Clip of the Day
24 Hour Fact Sheet
photo: Team Wee Free Men by Drew Malcolm
After a ten-team flurry from the past 24 hours, the R2AK finish line has seemed to take on the same exhausted stance of the teams already in. The finish line bell’s been silent for an entire day, the ‘Are they here?!?!’ panic-driven tracker-checks to get to the docks on time were replaced by the finger drumming musings of whether it would be Wednesday or Thursday before the next team. Things slowed a beat or two, and on the seventh day, we rested, too.
To surf the lull, the infinite monkeys who write these things are tagging in the other half of R2AK’s tag team of non-video storytellers; Angel and Tim from the Boldly Went podcast are off the top turnbuckle and slamming down into R2AK with the voice of the racers themselves. Imagine that: the recorded voice—the promise of the 1870’s, today!
You’ll hear typing noises coming from the word factory again, but for now go ahead and give your eyes a break. Decant the cognac, tie the sash on your smoking jacket, and settle in fireside. Or, if you’re taking leave from the manor and find yourself at work, throw in the earbuds, open a random spreadsheet, and mouth the words, “I’m on a conference call” to anyone who tries to interrupt. Boldly Went has got the goods and you don’t want Brenda from HR to be the reason you miss it.
In this edition, Angel and Tim boldly go and ask R2AK racers the question: “Why Race to Alaska in the first place?” Honestly, we’re a little nervous to hear the answer.
24 Hour Fact Sheet
Stories from the last couple of days:
Team Educated Guess’s last night involved sailing in 40 knot winds, making a 24-foot Melges go 22 knots with a full main and spinnaker, falling 4 feet off of cresting waves and one person safely pooping during all this. Best sailing we’ve heard of?
Team Sail Like a Girl spent their last night in the same conditions, broaching 20 times and having to cut their spinnaker halyard 3 times. Broached, 20 times, and kept racing, kept trimming, kept sailing through the night.
Stats:
Of the top 10 finishers, 7 were monohulls.
No teams have crossed the finish line since High Sea Drifters on Tuesday.
Most miles in a 24-hour period: Team Shut Up and Drive (a monohull) clocking almost 200 NM. Honorable mention: a bunch of teams you’d likely be able to guess.
(We have no stats for Pear Shaped Racing, but they could have easily been in this stat).
Least Miles in a 24-hour period: Team Ziska with about 17 NM. Honorable mention: Teams Try Baby Tri and Wingnuts. (We have no stats for Pear Shaped Racing, but they could not have been in this stat).
Tidbits:
Try Baby Tri appears to be on some kind of pilgrimage in Jackson Bay which may be seeing an R2AK boat in its water for the first time ever.
Tomorrow we’ll focus the news on those still making their way to Bella Bella.
Clip of the Day