Dee Caffari has completed her first 24 hours solo on board her Open 60 Aviva in the Transat Ecover BtoB. She has started to get into her routine and is feeling more comfortable racing around the clock without anyone else on board to rely on.
Dee Caffari has completed her first 24 hours solo on board her Open 60 Aviva in the Transat Ecover BtoB. She has started to get into her routine and is feeling more comfortable racing around the clock without anyone else on board to rely on. The fleet has now split into two distinct packs with the new generation boats closely bunched up at the front of the field and the older generation Open 60s bringing up the rear. Aviva is a 10 year-old yacht so Dee will be targeting her rivals in similar aged boats and is currently only 14 miles behind Cervin EnR her closest competitor.
Dee Caffari's latest diary entry received 6pm UTC 30 November:
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"I have been racing for just over 24 hours now and slowly I am settling into life onboard Aviva on my own. For me the race started a second time as problems with my furling line and code 0 saw me return to the dock to get help from my team before re-starting some three to four hours later.
"I was very demoralised by the whole afternoon. My first solo start and it all went pear-shaped and I was now sailing behind the fleet. But I think now twenty fours hours on it has made me more determined to sail and catch them up. The conditions were very physical to begin with as I was sailing upwind in 15 to 20 knots of wind. I had to tack on the shifts and make my way up the coast. Living in a boat healed over at an angle with the noise of crashing through the waves and groaning of the loads on the rigging did not help me settle into the race at all.
"I was tired but didn't sleep. I was hungry but didn't want to eat and I tried really hard to keep drinking. I sailed with a conservative sail plan overnight as I wanted to look at the decision for the sail plan in daylight. It allowed me to suffer less stress overnight and now this afternoon I have re-hoisted to a full main and have unfurled the Solent once again and we are slowly but surely closing the fleet ahead. I am feeling more comfortable on Aviva and I am sure once we have a break from this upwind sailing, I will feel even better."
Dee
-ends-
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 Europe with 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 1500 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.
Aviva Ocean Racing 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-mile single-handed Transat Ecover B to B from Salvador de Bahia in Brazil to Port-La-Forêt, France is 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