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15 May 2007, 11:43 am

BULLIMORE Heading For Auckland After Abandoning Record Attempt

WSSRC Record Attempt

Tony BULLIMORE (GBR) is now almost due west of Wellington, New Zealand and plans to continue his northerly course until the winds turn southwest on Tuesday and allow him to tack northwest towards Auckland. The British yachtsman is heading there to repair rigging damage on his 102 foot catamaran Doha that forced him to abandon the Blue Ocean Wireless Round the World Challenge on 11 May.

Neither BULLIMORE nor his catamaran are in any danger, but he is battling against very strong headwinds that have been gusting up to 50 knots at times. 'Its very rough out here. I am trying to keep the speed down to stop the boat from slamming too much, and have just the storm sail set at the moment,' BULLIMORE reported on Sunday.

Lee BRUCE, Team Bullimore's weather router advised BULLIMORE overnight: 'If we assume similar N to NNE progress, you should be in a lighter wind field in about 24 hours. It may not feel like it, but it will be better than where you are now!'

Meanwhile, BULLIMORE remains typically bullish about the future, planning a repair programme that will allow him to restart the Blue Ocean Wireless Round the World Challenge as soon as possible.

The Record To Beat

Record: Round the world, non-stop, singlehanded
Yacht: B&Q
Skipper: Ellen MACARTHUR (GBR)
Dates: 28 November 2004-7 February 2005
Elapsed time: 71 days, 14 hours, 18 minutes and 33 seconds
Distance: 21,760 nm
Average speed: 12.66 kts