As the Artemis Transat loses another boat in the Open 60 fleet following the retirement of Unai Basurko, Dee Caffari is as determined as ever to get to Boston and complete her first solo race onboard Aviva. The upwind conditions have left the British skipper exhausted but Caffari still has her eyes on the finish line.
As the Artemis Transat loses another boat in the Open 60 fleet following the retirement of Unai Basurko, Dee Caffari is as determined as ever to get to Boston and complete her first solo race onboard Aviva. The upwind conditions have left the British skipper exhausted but Caffari still has her eyes on the finish line.
The solo yachtswoman's understanding and knowledge of her new boat is growing daily and she is developing her tactical skills and is learning how to handle her powerful new-generation Open 60 under race conditions. Over the last 24 hours Caffari has been challenged by the extreme physical demands of solo offshore racing. Caffari had increased her upper body strength during her land-based training before the transatlantic race but she is feeling exhausted as sleep deprivation and intense physical exertion take their toll and make life onboard ever more difficult.
Dee Caffari's latest diary entry received on 19 May:
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"I'm going to tell you how it really is. Yesterday felt like day two of the endless tacks, and I have a sneaky suspicion that it will be like this until the end. I've seriously lost count of the number of tacks I have done, the number of reefs in and out I have done and then the number of sail changes period.
"My arms ache, I can definitely say that there are no bingo wings on me at the moment, but the speed at which I turn the handles of the pedestal has definitely slowed. I even tacked twice yesterday where through fatigue I made silly mistakes to leave me ‘stuck in irons' as we say in the trade, which is basically stuck in the middle neither on one tack or the other. That was tricky to get out of and much more hard work than you want at that time.
"With the upwind work at the moment we really are moving sails in the sail locker, moving boxes of spares, transferring ballast, then tacking the deck and tidying up down below, it is a long winded affair.
"At times Aviva was sailing wonderfully and at other times despite being sure I had everything set the same I couldn't get her to go at all. I know this will come as we get to know each other better and I am making progress on the learning front.
"I am sorry to see Seb onboard BT retiring but pleased he will still be sailing after dealing with the gear damage he has sustained. His news definitely made me check through everything again onboard Aviva."
Dee and Aviva
Aviva Ocean Racing Summary
In May 2006 Dee Caffari set a world record by becoming the first woman to sail solo, non-stop around the world against the prevailing winds and currents. The inspirational yachtswoman's next ambition is to complete the Vendée Globe 2008/09 and become the first woman to sail solo non-stop around the world in both directions.Further information on Dee Caffari and her Aviva Ocean Racing campaign can be found at www.avivaoceanracing.com
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e-mail: kellyr@karen-earl.co.uk
Notes to editors:
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