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SPORT / WINDSURF
Press release N°30 - friday 3 october 2003

RAPHAELA LE GOUVELLO
Solitary crossing of the Pacific on windsurfboard

An irregular crossing under conditions of weak winds

Advantage the route that lies a little north from the 10th parallel. These are the instructions that Raphaëla le Gouvello is following presently. The objective is clear: avoiding the zone of weak and irregular winds that lies South of her route.

Wednesday October 1st, the journey of navigation was overall pleasant. To be noted: a concern for watertightness on the Goiot handle that enables the bubble to close, and allows Raphaëla to access the passageway that leads outside the board. «at one stage of the day, the wind was weak, otherwise the day was pretty good… » was saying Raphaëla to us. «On the other hand , I spent over 2 hours repairing the handle, without much success. That is the only thing that worries me. If the board capsized now, water would filter through … » says Raphaëla.

« Faint», there are good chances that winds shall continue to be faint over the course of the next few days. Whereas her pace of navigation was taking up again, our windsurfer must resign herself to slowing down again.

After 2 months at sea, she feels the weight of solitude: « last time I saw a human soul ,it was the night of the 11-12 august and nothing since!! Not even the lights of a cargo seen from afar…" As opposed to the Atlantic crossing that took her from Martinique to Senegal in 2000, Raphaëla le Gouvello now finds herself in an area of the Pacific where no ships cross. So apart from a few flying specimens that she comes across or a rare marine life, these solitary conditions are not surprising.

In the afternoon of Thursday October 2 2003, there is a family reunion in the pc course. They have come to support Raphaëla in this last phase of the crossing.

Moving exchanges take place that fill our navigator with the courage to pursue this trip on an ocean that appears to be never ending, Also present , Alain PICHAVANT, who , in association with Stéphane PEYRON, crossed the Atlantic on a tandem board in 1986 between Dakar and Guadeloupe. As he encourages Raphaëla and relates his experience to her, he also administers wise advice: « don’t worry about what will happen in a week’s time it is too far ahead. . And you seem to be in good physical shape»

Thrilled with all these visits and attentions, Raphaëla le Gouvello buckles down to pursue her route towards Tahiti , now feeling less solitary. Her voice is comforted by all of the messages of encouragement that are sent to her daily on the site (www.raphaela-legouvello.com)

Weather forecasts for the week announce a certain stabilization of the wind East/South East around 10 knots. However condition forecasts don’t always coincide with Raphaëla’s observations. Abnegation and patience are required once again.

Guy SAILLARD and the crew that will be present on the catamaran are the first to have arrived Thursday evening 18h00 (Paris time) at Papeete. In the next few days they will prepare the foodstuffs for them and make the first contacts before sailing off to meet Raphaëla around October 11 after sailing for 10 days.

Raphaëla is located on Friday October 3 at 7h00 (Paris time)
at 10°24 South / 126°21West.

Sea Water Temperature: 26.67° C
Wind East/South East 9 knots
Distance covered since Wednesday evening approx: 80 nautical miles
Total distance covered since LIMA : 3033 nautical miles
∑ Duration since LIMA : 58 days (which equals the duration of the crossing of the Atlantic in 2000)
Distance to cover until the meeting point: 992 nautical miles
Distance to cover until Tahiti : 1449 nautical miles

ETA (estimated time of arrival: around 30 october

News of Raphaëla le Gouvello will be communicated Tuesday October 7.

SOUND will be made available during the transmissions organized every day by the PC Course at 17 h 30 at the Maison de la Radio (CAPE) as well as VIDEO IMAGES broadcast by TF1 and photos free of copyright. PLEASE CONTACT US.

If You want to communicate with Raphaëla directly, please contact us directly

Follow current events pertainting to Raphaëla Le Gouvello on her Internet site:
(www.raphaela-legouvello.com)

Management and Administration of the Sports Event- press :
Agence HICKORY
32, rue du Faubourg Poissonnière 75010 Paris
Project Manager:
Arnaud PARSAL-tel: 01 56 03 69 13 - email: sportsoutdoor@hickory.fr
Manager :
Anne COMBIER tel: 01 56 03 69 00 - mob: 06 07 69 23 63
email: annec@hickory.fr

Contact press TF1 :
Laurent PETIT tel : 01 41 41 29 59 - email: lpetit@tf1.fr

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