Sport-heute: Sailing - Spielen und Lenken!

04. März 2009, 23:47

Spielen und Lenken!

Mit Bildern direkt von der Telefonica Blue!

Die Flotte hat das Scoring Tor bei 36° Süd erreicht. Bis dahin waren alle zusammen und spielten miteinander. Einmal war der vorne, dann wieder der usw. Nun, sobald wir den 36° südlich überfahren haben ist alles vorbei und die Abstände sind im nu grösser geworden. Weit und breit ist nichts mehr von den anderen Booten zu sehen. Das Wetter ist wechselhaft auf der historischen Südroute. Der Bordcomputer rechnet und rechnet und schickt uns mehr nach Süden, wo leichte Winde aufkommen. In Verbindung mit dem Eis-Tor im hohen Norden ist es sehr schwer die richtige Route zu wählen. Green Dragon.

VOLVO OCEAN RACE 2009, 4.3.09 (mk) Die Mails direkt von den Yachten

GREEN DRAGON LEG FIVE DAY 19 QFB: received 24.03.09 15:18 GMT

Anybody watching the fleet on the internet would be used to seeing all the coloured dots (boats) moving along a pretty similar path. Every now and then a boat may take a slight risk and go away from the others but normally the only boats that separate are those that lag behind and may have different weather or those that feel they need to gamble to get back in the race. All of a sudden after the scoring gate at 36 South on leg 5 the fleet has scattered, so what is going on?

What we are dealing with is very changeable weather as a new low pressure forms and breaks up the long standing high pressure that you historically route around to the South. This coupled with the ice gate being very far North makes it very unclear what should be the fastest route to take.

For three days we have been running or reaching South in the traditional way whilst talking about going East and 'cutting the corner' to the Ice Gate which is ESE from us. For the last 36 hours the computer has given this Easterly route the edge over one to the South - but only just and not without considerable risk of getting caught up in the light winds of the high pressure. Much as we would love to try something different we didn't want to go against all the historical routes to the South and nor did we really want to beat upwind in 30 knots for two days.

Well three hours ago that all changed when the latest weather gave even more credibility to the 'Easterly route' and the Southerly route suddenly looked the more risky. I suspect there have been a lot of skippers and navigators scratching their heads. Wouter and I have been agonising over this for days and we needed no more persuasion to turn left and head directly upwind for the ice gate. E3 had the guts to make this call earliest and may have stolen a march on the fleet - well done to them if it works out. I have to say the crew have taken the change of plan well considering they no longer have a week of downwind sailing to look forward to - at least it should stay warmer in the North.

The fleet is now well and truly scattered and with a lot of uncertainty in the weather it can only be good news for the Dragon. There will be no
Southern Ocean for a while and there will be lots more upwind sailing, which we don't like but there should be some big opportunities ahead. Each six hourly weather forecast will be awaited with even more anxiety than normal.

Ian Walker - Skipper

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TELEFONICA BLUE LEG FIVE DAY 19 QFB: received 24.03.09 10:00 GMT

It has been another very tough day in the office, with some very, very wet sailing conditions on deck. Did we have fun? Not really, the survival kit has come out, as it seems the only way to keep some dry clothes underneath, and most of the guys have swapped to their boots. Also the water temperature has dropped nearly 7 degrees. The good news with that is, we have a nicer environment downstairs, not sweaty at all anymore.

So we beat the odds to actually pass one team to the scoring waypoint, I had never expected that. But it showed again today that when close reaching, we seem to be slippery. So now we are on our way into the southern ocean, which looks to be a very tricky affair. One boat has taken the option for a northerly route. If that route wins them the leg, they will write history, as up to now in all the legs down south, the south has won.

Ok, keeping it short, it is too bouncy to type. Might go up and take a fresh shower, with the rest of the guys.

Bouwe Bekking – Skipper

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ERICSSON 4 LEG FIVE DAY 19 QFB: received 24.03.09 09:55 GMT

Day 18 or 19 on Ericsson 4, not quite sure which day as it's not really important until we are getting close to Rio. We managed to cross the first scoring gate in first earlier on today so the boys had something to smile about for a second as the conditions were, to put it nicely, crap.

It was an extremely wet angle to the mixed up waves, which turned being on deck miserable and below deck we were unable to sleep. But now things have moderated and settled down so we can get back in the rhythm of the days. Congrats to Ericsson 3 for there 2nd to the scoring gate which has been a great effort and nice of them to position themselves between us and our opposition. After having fought their way back into contention they have headed off on a northern route to the ice waypoint by themselves so it will be interesting to see how they get on.

Another milestone today is passing by NZ which has had a few of us on here looking out to the west and thinking about being back home, which for most of us Kiwi's has been years, seems cruel to make us sail past so close and not be able to call in as in previous races.

Not sure how my bet in the sweepstake to Cape Horn is looking. I was so confident a week ago or when ever we made the call but things have been slow up until now, we will have to see how we go.

I'm off to bed as we head south at a fast bouncy rate to meet up with the Southern Ocean.

Cheers Brad Jackson - Watch Captain

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PUMA LEG FIVE DAY 19 QFB: received 24.03.09 09:00 GMT

It's been a tough day all around on ll Mostro. Ericsson 3, Ericsson 4 and ourselves locked horns about two days ago in a 3 way battle to get to the scoring gate off New Zealand. We were in the lead on paper coming out of Fiji but Ericsson 4 got into better breeze in the east and took over temporarily, then as the boats started to converge it was our turn again as we regained the lead from them while they played the clouds and we sailed straight. Sadly, in the end it was not to be and they beat us to the gate by about 5 miles with Ericsson 3 sneaking into 2nd 2 miles ahead of us. On top of this the conditions last night and today have been nothing short of horrible, blast reaching in 25 to 30 knots is the most uncomfortable angle on these boats - wet, REALLY WET, and bouncy, violently can't stand up bouncy!!!

