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Becalmed

Night at the Whitehaven
Marina. Red Dragon and Parhelion await the return of their
runners from Scafell.
The second leg of the race has been
frustrating for all the yachts, becalmed or moving slowly
between patches of wind, gradually making progress northwards.
Many have been rowing for long periods and by the end
of Monday, only 7 yachts have reached Whitehaven, and
only one has left.
First in, and the only one to leave
so far, was Charter Continuum, arriving just after 6.30
in the morning and so giving their runners plenty of daylight
for the long trip to Scafell Pike. In fact there was no
hurry to return as the deep keel of the Reflex 38 meant
they could not leave until the tide had risen enough to
allow them out of the lock gate. Even so, they left before
anyone else arrived, and will now be hard to catch.
Surprisingly Thunderchild was next
to arrive, having flown a Spinnaker and stayed close inshore
they had gained a lot of time, and with a lifting keel
just managed to get in on arrival. At the time of writing
their runners have been out over 12 hours, but they will
leave early Tuesday morning, leading the Tilman Trophy,
and unless Red Dragonís runners pass them, in second
place.
Red Dragon and Simply Red arrived
within a minute of each other, but Paula Jeffs and Dave
Whittey soon overtook the runners from Simply Red, and
those from Midstream, who were 3rd into port. Having arrived
in the evening all the runners face some time out in the
dark, a fact which could hamper the chances of Jeffs and
Whittey, who lead in the King of the Mountains competition
after the Snowdon run. All of the runners are finding
the new course hard, as it involves more climbing across
Black Sail Pass and reach Wasdale Head, before climbing
Scafell Pike.
Team Mojo and Parhelion arrived late
in the day and the rest of the yachts are still out at
sea. The only one to call it a day is Team Reflex, last
years winning crew, who have retired to the Isle of Man.
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