Posts from the Ràn yacht racing team: "Finally shorts and T-shirts!"

We have been racing for 7 days, we are 180 miles to go. We are still sailing around 16 knots of boat speed with 15 knots. Running with an A2 spinnaker. We are now aiming at Virgin Gorda with 195 course. At arrival we will round Anageda and its reef as well as Necker Island before entering the bay of Virgin Gorda. The aim is to get there at day light. We are still leading with 483 miles in front of the next boat. On handicap, we should have over 100 miles ahead. But the race is not over yet. We will only know when we finish. For those wondering, boats of different sizes, weight, style etc are compared equally on the water thanks to a handicap rating. Each boat has a rating number (calculation given out by the IRC - rating committee). The rating number is then multiplied by the elapse time (time from start to finish). So a small boat will have a low rating number because they take a longer time to finish the course. The opposite for the big boats. In this way, the first boat to finish the line could be the last boat on performance level. Line honours is for the first boat to cross the line, it does not mean automatically winning over the fleet. In this case Rán-Leopard should be the first to arrive, so be rewarded line honours. Again - the race is not over, facts only when we finish.

The ocean water is dark blue caused by 5000 to 6000 meters. Breakfast buffet is open, sun cream and glasses are out, the oilies are drying... It feels like the Big-Black-Sunday yesterday is now over.

Happy souls, happy days now on deck!