Camper skipper Chris Nicholson and his crew were in a positive frame of mind on Tuesday as the boat pushes on towards Puerto Montt to repair bow damage sustained in the Southern Ocean.
Temporary repairs have stabilised the bow section and the boat is less than 2000 nautical miles from the Chilean port and sailing in moderate weather. The calmer conditions have enabled the exhausted crew to catch up on some much-needed sleep while a replacement bulkhead and replacement longitudinals (hull supports) are due to be flown to Chile from Auckland on Friday.
"Life onboard is more or less back to normal and we are able to push the boat much harder than in the previous 35-50 knots of breeze," said Nicholson.
Meanwhile shoreside CAMPER Shore Manager Neil 'Coxy' Cox is aiming for a quick pit-stop in Chile so the team can resume racing and claim some valuable points by finishing Leg Five in Itajai.
“We have been in regular touch with Coxy and the shore team and they are getting everything together so that we can have a quick turnaround in Puerto Montt,” Nicholson said. "Everything that we have done to date: destination, time and logistics all have to mesh as a package and work together, so fingers crossed that it will work and we can get back out in the race."
“When you are working with very capable people with that attitude and desire they just make it work, which is good for us. Up to about four days ago Coxy and the shore crew were having time off. Now they are just jumping at trying to help get us back going again.”
Nicholson stressed that they were still mindful of the volatile Southern Ocean conditions and would not be throwing caution to the wind.
“Puerto Montt from here is a bit over seven or eight days away. It is hostile part of the world weather-wise and we have to keep that in mind,” he said “It is still a big expanse of water but the routing looks pretty good at the moment, so hopefully everything goes to plan.”
A poco più di 500 miglia dal traguardo, Francesca e il suo equipaggio a bordo di 11th Hour Racing sono ancora in piena lotta per il podio, e forse anche per qualcosa di più, mentre navigano veloci verso l'arrivo al largo di Lorient
A Les Sables-d’Olonne, la Cape Horn Hall of Fame celebra sei nuovi protagonisti della storia della navigazione oceanica: George Anson, Alexia Barrier, Thomas Coville, Guirec Soudée, Brian Thompson e Paul Cayard
Northstar III si consolida al comando del Campionato Mondiale Maxi Grand Prix, per i Maxi 1 classifica corta al vertice
È l'ultimo giorno dell'emozionante The Ocean Race Atlantic e per Francesca e il suo equipaggio a bordo di 11th Hour Racing; la battaglia per il podio e la vittoria si sta decidendo proprio sul traguardo
Leopard 3 conquista il Rolex IMA Maxi 1 World Championship, Northstar III il Rolex IMA Maxi Grand Prix World Championship. Artemis Bleu, Yoru, H2O e Highland Fling XVIII vincitori nelle rispettive classi
Per i 219 equipaggi in Doppio è stata un’altra giornata di sport e grande vela: il vento regolare ha soffiato tra i 10 e i 14 nodi, rinforzando nel pomeriggio come di consueto. Finora i Campionati sono al 100% del programma rispettato
Northstar III resta imbattuto nella classe Maxi Grand Prix - Tra i Maxi 1, V e Leopard 3 si dividono le vittorie nelle prove a bastone - Nuovi leader nelle classi Maxi 3 e Maxi 4, percorso netto per H2O in Maxi 5
Anche nell’ultimo giorno meteo splendida e vento ideale: 11-14 nodi - Tutti i nomi dei neo-campioni italiani e dei podi in tutte le categorie
Ancora vento protagonista da 10 a 15 nodi: tre regate per tutte le classi in gara. Serata Crew Party al Gargano Sailing Club
Francesca Clapcich e il suo equipaggio – composto dal britannico Will Harris, dalla svizzera Elodie-Jane Mettraux e dal co-skipper Alberto Bona – hanno concluso oggi al secondo posto The Ocean Race Atlantic