Friday 11:00 AST
After a strong frontal passage Thursday night with several large squalls, lightning, thunder and torrential rain followed by a wind hole, the line honors competition has reversed. Tod Slyngstad’s HH 66 catamaran Nemo now once again leads Stefan Jentzsch’s Botin 56 Black Pearl by 32 miles.
Black Pearl reports:
“The race has been a bit of everything. The first half was very pleasant, reaching in good conditions. We have a very wet period followed by the transition into the northerly breeze. We expect to be on the wind for the rest of today in 10 to 12 knots with a choppy sea.
Hopefully, the wind veers as forecast, and we can finish on a nice reach and be in tomorrow (Saturday) afternoon. It seems we having a nice race with the multi-hull and actually were ahead of them on the race course at one point. They did a better job with a rain cloud (geographical position) and put 30 miles into us. Since then, we've been at a similar speed and coming into them a little.
Once we start reaching, they will be gone again, but it's been fun chasing them”
With the calm after the front passed, several boats including Bella J, Rye, and Life of Reilly have dropped into CSA Cruising Division where they can motor with a penalty of their motoring time being added to their elapsed course time.
The fourth edition of the Antigua Bermuda Race started from Antigua May 9th. The 935nm oceanic race is managed by the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club in association with Antigua Sailing Week, and supported by the Bermuda Tourism Authority and Goslings Rum. The race is designed to suit a wide range of yachts and crew, with memorable parties both in Antigua and Bermuda.
