Dee Caffari has made steady progress over the last 24 hours and continues to head north in the Transat Ecover B to B race. Aviva and solo skipper Dee have passed to the west of the Cape Verde islands and are enjoying sailing with the trade winds.
Dee Caffari has made steady progress over the last 24 hours and continues to head north in the Transat Ecover B to B race. Aviva and solo skipper Dee have passed to the west of the Cape Verde islands and are enjoying sailing with the trade winds. Currently lying in 12th position Deeis aware of Derek Hatfield's Spirit of Canada closing in on her, now only nine miles behind of Aviva. However, Dee is determined to maintain her position and keep ahead of her race rival.
Dee Caffari's latest diary entry received at 11.22pm UTC on 7 December:
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"Not a lot has changed over the last few days. We are all heading north and sailing with cracked sheets. Looking ahead we are all following the high pressure systems that will dictate our final approaches to the finish. Those at the front may have different conditions to us at the back. It will be an interesting next week.
"Aviva and I are still shipping lots of water across the boat and I am completely done with flying fish. I do not like them at the best of times but now every night is like running the gauntlet as they crash land and writhe about on deck. I am beginning to feel sorry for them as some were not flying when they came across a boat but actually were swimming but the wave picked them up and dumped them on deck. I even have them in the folds of the mainsail whilst it is reefed."
Dee
AvivaOceanRacing summary
After setting a world record last year sailing around the world against the prevailing winds and current, Dee Caffari's next ambition is to compete in the 2008/9 Vendée Globe and become the first woman to sail around the world, solo, in both directions.
Transat Ecover B to B
The 4,300-milesingle-handed Transat Ecover B to B from Salvador de Bahia in Brazilto Port-La-Forêt, Franceis most important milestone of the Aviva Ocean Racing campaign to date. The race will be the first time that Caffari has raced solo and is the first time she'll be alone at sea since completing her record making round the world voyage. Despite being one of the least experienced Open 60 Skippers in the fleet, Caffari is determined to prove she can compete alongside some of the best sailors in the world.
Further information on Dee Caffari and her Aviva Ocean Racing campaign can be found at www.avivaoceanracing.com.
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For further information contact:
Caroline Ayling
Telephone: +44 (0)20 7202 2840
Mobile: +44 (0)7801 351950
E-mail: carolinea@karen-earl.co.uk
Kelly Russell
Telephone: +44 (0)20 7202 2862
Mobile: 07786 516570
E-mail: kellyr@karen-earl.co.uk
Notes to editors:
Aviva plc
Aviva is the leading provider of life and pensions to Europewith substantial positions in other markets around the world, making it the world's fifth largest insurance group based on gross worldwide premiums at 31 December 2006.
Aviva's principal business activities are long-term savings, fund management and general insurance, with worldwide total sales of £41.5 billion and assets under management of £364 billion at 31 December 2006.
The Aviva media centre at www.aviva.com/media includes images, company and product information and a news release archive.
2008/9 Vendée Globe qualification requires both the skipper and the boat entering the race to complete a solo qualification sail validated by the Vendée Globe race management of at least 1,500 nautical miles, by 1 July 2008. The Transat Ecover B to B will qualify Dee and the current Aviva. However, she will be required to qualify the new Aviva that is currently under construction in Hakes Marine, New Zealand. She will be racing the new Aviva, sister ship to Mike Golding's new Ecover, in the 2008/9 Vendée Globe.