Maiden poised to win Ocean Globe Race

Maiden swept up the Solent before a Force 5-6 gale on Tuesday morning to take provisional overall honours in the 27,000 mile Ocean Globe Race.

The all-girl crew crossed the Royal Yacht Squadron finish line shortly before midday to whoops and cheers from a large crowd gathered on the parade, then quickly hoisted the spinnaker in the boisterous conditions for the benefit of photographers and film crews, reports Barry Pickthall.

It was an emotional homecoming for those of us who witnessed Maiden’s welcome back to Southampton at the finish of the 1990 Whitbread Round The World Race, not least for a teary eyed Tracy Edwards, the skipper then and now the campaign’s patron.

Back then, she and her all-girl crew surprised everyone not just for completing the race, but being so competitive, winning one leg and finishing 2nd in class.

But now there is a good chance that 26-year-old skipper Heather Thomas and her crew can go one better by winning the Ocean Globe Race outright.

The Maiden Factor team can now only be beaten by the French Swan 53 Triana which must reach the Royal Yacht Squadron finish line at Cowes before approximately 0500 on 22 April to seize their crown.

At 1200 today, 16th April, Triana still had 860 miles to go so it will be a nail biting time between now and early next Monday.

Heather and her crew have not had it easy. Maiden’s engine failed soon after the start of this last leg from Punta del Este, Uruguay, then their water-maker – needed to re-hydrate all their freeze dried food – broke down, but mercifully the weather gods came to their aid providing plenty of rain showers for them to collect water in buckets.

Like the other finishers on Spirit of Helsinki, L’Esprit d’Equipe and Pen Duick VI, the weather was not always favourable, with many high pressure systems during the race.

The Maiden crew was caught in more than their fair share of windless zones, particularly during the early stage sailing parallel to the Brazilian coast.

 

But then it all came good from the Azores onwards. Maiden has always been a downwind flyer, and with a succession of south westerly gales blowing up across the Bay of Biscay and Western Approaches, the Bruce Farr-designed yacht surfed much of the way.

Indeed, Thomas and her crew were pushing so hard during the final 36 hours, their ETA shrank overnight from late tonight to a midday arrival.

This push could be vital because every hour now counts. Triana was averaging 5.6 knots on Tuesday afternoon.

If she can maintain a little more than 6 knots over the final 800 miles, this French crew could still take the crown. There is so much to play for over the next five days.

To follow the race live got to https://oceangloberace.com/livetracker/

 

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