BACKParis sets sail on long haul to New Zealand
| Alan Paris was in fourth place in his class as the Around Alone race began the long haul from South Africa to New Zealand. The event is the longest on earth, covering 28,755 miles of the world’s roughest and most remote oceans. Setting out from Cape Town on Saturday at the start of Leg Three, competitors headed south to avoid the southwesterly flowing Agulhas current and the dangerous cross seas that unite at the lower tip of Africa and to take advantage of the prevailing westerly winds. The route to New Zealand lies through the Southern Ocean, the only area on the world’s surface where the waves can roll all around the globe without land getting in the way. This results in the longest swell and largest waves found anywhere on the planet. At last check Bermudian Paris and boat BTC Velocity were 7,097 nautical miles from the finish of Leg Three in Tauranga. Ahead of Paris in Class Two are leader Spirit of Canada, Tommy Hilfiger Freedom America and Spirit of Yukoh, while behind are Bayer Ascensia and Everest Horizontal. |