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The Leaders into Whitehaven

Rob Howard / 18.06.2006

There is still little between the leading 5 yachts, who passed through the Menai Strait within an hour of each other this morning and arrived at Whitehaven after a rough passage with just over 2 hours between them.

First to arrive was Vlad the Impaler who lead all the way after their smooth passage through Menai. “We had a clear run through the Swellies,� said skipper Greg Marsh, “but I can’t take any credit for that, it was down Richard’s navigating. I’ve told my crew I’m in charge ... except in matters of navigation when it’s down to Richard, or running which is up the athletes ... We’re a good team.�

“The first couple of hours out of the Menai was a dream run, but then it became very hard work with lots more wind and rough seas.� One of the supporters ventured that it was a force 5 or 6 but Marsh replied. “I don’t know, none of my instruments work!�

Ian Winterburn said the crew were exhausted after the rough conditions. “It was a big following sea with waves picking us up and we were surfing them down again. Not like last year when we had to row over the Irish sea. We damaged our main and had to come in under a reef, otherwise we’d have made the first lock-in and been further ahead.� A local sail repairer is fixing up the main, and also has the Spinnaker off Leopard, which was damaged on the first leg.

This time Vlad put different runners onto the mountain, for the longest land stage of the race. Rob Smith is running again, but now he’s with Keith Read.

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