Saito-san in the lead!
Feb 28, 2005 10: 05 EST
Check out the latest position - nuff' said! Minoru Saito (red) has overtaken Kenichi Horie (yellow). Although the sailors are not in an official competition, it is to be noted that the younger Horie headed out 15 days prior to Saito, on a heavily sponsored new boat.
Only attempting to become the oldest person at age 71 to do a solo circumnavigation without stops, Saito-san has no large sponsors, and greatly appreciates all support he receives, regardless of size.
If you want to help out, go to the Saito Watch website and make a donation over Pay-Pal. 10 bucks or 100 - anything is greatly appreciated to help our senior solo sailor to finish his quest!
Minoru Saito from Japan is attempting to become the oldest person at age 71 to do a solo, non-stop circumnavigation without stops. He left Japan October 16, 2004 on his boat Shuten-dohji II (translates "Drunken child" but commonly referred to as "Shoot your dog") and is in a close race with another Japanese sailor; Kenichi Horie, who embarked 15 days prior to Saito (on a new boat).
A killer typhoon stroke Japan 4 days after Saito's departure, the foul weather cost him jib damage, and his new weather fax system was busted. 3 teams were formed to supply Saito with regular weather updates in lieu of his non-operational weather fax.
Early January, Shuten-dohji II suffered two knockdowns, and the boat experiences communications glitches of both Iridium satellite phone and Fax. Minoru's foot is frostbitten, and there's a water leak in the Centerboard case.
Saito chose the name "Challenge-7" for his race for several reasons. It's the first digit of his current age, for one thing, and this voyage will become his seventh globe-circling, single-handed quest.
When he finishes Challenge-7 he will be 71 years old, which was the race number carried by Shuten-Doji II, his sailboat for all three BOC and Around Alone races in which he competed. In fact, "71" remains inscribed on the hull.
With more than 240,000 cruising and racing miles of his own, Saito is one of Japanese top yachtsmen. He completed the Around Alone (formerly the BOC Challenge) three times, the last in 1998/99 and this will be his 7th trip overall.
Saito has typically provided most of his own financial support for his voyages from his life savings after retirement. The modest sailor is not well-known in Japan, but he won special recognition as embodying "The Spirit of Around Alone" at the closing ceremony of the 6th Around Alone Race in 1999 in Charleston SC.
Position courtesy of www.010.upp.so-net.ne
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| Fedor - less than a week to go! Jun 3, 2005 | | Saito San - closing in on home and record! Jun 2, 2005 | | Atlantic Four: And they are off! Jun 1, 2005 | | Ollie - is anybody out there? May 31, 2005 | | ExplorersWeb Week in Review May 30, 2005 | | And they are off! May 27, 2005 | | Ellen gives transatlantic record a second battle May 27, 2005 | | Vagabond update - Polar bears, 200 candles and ice melting in Inglefieldbukta May 26, 2005 | | ExWeb interview - Atlantic Four: "It was all about persuading our wives" May 25, 2005 | | Iridium: "Invalid battery - matches found, 0" May 24, 2005 |
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