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11:49 AM Mon 19 Jan 2009 GMT
On their 37th day at sea, the two remaining boats in the Portim?o Global Ocean Race - solo sailor, Michel Kleinjans, on Open 40, Roaring Forty, and the British, double-handed crew of Jeremy Salvesen and David Thomson on Class 40, Team Mowgli - are closing in on the finish line of Leg 2. On Sunday, Kleinjans overhauled Salvesen and Thomson and Roaring Forty led by 28 miles at 0620GMT this morning.
Throughout the weekend, both Roaring Forty and Team Mowgli were battered by Force 8-9 conditions with gusts peaking at 45 knots as the pair continued their ascent of the Tasman Sea and approached the coast of South Island. On Sunday, Jeremy Salvesen predicted that when the low pressure system moved east, wind speed would decrease and Kleinjans could pull away from Team Mowgli as the Belgian skipper increased his sail area while the British Class 40 is unable to fly spinnakers or full mainsail. This morning, the breeze has dropped to around 20 knots since midnight GMT on Sunday and Kleinjans is currently maintaining a nine knot average - two knots faster than the British duo - and Roaring Forty is now 90 miles south-west of Cape Farewell at the northern tip of South Island.
Weather models suggest that the wind could drop further throughout today, but if Kleinjans can stick with the breeze, Roaring Forty should round Cape Farewell at 1500GMT this afternoon (0400 local time 20/01), leaving around 80 miles of sailing and the final hurdle of the unpredictable Cook Strait before reaching the finish line off Wellington.
www.portimaorace.com
by Brian Hancock
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