Cheyenne 559 Miles East Of Montevideo, Uruguay

A 24-hour run of 526 miles on Day 44 has raised spirits after several slow days of tactical negotiation of a High pressure ridge – and has kept Steve FOSSETT and crew 778 miles ahead of the 2002 RTW track of Orange.

Now some 5500 nm minimum distance back to the official WSSRC (World Sailing Speed Record Council) RTW start-finish line at Ouessant in France, Fossett and crew expect a second good day of southerly breeze Monday from this front as they continue their tour (from a rather long distance offshore so far) up the East coast of South America, but will then need to find their way through developing weather off the Brazilian coast.

Damian FOXALL describes yesterday’s run and the systems ahead:

“Back into the big miles, the whole day sailing ahead of the cold front on course at 23 kts +, straight down the shortest possible course. In 2002 Orange sailed a more classic wide course round and through the South Atlantic High, ultimately adding hundreds of miles to their route. We will be taking a more direct route.

Past Argentina, Uruguay to Port, we are heading for a low that has formed off Rio and hope to slide up the inside, great to be downwind in this section but the low is dragging us further West than we would like which, while it is the direct and shortest route, could very easily leave us hanging out to dry once we pass close to the Brasilian coast. Anyway, in changing forecasts we sail opportunistically – and take the fast route North. Brasil here we come.”