Orange Struggling

Deliberately, and because there is no other choice, Orange has surrendered herself to the anticyclone.

The wild run started under Australia has butted up, off Tristan da Cunha, against the soft belly of high pressure circulating off Africa. Speeds are tumbling. The sails are barely being filled. Helmsmen and trimmers are hunting the tiniest breath of air on a sea of little swell. They must gain ground to the NE, to reach the other side of the high. Because the threatening low is thundering up behind, with 45 knot winds more treacherously oriented NW, which would be right on the nose of the maxi-cat from Marseilles.

At 0800 GMT Wednesday April 17, the maxi-cat was off the coast of Brazil headed northeast. Relative to the position of current record holder Sport Elec after the same time at sea, Orange is farther north and farther east.