Day 213: Kirsten Neuschäfer out of doldrums and defending her lead in the GGR!

In the northern hemisphere, it’s been tense for Kirsten Neuschäfer (ZAF), in less wind than her runner-up for longer. Every time it looks like she’s losing the lead, she finds the resources to grab some miles back, or clutch to the extra bit of wind to hold the lead.
At the back of the fleet, Ian Herbert-Jones (GBR) and Jeremy Bagshaw (ZAF) still experienced heavy weather, with another storm for Jeremy at 30° South. The feat of the week goes to a retired GGR sailor, but nevertheless very much part of the GGR family. Guy Waites who rounded Cape Horn on the 3rd of April in rough conditions with winds ranging from 40 to 60 knots. He received a warm letter from his personal heroes at the International Cape Horners Association, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston and Jean-Luc Van Den Heede. Congratulations Guy!
The week has been hard on Kirsten who has generally been in lighter weather for several weeks running, bleeding miles from her lead to Abhilash, falling from 300 miles last week to 50 today. Worse, the eastern option she chose, while closer to the finish has brought an in-and-out of the doldrums scenario with more frustrating light winds and psychological trauma. But yesterday she was in fresh winds, now on a higher route at speed towards Les Sables d’Olonne.
See full release: https://goldengloberace.com/day-213-kirsten-neuschafer-out-of-doldrums-and-defending-her-lead-in-the-ggr/
Photo: Credit: GGR/Nora Havel