JV Jumble–Northern Drag Race: The drag race to the Equator between Orange II and Geronimo is heating up, with Orange peeling (heh, heh) off two consecutive 500-plus mile days and closing the gap to Geronimo almost down to nothing. Olivier De Kersauson’s big trimaran took a more easterly route between the Canary and Cape Verde Islands, and gave up some distance. But this part of the leg is all about picking your longitude and setting up for the Doldrums crossing. De Kersauson says they are looking ugly, and we won’t really know who has won Round 1 of this battle until both boats are across the Equator and into the southeast trade winds. Right now, thanks to the tricky weather and a lot of gybing, both boats are slightly behind Orange 2002’s record pace. This is good news for Cheyenne, since her slow time on this leg was vulnerable to the trailing boats, while her post-Equator passage has been pretty damn quick. So if OII and Geronimo don’t make too bog a gain on Cheyenne here, they are going to have to sail their asses off to stay ahead of her pace to Australia.

Still, Orange II is showing some decent speed, even though she wrapped a 6-9 foot shark around her daggerboard at 23 knots and needed a half hour to get the unhappy beast off. For those who are into it, this race is more than a test of crew, versus crew, and tri versus catamaran. No, no bits off boat fell off in the incident…..It is also a test of two of the world’s best weather routers, with Roger “Clouds” Badham of Australia (in TWC’s view simply the best out there) calling the shots for Orange II (which also has chronic round-the-world addict Roger Nilson in the nav seat), and France’s Pierre Lasnier (also at the top of his game and helping our buddy VDH find his way home) calling the weather for Geronimo. This is high speed, 3D chess, and TWC is loving every minute of it…..



“The Admiral” De Kersauson: “Merde, is that a flash of orange I see….Didier, get me Lasnier on the phone, right now!”