Felipe Cubillos and José Muñoz On Desafio Cabo de Hornos Arrive In Ilhabela, Brazil And Win Leg 3 Of The Portimão Global Ocean Race

Felipe, Jose and Desafio Cabo de Hornos Win Leg 3 (Photo Courtesy Of Portimao Global Ocean Race)

After 40 days at sea, the final 40 miles of the Portimão Global Ocean Race Leg 3 are going to be incredibly tight with the breeze forecast to lift to around ten knots and shift south-east at around 1400 GMT. Until shortly before midnight, the pace was brisk at ten knots with Cubillos and Muñoz trailing by 26 miles. At midnight, the predicted drop in wind engulfed the two race leaders with five knots of southerly breeze rapidly slowing Beluga Racer from 10 knots to six knot averages in the space of three hours with just 77 miles to the coast.

Much to the dismay of the German duo, The Chilean team on Desafio Cabo de Hornos carried the breeze longer, closing into 21 miles by 0300 GMT. In the pre-dawn at 0600 GMT with under 50 miles to the finish line, Cubillos and Muñoz reduced the lead further to just under 13 miles as the Chileans squeezed five knots from their Class 40 – double the German average – as the breeze shifted slightly south-east. With the frequency of the satellite position poll transmission increased from every three hours to every hour, waiting for the leader board data to drop into the inbox on both boats will be an intense time.

While the drama is playing out off the coast as the wind dropped close to the finish line, Jeremy Salvesen and David Thomson continue thundering north towards Ilhabela on Team Mowgli south of the race leaders in around 20 knots of south-easterly breeze polling 12 knots, decreasing boat speed slightly towards dawn today (02/04). The fleet’s solo sailor, Michel Kleinjans on Roaring Forty, has maintained a solid ten knots throughout the finish line scramble, sailing further offshore than the British double-handed duo. In the latest 0820 GMT poll, Team Mowgli are still delivering 10.8 knots and making significant gains, reducing the deficit on Beluga Racer to 70 miles. Meanwhile Michel Kleinjans on Roaring Forty has produced solid 10 knot averages throughout the night, dropping fractionally to 9.4 knots in the latest poll, trailing the Team Mowgli by 72 miles

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