duel with Henri Lloyd overnight who it seems headed out offshore into the foul current but more predictable winds whilst we tacked back inshore for more favourable current, but fickle winds as it transpires.  Whose strategy will pay off?  Well you at home will be able to see before we do!”

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