Day 204 –

• Leader within 1,000 miles of finish. ETA – 31st January
• Press accreditation for finish – Deadline for applications tomorrow
• Kopar’s challenge for 3rd place runs out of steam
• Lehtinen battles with Southern Ocean storms
• Accusations of illegal weather routing and position reporting lack evidence
• Van Den Heede and Slats dropped from Ham radio broadcasts

Dateline: 14:00 UTC  21. 01. 2019 – Les Sables d’Olonne, France

The elastic between Jean-Luc Van Den Heede and Mark Slats has stretched in the Frenchman’s favour over the weekend allowing him to open up a 215-mile lead over his Dutch rival. A week ago, the difference in terms of distance to finish was just 28 miles. Both skippers have used up what remained of their 160 litre supply of diesel fuel, with Slats expending the last drop pushing his way through the windless high pressure system sitting over the Azores. The two are now within the same weather system.

Slats is currently 330 miles south of Van Den Heede’s upwind position at the start of what could be a straight drag race to the finish. The unknown factor is the forecast – especially for these two skippers, for both have been cut off from weather feeds from the Ham Radio Net community for using unlicensed call signs throughout the Race. This came to light last week when Dutch and St Lucia radio authorities issued warning notices against the skippers. Licenced Ham radio operators who communicate with them not only face losing their licences, but the threat of a large fine and possible prison sentence!

Forecasting is particularly acute for Van Den Heede whose Rustler 36 Matmut has the prospect of running straight into another high pressure system predicted to form to the north east by Wednesday. It could affect Slats too, but not before his yacht Ophen Maverick has closed the distance.

The question then for Jean-Luc is whether to push hard for the finish and run the risk of breaking Matmut’s damaged mast, or settle for second place. The fact that 3rd placed Estonian Uku Randmaa trails 3,450 miles behind, could well persuade the Frenchman to push all out for a win, knowing that if the worst happens, he could still finish 2nd under a jury rig.

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Illegal routing and position reports?

Recent allegations circulating on social media and in print that Jean-Luc Van Den Heede has been receiving illegal radio position reports have proved unfounded. Race Chairman Don McIntyre made the following statement today:

“French and Dutch passions, already roused by the prospect of a nail-biting finish between Jean-Luc Van Den Heede and Mark Slats, were stirred further when it became clear that first Mark, and then Jean-Luc did not have valid Ham radio licenses. Then, other accusations began to fly between the two camps; the most serious being that J-LVDH may have been breaching the rules governing weather routing and position reports. One transcribed JL VDH radio recording proved to be a simple weather forecast – NOT weather routing. Some have suggested that there are other recordings of these breaches, but after continued requests by GGR officials to hear them, these recordings remain ‘unavailable’. 

The GGR Notice of Race is very clear, but some do not appear to understand how the GGR skippers operate and what the rules actually mean. GGR is confident that no entrants have received weather routing, which is forbidden, nor LAT/LONG positions of their own and other yachts. To stop any further confusion, the French GGR Ham network has stopped broadcasting any weather information to J-L VDH and Mark Slats, and now transmit relevant information including forecasts only to Uku Randmaa, Istvan Kopar and Tapio Lehtinen who all hold valid Ham Radio licences.”

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Back to the Race
For the moment, Istvan Kopar’s charge up the South Atlantic to challenge Uku Randmaa for third has run out of steam. The American/Hungarian lost some time repairing his self-steering and is now caught in calms while Randmaa is making most of the SE trade winds, and holds a 580 mile cushion

5th placed Tapio Lehtinen is making most of the Southern Ocean weather systems and is looking to round Cape Horn in two weeks time. The Finn celebrated his 61st birthday last Friday enjoying 45knot north-westerly blast and can expect two more gales at least before rounding the Cape. He is also holding his own in the virtual race against the passage time set by Sir Robin Knox-Johnston in the original Sunday Times Golden Globe Race 50 years ago and should round the Horn ahead.

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 GGR Media Alert – First finisher expected 31st January. Media Accreditation closes tomorrow!

Plans are now well in hand for a festival to welcome the first finishers back to Les Sables d’Olonne with Jean-Luc Van Den Heede is now predicting a January 31st finish,
The finish of both skippers and press conferences will be broadcast live on the GGR Facebook page, and TV VNRs and copyright free photographs will be made available shortly after.

A fast ferry has been booked to go out to welcome home the first two skippers, and the finish pontoon will be restricted to accredited media only. There will also be a press conference for both skippers within the GGR Race Village, and opportunities for one-to-one interviews booked in advance.

Media accreditation for access to press boat and finish pontoon closes at midnight UTC tomorrow. Tuesday 22nd January. Access to the welcome pontoon and Press Conference will be limited to accredited Media Only. Once approved, you will be advised where to pick up the Press Card and given directions to get to the Media Centre. Photo ID will be required to pick up the Security Pass.

Places on the Press Boat are limited and need to be pre booked at at the time of registering

ALL Media must obtain their PRESS SECURITY PASS before they can gain access to the press boat, dock and Media Centre. There will be no exceptions and security staff are briefed – NO PASS – NO GO.

Final deadline for applications is Tuesday January 22nd

Position of skippers at 08:00 UTC 21.01.19

Chichester Class

1. Igor Zaretskiy (RUS) Endurance 35 Esmeralda – stopped in Albany, W Australia

Retired

Ertan Beskardes (GBR) Rustler 36 Lazy Otter
Kevin Farebrother (AUS) Tradewind 35 Sagarmatha
Nabil Amra (PAL) Biscay 36 Liberty II
Philippe Péché (FRA) Rustler 36 PRB
Antoine Cousot (FRA) Biscay 36 Métier Intérim
Are Wiig (NOR) OE32 Olleanna
Abhilash Tomy (IND) Suhaili replica Thuriya
Gregor McGuckin (IRE) Biscay 36 Hanley Energy Endurance
Francesco Cappelletti (ITA) Endurance 35 007
Loïc Lepage (FRA) Nicholson 32 Laaland
Susie Goodall (GBR) Rustler 36 DHL Starlight
Mark Sinclair (AUS) Lello 34 Cocon