Girls on top in Indian Ocean Race

8:38 PM Sat 2 May 2009 GMT

'Indian Ocean course'

There is currently a sensation in rowing circles as the all female Ocean Angels rowing team are, after the first 11 days of racing, approx 20 nautical miles in front of their nearest rivals in the inaugural Indian Ocean Rowing Race.

The world's longest rowing race started in Geraldton, Western Australia on April 19th 2009 when rowers set out on a route which will take them 3,100 nautical miles across the Indian Ocean to Mauritius.

The Ocean Angels - a team of women rowers, Sarah Duff, Fiona Waller, Jo Jackson and Elin Haf Davie who hail from England and Wales - are the only females contesting this gruelling and dangerous event.

They have just the strength of their bodies, sheer determination, and four oars to get them 3,100 nautical miles from Western Australia to Mauritius. They are rowing two hours on, two hours off 24 hours a day, through extreme heat, severe weather and 40 foot waves.

Ocean Angels -

Should they succeed, they will become the first women on the planet to row across the Indian Ocean.

The Ocean Angels team, who are consciously maintaining a course that takes into account the effect of the Ocean Currents, has for the past week been averaging the fastest speed over the ground and are now clearly in front of their male counterparts.

Tidetech's Penny Haire, with the aid of latest satellite communication technology, trained the Ocean Angels crew in how to access daily updates of the strength and direction of the Ocean Current.

Tidetech and the Ocean Angels crew make use of Expedition www.iexpedition.orgnavigation and vessel routing software by uploading Tidetech's Ocean current files into the software.

The accuracy of Tidetech Ocean current data which is sourced as raw data from the CSIRO, allows the team to obtain a daily indication of which course to steer to ensure they weave their way carefully through the maze of friendly and unfriendly Ocean Currents.

Haire said 'With a craft that is only averaging approximately two knots of boat speed it is very easy to understand the importance of taking the best advantage of Ocean Currents.

'Already there has been a number of consecutive days, thanks to the Ocean current routing, where they are averaging speeds 30% faster than the other boats which propelled them from second last place after the initial storm conditions abated to now being in first place.'

The first week of the race had teams in survival mode as they weathered conditions that made rowing almost impossible and forced most teams to endure a controlled drift and saw the retirement of three teams. 'The weather settled this week and now the teams are rowing and making positive progress' Haire explains.

Ocean Angels at sea -

Interestingly they have 2,628 nautical miles to the finish whilst the second placed boat has 2,647 nautical miles to go (a 20 nautical mile difference), but the Ocean Angels team has only rowed 523 nautical miles to date compared to 555 nautical miles for the lead boat which indicates that the girls are much closer to the Great Circle Route (shortest route) as well as having the currents on their side.

Follow the progress of the Ocean Angels team and their position in relation to the Ocean currents at www.tidetech.orgor visit the Ocean Angels website to learn more about these amazing ladies - www.oceanangels.co.uk/

The amazing craft was built and prepared by Rowtec who have given the women enormous support in getting the team to the start line. Visit www.rowtec.co.ukto find out more.

The event website is www.indianoceanrowingrace09.com

Further information:

Tidetech - Advanced Tidal and Ocean Current Information

Penny Haire, Tidetech, 0437 633 748 or [email protected]
Greg Boller, Tidetech, 0403 044443 or [email protected]

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