The Drop Off

Five yachts, SEB in the lead, followed by illbruck, ASSA ABLOY, News Corp and djuice have rounded Eclipse Island and are heading for Bass Strait, the notorious waters between mainland Australia and Tasmania.

All the yachts tacked after rounding Eclipse Island and are heading south towards the 40th parallel where they expect reaching conditions that should give them a fast ride towards the east. Bass Strait is approximately 1400 miles away.

Keith Kilpatrick was transferred from Amer Sports One onto a 48-foot powerboat while the yacht was still some 15 miles away from Eclipse Island. The powerboat went to the port stern quarter of Amer Sports One, where skipper Grant Dalton helped Keith Kilpatrick, wearing a dry-suit and a life jacket, step over to the powerboat. Now he is sitting in the aft saloon of the powerboat, talking to Nautor Challenge onshore crew Nick Bice. They are going straight to Albany harbour, where an ambulance will be waiting for them. Keith will be taken to Albany hospital where Dr. Alistair Holms will examine him and decide on the next course of action.

Rounding times Eclipse Island (GMT): TSEB 0358; ILBK 0518; AART 0545; NEWS 0600; DJCE 0740

Volvo Ocean Race Position Report, Day 17, 0958 GMT:

PSYachtLatitude LongitudeDTFCMGSMGTFHRDTLDTL-C ETA PO
1TSEB36 06.16S118 09.68E0178316709.71340+004 DEC 0111
2ILBK35 50.76S118 10.96E0178714507.01444-704 DEC 0115
3NEWS35 45.24S118 07.92E0179112506.11518-1504 DEC 0112
4AART35 48.92S118 05.00E0179213506.31509-1204 DEC 019
5DJCE35 21.72S118 05.88E0180007507.717017-2504 DEC 016
6AONE35 17.40S117 38.60E0182605710.416643-3204 DEC 0110
7ATOO36 45.44S114 36.36E0199804406.5163215-704 DEC 013
8TYCO33 58.00S025 38.12E——–