2019 Antigua Bermuda Race - Day Five
Supermaxi SHK Scallywag (HKG), skippered by David Witt, crossed the finish line outside St David's Lighthouse, Bermuda just before 10pm local time on Saturday 11 May, taking Line Honours in the 2019 Antigua Bermuda Race in an elapsed time of 3 days 08 hours 54 mins 21 seconds.
Antigua Bermuda Race Chairman, Les Crane gave the Scallywag's a warm welcome, motoring out to meet the boat before their finish, and was on hand to provide the Goslings Dark 'n Stormys after the 17 Scallywag crew cleared customs.
SHK Scallywag crew: Skipper David Witt, Anemike Bes, Harry Bethwaite, Tom Clout, James Crampton, Nick Crones, Ferdinand Galetta, Kris Mark Galetta, Alex Gough, Phil Harmer, Jack Macartney, Matt Pearce, Ben Piggott, Trystan Seal, Miles Seddon, Lindsey Stead and Charlie Wyatt.
Scallywag was outside the record set last year by Stephen Murray Jr.'s Volvo 70 Warrior (2 days, 18 hours, 32 minutes and 48 seconds). SHK Scallywag's Australian skipper David Witt spoke about the 935 mile race dockside at the Customs House, shortly after finishing.
Supermaxi SHK Scallywag (HKG) has taken Line Honours in the 2019 Antigua Bermuda Race in an elapsed time of 80 hours 54 mins 21 seconds.
2019 Antigua Bermuda Race - Day Four
Supermaxi SHK Scallywag (HKG) is expected to finish the Antigua Bermuda Race tonight, Saturday 11 May. Lombard 46 Pata Negra (GBR) leads the fleet after IRC time correction. Alfred Mylne ketch Mariella (ANT) leads the CSA Cruising Class. All yachts racing in the 935 nautical mile race are experiencing fast-reaching conditions towards Bermuda.
At 0700 AST Saturday 11 May, all competitors in the Antigua Bermuda Race have passed through the area of light winds and are experiencing fantastic reaching conditions, speeding their progress to the finish line off St David’s Lighthouse, Bermuda. SHK Scallywag, skippered by David Witt, leads the fleet. Scallywag has 140 miles to go with an expected finish time around dusk tonight. SHK Scallywag will be outside the race record, but the mood on board is still upbeat, as navigator Miles Seddon reports via satellite link:
“We are bouncing along at 15 knots, tight reaching towards Bermuda, expecting to be off the finish line around 5pm local time on Saturday. After a slow and painful time ghosting along through very light winds, we are now through and into the nor' easterly winds and pointing directly at the finish line. It has become a little cooler, which means it’s much easier to sleep below deck now. We are all looking forward to Bermuda!”
In the race for Line Honours, SHK Scallywag is 124 miles ahead of Afansay Isaev Maxi Weddell (RUS), which is 365 miles from the finish. Gilles Barbot's Volvo 60 Esprit de Corps IV (CAN) has found great breeze to the east of the fleet and is third on the water with 375 miles to go.
2019 Antigua Bermuda Race - Day Three
The 2019 Antigua Bermuda Race entered a new phase on the second night (Thursday 9th May) of the 935 mile race to Bermuda. The international fleet encountered a pressure ridge over a thousand miles wide, right across the race course. Race leader, Supermaxi SHK Scallywag (HKG) came to a grinding halt and watched the rest of the fleet close the gap until they too lost the breeze. Scallywag's tactic of sailing almost 175 miles west of the rhumb line looked to work in their favour as the easterly going ocean current did at least work in their favour. However, during the night, it was snakes and ladders as one boat after another lost or gained in the patchy breeze. Behind the leader, teams are still using their own strategies to maximise performance and get through the light air and make it to the fresh breeze north.
At 1400 AST on Day Three, SKH Scallywag was back in the breeze, making 15 knots of boat speed, with 400 miles to go to the finish. Afansay Isaev Maxi Weddell (RUS) was approximately 100 miles behind the leader. The chasing pack were enjoying tight racing with only 18 miles of separation between the next five boats: Esprit de Corps IV (CAN), Pata Negra (GBR), Maremosso (GER), Challenger (CAN), Raucous (SUI).
2019 Antigua Bermuda Race - Day Two
Blast reaching in the tropics is hard to better, and for the first day and night of the 2019 Antigua Bermuda Race, the international fleet have had their fill. However, Mother Nature is about to deliver a speed bump that will bring a tactical and skilful element to the 935 nautical mile oceanic race to Bermuda.
All yachts in the race have been eating up the miles in solid trade winds. Supermaxi SHK Scallywag (HKG), skippered by Australian David Witt, is set for a 24 hour run of over 400 nm, within striking distance of race record pace. Miles Seddon, British navigator on SHK Scallywag checked in just before dusk on the first night: “We are just passing Anguilla, leaving the Caribbean behind. Top speed so far has been 26.5 knots.”
The rest of the fleet has a velocity made good of between 11-8 knots, set for a 24 hour run of between 200-280 miles - fast going by any standards.
Over the next 24 hours, the fleet are set to finish their thrilling trade winds ride as they encounter an occluded front across their path to Bermuda. Cold air from a mature low pressure system further north is overtaking the warm trade winds. The overall effect is a trough, or pressure ridge in which the fleet is likely to encounter light head winds. However, the mixture of cold and warm air can also cause localised squalls giving sudden significant wind shifts in both direction and speed.
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