Sport-heute: Sailing - Der grosse Showdown am Cape Town

01. Dezember 2011, 13:14

Der grosse Showdown am Cape Town

Groupama 4 im Ziel - Die Rangliste

Drei Boote sind regulär in Cape Town über die Ziellinie gefahren, drei, mussten Hilfsmittel zur Hand nehmen. Fünf Boote sind mittlerweile am Zielort, eines, die PUMA ist noch auf dem Conainerschiff "Bremen" unterwegs und wird frühestens am Montag in Cape Town eintreffen. Viel Arbeit für die Landcrews ist angesagt. Es gibt also noch viel zu tun. Einen kleinen Ausschnitt sehen Sie auf der Fotoreportage.Puma Ocean Racing powered by BERG mast arriving in Johannesburg, South Africa. (Credit must read: Marc Bow/Volvo Ocean Race)

Zürich, 1.12.11 Red. (mk) THIRD PLACE FOR GROUPAMA INTO CAPE TOWN

Cape Town, South Africa – Leg one of the Volvo Ocean Race drew to a close on Tuesday when Groupama 4 and Franck Cammas/FRA crossed the finish in Cape Town at 17.28.31 UTC (19.28 local time) after 24 days, four hours, 28 minutes and 31 seconds (24:04:28:31) of racing. It is the first time that a fully French entry has been seen in the race since the late Eric Tabarly skippered the maxi La Poste in 1993-94. Groupama Sailing team score 20 points for the leg, to add to the two points awarded for fifth place in the Iberdrola In-Port Race in Alicante on October 29. The team are in third place overall.

The last two days have been tedious in the extreme for Groupama 4 whose progress was hampered first by no wind and then by too much. It was a tired and relieved crew that finally made it to Cape Town as dusk fell.

Groupama 4 briefly took the lead on day three, November 7, but it was day four that decisions were made from which there was, almost, no going back. Cammas decided to keep inshore and follow the African coast in the painfully slow, upwind conditions. Taking a risk, which, ultimately, did not pay off, the team split from the pack, clearly confident in their choice of tactics. CAMPER (Chris Nicholson/AUS) also took the same track, but later paid a costly price to follow Telefónica (Iker Martínez/ESP), the eventual leg winner and PUMA’s Mar Mostro (Ken Read/USA) later dismasted, out to the west.

The tactical gamble immediately began to cost the French team and, later that day, CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand bailed out to the west. The sails slatted and flogged in less than two knots of wind and Groupama sailing team became lonely warriors, heading the traditional trade route less than five nautical miles (nm) off the Moroccan coast. By day five, the French were on the ‘highway to hell’, over 300 nm east of the rest of the fleet and 42 nm offshore.

On day six, Groupama 4 was top of the leaderboard, and Cammas was still confident. “It was not our choice to go alone,” Cammas said in a radio interview on day six. “I have nervous moments for sure, but I don’t share them. I just share my hopes. We’ve done everything we wanted to do up to now,” he said. But, by day eight, the tables had turned as the boats in the west hooked into a new weather system and Groupama were left struggling in fourth place, a position they never recovered from.

Team Telefónica now lead with 31 points, followed by CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand on 29 and Groupama on 22. Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing have six points, PUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG are on five and Sanya are on three, after all three were forced to retire from Leg 1.

The next opportunity for all six to score points will be the second in-port race in Cape Town on Saturday, November 10 at 1300 UTC. The second leg to Abu Dhabi begins the following day at the same time.

Provisional Leaderboard Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12
1. Team Telefónica: 31 points
2. CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand: 29 points
3. Groupama sailing team: 22 points
4. Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing: 6 points
5. PUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG: 5 points
6. Team Sanya: 3 points

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Skipper Mike Sanderson from New Zealand. Team Sanya arrive in Cape Town after retiring from leg 1 due to severe damage. Team Sanya are currently building a replacement bow section that will be fitted over the coming days. (Photo Credit must read: IAN ROMAN/Volvo Ocean Race)

Team Sanya arrive in Cape Town after retiring from leg 1 due to severe damage. Team Sanya are currently building a replacement bow section that will be fitted over the coming days. (Photo Credit must read: IAN ROMAN/Volvo Ocean Race)

Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing arrives on a ship in Cape Town, after retiring from leg 1. (Photo Credit Must Read: Nick Dana/Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing/Volvo Ocean Race)

IWC clock in the Volvo Ocean Race Alicante race village. (Credit: TIM STONTON/Volvo Ocean Race)