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Guadeloupe
Route Du Rhum Goes To Brits
Victory Of Ellen Macarthur On Kingfisher
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| A jubilant Ellen | Ellen MacArthur on Kingfisher won the Route du Rhum 2002 in the 60-foot IMOCA monohull class, Saturday November 23.
Ellen MacArthur was first over the start line in Saint-Malo, Saturday 9 November at 1345 French time, 1245 GMT. She crossed the finish line, Saturday 23 November at 0216:47 GMT, Friday 22 November, 2316:47 local Guadeloupe time.
The previous record for monohulls in the Route du Rhum was 15 days, 19 hours, 23 minutes (Yves Parlier on Cacolac d'Aquitaine in 1994), Ellen MacArthur has established a new record time for Saint-Malo/Pointe-à-Pitre, at 13 days, 13 hours and 31 minutes, 47 seconds.
Nov 25, 2002, 14:07 PST
Guadeloupe
MacArthur Sitting Pretty In Route Du Rhum
MacArthur Looks Set For Line Hours In A Monhull
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| Looks like it's line honours for Ellen | 271 miles from the finish at 0300 GMT today, Ellen MacArthur should catch sight of the island of Désirade in this afternoon if she continues to hang on to an average of 12/13 knots. And this vintage Route du Rhum 2002 will be far from over as there will then be 82 miles to cover to round the Basse-Terre buoy which thanks to its normally transitory winds, may take a good 10 hours with an 8 knot average.
“I’m trying to sleep a bit as the day ahead will be very difficult,”said Ellen onboard Kingfisher in the early morning radio session. “I remember catching a glimpse of the island in the small hours during the last Route du Rhum and then I crossed the finish line the following night! There was no wind, absolutely nothing at Basse-Terre four years ago. For the moment I prefer to concentrate on the race alone”.
Nov 22, 2002, 13:57 PST
Guadeloupe
It's A Rum Old Route Du...
Leader Capsizes; Monohull Looks Set To Win For First Time Ever
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| It really ain't over 'til the fat lady sings - TechnoMarine the right way up | The Route du Rhum continues to serve up surprises. In Guadeloupe everyone was preparing for the sweet victory of Swiss Stève Ravussin on TechnoMarine but a viscous squall last night decided differently and flipped him.
Géant has now taken over the lead of the 60-foot trimaran fleet. The three remaining ORMA trimarans will try and sail as cautious as possible after the shocking news of last night's capsize - the 1998 record of 12 days 8 hours and 41 minutes is not likely to be broken.
Nov 20, 2002, 16:24 PST
Guadeloupe
Golding & MacArthur Still Racing For The Tropics
n the 0700 GMT rankings Mike Golding on Ecover had got up to within a hair’s breadth of pole position in the IMOCA class, just two solitary nautical miles behind Ellen on Kingfisher yet, on paper at least, the 1500 GMT rankings show that Mike has currently dropped right back. Throughout the classes they have suffered their fair share of ‘injuries’ in the past few days but nothing can surpass their eagerness for a victory drop from the cup of Rhum.
Nov 19, 2002, 14:30 PST
Guadeloupe
Over the Weekend Boats Stay Together as Brits Battle it Out
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| MacArthur and Kingfisher | On Saturday, in 16-20 knots of breeze the frontrunners were gliding with the wind from behind on the southern border of the Azores anticyclone. Blue skies and stabilising conditions were very much welcomed, but competitors knew that the hard work was not over. The two British rivals leading the monohull fleet were continuing sailing side by side, neither of them willing to let go. There was no time for rest.
Ellen MacArthur reported: "I hardly slept last night, there were constant wind shifts and changes of sails. It is very tiring. Mike Golding is right next to me and there is a little bit of a battle between us…We have crossed each others paths several times but now our courses will separate. Mike is heading north, but I am heading down south. I will be reaching on one long port tack and it will not be easy. You really have to be careful in the last bit to the Caribbean."
Nov 18, 2002, 10:57 PST
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