This morning (07/03), the three double-handed boats in the Portimão Global Ocean Race crossed the Leg 3 Pacific Ocean scoring gate at 130°W separated by under two hours: an extraordinary achievement after 14 days and over 2,000 miles of racing.
First across at 1013 GMT, Boris Herrmann and Felix Oehme on Beluga Racer make the Leg 3 scoring gate a hat trick having clinched maximum points at the Atlantic and Indian Ocean scoring gates in Leg 1 and Leg 2. Under half an hour later, the British duo of Jeremy Salvesen and David Thomson on Team Mowgli crossed the scoring gate in second place at 1040 GMT, closely followed one hour and twelve minutes later by the Chilean team of Felipe Cubillos and José Muñoz on Desafio Cabo de Hornos at 1152 GMT. In the latest position poll at 1220 GMT today, the fleet’s solo sailor, Michel Kleinjans on Roaring Forty, is a matter of hours from crossing the scoring gate.
Currently, the double-handed fleet are averaging a little under 12 knots in a big swell and breeze of between 30-40 knots. The Portimão Global Ocean Race fleet have passed into the eastern Pacific and are being closely monitored by the Chilean MRCC (Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre) in Punta Arenas. This morning, MRCC Punta Arenas issued a weather forecast for the region the boats are sailing through, predicting the breeze to build throughout today to 40-45 knots from the south-west, with gusts approaching 80 knots. The four boats must expect a rolling, Southern Ocean swell of 7-10 metres with rain showers and visibility of 4-10km. With tight competition and tough conditions, this weekend promises to be possibly the toughest part of the race so far.
Double-handed class overall points after the Leg 3 scoring gate:
Beluga Racer 26
Desafio Cabo de Hornos 19.5
Team Mowgli 16