When you sign up for this Race you do it in the full knowledge that it's not a cruise and there will be some tough going along the way. I just don't remember it being like this when I did the race in 97/98. Of course I was much younger and stupider then but I was doing bow, and while it certainly wasn't easy I can't recall getting slammed over and over again by the weather, which once again seems to be setting itself up for a period of non compliance.

Upon leaving New Zealand and heading towards Cape Horn you are not supposed to be beating which is what we are doing as I write. Beating seems to be all we've done in this bloody race so far... no I take that back - Leg 1 was OK. Either way, beating right now is not supposed to be part of the plan. Ken (Ken Read) and Capey (Andrew Cape) have been huddled in the Nav Station all day trying to figure out whether or not we should pass through the scoring gate and keep heading south or unbelievably as one computer model suggested that we pass through the scoring gate and turn immediately around and head back in the direction we came from! Looking back upwind from the stern of the boat (just an ex-bowmans opinion) I hope we don't do that.

Last night the J2 jib got itself a bit snarled up during a change, so Ken (when not scratching his head in the Nav Station) and Justin (Justin Ferris) have been battling to fix that all afternoon, not an easy job under the circumstances as the boat bounces along. The 3DL material used in our sails is fantastic but once broken, it can be very tricky to repair. The only place they can spread out is the main saloon but this is where everyone has to dress and undress as they come on and off watch, it's not ideal and I can see the frustration on everyone's face.

Rick Deppe - mcm

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ERICSSON 3’S BRAVE MOVE

As the Volvo Open 70 fleet drag raced towards the scoring gate at 36 degrees S, it was all to play for, up to the very end. With the eventual winner of the first points of leg five being Ericsson 4 (Torben Grael/BRA), yet it was Ericsson 3 (Magnus Olsson/SWE) who received all the interest after their crossing.

Grael and his International crew picked up four points at 00:21 GMT last night as they crossed the gate and were closely followed by their stable-mate Ericsson 3 at 00:53 GMT. The Nordic crew then decided to make their brave move and immediately tacked to the north-east, away from all the fleet. Olsson has officially put all his trust in his young navigator Aksel Magdahl, who believes that the best course is to the north of the high pressure between them and Cape Horn and not the south. We will all have to see if this pays off for the crew or makes them lose precious miles.

Despite PUMA’s (Ken Read/USA) crew pushing flat out towards the gate, they finally crossed the line a mere 10 minutes after the Nordic crew. Next came Telefonica Blue (Bouwe Bekking/NED) followed by the Green Dragon just over an hour behind them at 04:31 GMT.

Read described his disappointment this morning, “Sadly. In the end it was not to be and they [Ericsson 4] beat us to the gate by about 5 miles with E3 sneaking into second two miles ahead of us. On top of this the conditions last night and today have been nothing short of horrible: blast reaching in 25 to 30 knots is the most uncomfortable angle on these boats – wet, really wet!”

So as four of the fleet head south to get around the high pressure and inevitably make their way further into the Southern Ocean, it is PUMA in the lead at 13:00 GMT with Ericsson 4 a mere nine nm behind on the leaderboard. Yet, in reality Ericsson 4 are 103 nm to the south-west of il Mostro with Telefonica Blue and Green Dragon to the north-west of them with only two miles separating them.

Bekking on Telefonica Blue was a happy man today to pass the Dragon to take fourth at the gate, “So we beat the odds to actually pass one team to the scoring waypoint, I had never expected that. But it showed again today, close reaching we seem to be slippery. So now on our way into the Southern Ocean, which looks to be a very tricky affair. This meant as well that one boat [Ericsson 3] has taken the option for a northerly route. If that route will win them the leg, they will write history, as up to now in all the legs down south, the south has won.”

Leg Five Day 19: 1300 GMT Volvo Ocean Race Positions
(boat name/country/skipper/nationality/distance to finish)

PUMA Racing Team USA (Ken Read/USA) DTF 6,978 nm
Ericsson 4 SWE (Torben Grael/BRA) +9
Ericsson 3 SWE (Magnus Olsson/SWE) +46
Telefónica Blue ESP (Bouwe Bekking/NED) +56
Green Dragon IRL/CHI (Ian Walker/GBR) +58

Delta Lloyd IRL (Roberto Bermudez/ESP) DNS
Telefónica Black ESP (Fernando Echávarri/ESP) DNS
Team Russia RUS (Andreas Hanakamp/AUT) DNS

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Gabriele Olivo/Telefonica Blue/Volvo Ocean Race Average Wind Speed over 40Kn, gusts of up to 50Kn apparent, True Wind Speed 30-32Kn. The only protection is the helmet.

Gabriele Olivo/Telefonica Blue/Volvo Ocean Race Average Wind Speed over 40Kn, gusts of up to 50Kn apparent, True Wind Speed 30-32Kn. The only protection is the helmet.

Gabriele Olivo/Telefonica Blue/Volvo Ocean Race Bouwe Bekking getting changed in the bow in very light conditions while David Vera is sleeping, on leg 5 of the Volvo Ocean Race, from Qingdao to Rio de Janeiro

Gabriele Olivo/Telefonica Blue/Volvo Ocean Race Michael Pammenter having a break during his watch, as Telefonica Blue approach the Southern Ocean, on leg 5 of the Volvo Ocean Race, from Qingdao to Rio de Janeiro