The fleet shortly after take-off
Although there are still more than 5600 nautical miles to the first stage port (Buenos Aires) of the round-the-world race against the prevailing winds, the twelve yachts are fighting doggedly for places.
Also on board is Birgit Obermüller, the first German female sailor to register for the Global Challenge (see also portrait in YACHT 20/04). Your "Me to You" is only on the penultimate rank.
With Princess Anne firing the starting cannon, the twelve yachts in the Global Challenge 2004 started the race off Portsmouth / southern England at 2 p.m. local time on Sunday, October 3rd.
It was a pretty windy start in rough seas. Only a good 20 other yachts ventured out in this weather and accompanied the circumnavigators on the first hours of their 32-day leg to Buenos Aires. But there were over 20 excursion boats with family members and friends as well as over 50 high-powered inflatable boats and two helicopters. The largest escort ship had 700 guests on board.
"Me to You"
"Team Stelmar" was the first yacht to cross the starting line, closely followed by "Spirit of Sark" with the two German participants Jürgen Dieris and BarbarSturdy and "BP Explorer" with Holger Bindel. As the penultimate yacht, "Me to You" started the race with the German participant Birgit Obermüller.
About three hours after the start of the regatta, the yachts left the protected Solent and got a foretaste of the storms to be expected in the southern oceans. With very rough seas and wind speeds of over 30 knots, in gusts up to almost 50 knots, the twelve yachts and their 18-person crews had to carry out countless sail changes and foredeck maneuvers. With three reefs in the main, the smallest foresail and the storm staysail, the guards experienced all night long what to expect in the coming months.
All teams reported widespread seasickness on board. The first breakfast on Sunday morning was mostly left lying around. But on Monday morning the weather improved. The sun came out and the wind eased. On Tuesday afternoon (day 3) the yachts were in the Biskay and even had to fear that they would run out of wind. At the top are still the two yachts "Spirit of Sark" and "BP Explorer" (with the German Holger Bindel)