By Luke Scott
Day 23 Report – Luke Scott
Focus on board must be shifting from the sleepless nights focusing on preparation, safety and survival (routing; people management, sail and boat management, etc), the accurate execution in the midst of the storm; to mopping up and licking wounds; to aiming for the finish line and waiting for the puffs to come.
Isn’t it ironic that there was such instant calm after the storm, as boat after boat parked up after their various transitions through Kurumí’s barbed and violently wagging tail?
It’s great to see the stories starting to come through from the boats of their experiences and triumphs in handling themselves with enough skill, training and strength of character to conquer Kurumí and come through to the other side.
We applaud every boat for your response to adversity… and a wide spectrum of responses were on display.
And so to the point of this report today. This is a very special race, embraced and sailed by a very select, brave and group of people. Yes, they will come out the other side sun and wind beaten, hairy and salty; but their smiles will be different, their eyes will be different, their lives will be different. And they will be better for it.
Over 63,000 virtual sailors entered Cape2Rio2020. It’s a great way to market and spread knowledge about the race, and I’m really pleased with the turnout (much bigger than the Sydney Hobart, for example), but the chances are that not one virtual skipper got wet, got ginger, felt the kiss of a warm wind across their cheeks, gazed across an ocean deep in thought.
Cape2Rio2020 is real, and each of 136 souls aboard the 22 boats will have stories for life of the rich quality of experiences they’ve had: the adventure of a lifetime!
And that is what this race is about: Quality. Quality, passion and possibility.
Rio will welcome you with inimitable admiration of your achievements (and some ice cold adult beverages).
Tracking of the boats will speed up to 2 hourly approx 40NM out and then to hourly 20NM from the finish. The race media channels will bring you updates from the finish line and dockside.
