The fifth and final leg of the Around Alone got underway yesterday after a long and restful stop over in Salvador, Brazil. The nine skippers set sail on their 4,000 mile race for Newport, Rhode Island in15-knot easterly. The only boat missing from the line-up was Derek Hatfield on Spirit of Canada, who started his own race at 01:52 GMT this morning, rejoining Leg 4 in a race to complete Leg 4.

Bermudian skipper Alan Paris on BTC Velocity won the start, followed by Emma Richards on Pindar and then Bruce Schwab on Ocean Planet right behind. Moments later Thierry Dubois on Solidaires rolled over the top of Ocean Planet to move into third. In a group at the committee boat end Brad Van Liew on Tommy Hilfiger Freedom America, Bernard Stamm on Bobst Group – Armor lux and Kojiro Shiarishi on Spirit of yukoh were all a few seconds late for the start, but sailing at full speed.

The fleet headed downwind towards a turning mark four miles away with the leaders vying for first place. At first it was Dubois who steamed into the lead, but Stamm was not to be denied and at the mark it was the all too familiar sight of Bobst Group – Armor lux at the front of the pack. Bruce Schwab on Ocean Planet showed blazing speed with his narrow Tom Wylie design and followed Stamm around the mark a mere half boat-length astern. Dubois on Solidaires was third at the mark. Brad Van Liew also found himself at the front of his class and was the first Class 2 boat to round the turning mark.

The fleet then sailed close-hauled along the coast to the Farol da Barra lighthouse. With fireworks marking the occasion, Bernard Stamm sailed through the final gateway of the inshore course with a good eight boat length lead over Solidaires, but the real story was the blazing hot performance turned in by Bruce Schwab on Ocean Planet who was just behind Solidaires as they passed through the gate. Not long after all the Class 1 boats rounded, Brad Van Liew on Tommy Hilfiger Freedom America rounded the turning mark off the Farol da Barra lighthouse and he too headed out to sea, followed by Tim Kent on Everest Horizontal and Kojiro Shiarishi on Spirit of yukoh. At the first set of position reports, the top spots are being held by Bobst Group – Armor lux, Solidaires and Pindar in Class 1, and Tommy Hilfiger Freedom America, Spirit of yukoh and Everest Horizontal in Class 2. Next stop Newport.

POSITIONS AT 2100GMT 13th APRIL 2003

Class 1

Boat, Lat, Lon, AvgBsp, AvgHeading, DTF

1. Bobst Group-Armor Lux 12 50.470 S, 38 05.280 W, 31.91 nm, 4.55 kt, 89 °T, 3998.05 nm

2. Solidaires 12 49.020 S, 38 08.370 W, 28.96 nm, 4.14 kt, 86 °T, 3999.06 nm

3. Pindar 12 51.110 S, 38 08.370 W, 28.89 nm, 4.13 kt, 90 °T, 4000.58 nm

4. Tiscali 12 53.380 S, 38 10.280 W, 27.13 nm, 3.88 kt, 95 °T, 4003.50 nm

5. Ocean Planet 12 54.220 S, 38 10.450 W, 27.05 nm, 3.86 kt, 97 °T, 4004.23 nm

Class 2

Boat Lat Lon AvgBsp AvgHeading DTF

1. Tommy Hilfiger 12 56.020 S, 38 12.310 W, 25.54 nm, 3.65 kt, 101 °T, 4006.78 nm

2. Spirit of yukoh 12 54.880 S, 38 14.550 W, 23.19 nm, 3.31 kt, 100 °T, 4007.45 nm

3. Everest Horizontal 12 56.120 S, 38 14.500 W, 23.47 nm, 3.35 kt, 103 °T, 4008.32 nm

4. BTC Velocity 12 58.260 S, 38 17.310 W, 21.43 nm, 3.06 kt, 110 °T, 4011.76 nm

* Spirit of Canada (Leg 4) at 20:14 UTC – 54 24.28′ S 063 21.84′ W

Overall Results in Points / Total Elapsed Time after 4 Legs

Class 1

1 Bobst Group-Armor Lux – 39pts / 97 days 23 hrs 7 mins 13 secs

2 Solidaires – 37pts / 98 days 9 hrs 57 mins 47 secs

3 Pindar – 27pts / 110 days 16 hrs 30 mins 23 secs

4 Tiscali – 26pts / 140 days 0 hrs 51 mins 41 secs

5 Ocean Planet – 23pts / 138 days 19 hrs 5 mins 45 secs

Class 2

1 Tommy Hilfiger Freedom America – 40pts / 128 days 0 hrs 0 mins 54 secs

2 Everest Horizontal – 35 pts / 148 days 0 hrs 15 mins 41 secs

3 *Spirit of Canada – 25 pts / 174 days 6hrs 47 mins 44 secs

4 Spirit of yukoh – 28 pts / 155 days 23 hrs 24 mins 44 secs

5 BTC Velocity – 23 pts / 174 days 6 hrs 47 mins 44 secs

* Spirit of Canada points and elapsed time after 3 legs only, 3rd place ranking based on his completion of Leg 4.