Phil Sharp is facing a frustrating time as he heads for the finish of the Route du Rhum. Currently 40 miles west of Guadeloupe and clocking up a speed of just under 2 knots Sharp was hoping to reach the finish by this afternoon. However, the latest data from his boat suggests a finish in the early hours of Friday morning. Still in first place and 200 miles ahead of his nearest rival Gildas Morvan, Sharp is hoping for his first victory in a major sailing race, an amazing achievement for the Jersey based sailor who has never sailed in the Route du Rhum before and is competing in his first 40’ class race – a step up from the minis that he is more familiar with.

Speaking from the boat this morning Sharp said, “I really just want to get in to Guadeloupe now. The last day has been pretty uneventful and a lot of the excitement has gone now that I’ve managed to break away from Gildas and I’m not looking over my shoulder so much. The only positive for me is that everyone seems to be stuck in the same conditions and going nowhere. It’ll be great to get in and see my family and friends and I’m looking forward to hopefully celebrating a victory with a couple of beers and a good night’s sleep.”

Position from last report 0800h (CET)
Latitude:    16 18.12N
Longitude: 61 56.48W
Tim Collins:
http://www.routedurhum-labanquepostale.com

Route du Rhum photos

Last Updated ( Thursday, 16 November 2006 )