Sport-heute: Sailing - Das grosse Game

17. Dezember 2011, 12:09

Das grosse Game

Auf dem Weg von Kapstadt nach Abu Dhabi, quer durch den Indischen Ozean bleiben im Moment die Positionen unverändert. Die Wartezeit auf den Wind geht weiter. Auch für den Leader Telefonica sind die nördlichen Winde ausser Reichweite. Doch die Abgeschlagenen der Groupama 4 mit Skipper Frank Gammas liebäugeln mit einem nördlicheren Kurs, doch um dorthin zu kommen, fehlt ganz einfach eine kräftige Brise. Casey Smith goes up the mast to give the rig a routine check after some heavy weather sailing. PUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG during leg 2 of the Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12, from Cape Town, South Africa to Abu Dhabi, UAE. (Credit: Amory Ross/PUMA Ocean Racing/Volvo Ocean Race).

Zürich, 16.12.11 Red. (mk) Gestern Abend um 1900 Uhr glaubte das Team CAMPER den Goldtopf gefunden zu haben."Wir hatten nördlichen Wind mit etwa 18 Knoten für etwa fünf Minuten oder vielleicht auch ein bisschen länger. Wir glaubten, dass wir durch waren, aber so wie der Wind aufkam, so verschwand er auch wieder. Wir waren dem Glück sehr, sehr, sehr nahe." So Skipper Chris Nicholson.

Für die sechs Navigatoren ist es ein ständiges Umstellen und ein Spiel im echten Game. "Während an Deck ständig Segelwechsel vorgenommen werden mussten, gaben wir es schlussendlich auf und warten nun auf eine göttliche Gabe des Windes." So Nicholson weiter.

Auf Platz Drei liegen im Moment Mike Sanderson uns sein Team Sanya. Alle sind sich bewusst, demnächst eine wichtige Entscheidung treffen zu müssen. "Nehmen wir den normalen traditionellen Weg und lassen uns vom hohen Druckgebiet schieben oder wir warten auf stabiles Wetter, damit wir in Richtung Norden segeln können." So Mike Sanderson.

Derzeit ist die gesamte Flotte in Richtung Osten. " Wir müssen uns im Moment von der traditionellen Route hüten.* Sagt Sipper Ken Read. "Es gibt ein Rennen zu gewinnen, das nirgends auf der Karte aufgezeichnet ist." Und Sanderson doppelt nach: "Wir müssen zuerst unsere Hausaufgaben machen und dann irgendwie das Ganze auf das Wasser bringen." So Sanderson vom Team Sanya.

Leg 2
Report: 16/12/2011 10:02:21 UTC
	DTL	DTLC	BS
1			TELE	0.00	0.0	12.8
2			ADOR	27.20	1.0	14.4
3			SNYA	44.90	3.0	15.9
4			PUMA	75.50	6.0	13.1
5			CMPR	79.00	0.0	12.1
6			GPMA	118.10	15.0	15.8

English Version

THE WAITING GAME

As the fleet racing in Leg 2 of the Volvo Ocean Race from Cape Town to Abu Dhabi slogs across the Indian Ocean, the positions remain unchanged as the waiting game continues. Overall race leader Telefónica (Iker Martínez/ESP) is still topping the leg leaderboard, but there has been some place swapping on the lateral north/south divide as the fleet lines up for the new northerly breeze waiting just out of reach.

Overnight, Franck Cammas/FRA and his men onboard Groupama 4 briefly flirted with a more northerly option, changing places with CAMPER (Chris Nicholson/AUS) and PUMA’s Mar Mostro (Ken Read/USA), but the Frenchman has dived south once again, convinced that this will be the best option to line up his team for the new breeze.

Around 1900 UTC on Thursday, CAMPER looked sweet as a northerly breeze filled in and the team thought they had reached the pot of gold, but it wasn’t to last. “We had a northerly of about 18 knots for about five minutes or so. We had our fingers crossed that we were through, but in the end, it was not to be. We were very, very close,” said skipper Chris Nicholson.

It’s a constant study of weather information for the navigators cooped up below, while on deck the crews wrestle with a plethora of sail changes on a boat that is shaking and crashing about, no doubt giving cause for concern, given the boat-breaking conditions.

In third position, Mike Sanderson and Team Sanya are fully charged and enjoying the challenge, but the crew is aware there is a big decision to make. “Do we take the more traditional route and push east into the high pressure, or go with what the weather router wants us to do and head north?” questions Sanderson.

At present, the fleet is herding towards the more easterly traditional route, with CAMPER the most easterly boat, but, as Sanderson says, ‘There is a potential race-winning move on the cards for someone." According to Sanderson it is highly likely to be a winning or a last place move, so a little more homework is required.

Stand 1900 Uhr Freitag 16.12.11

Leg 2
Report: 16/12/2011 19:00:54 UTC
	DTL	DTLC	BS
1			TELE	0.00	0.0	7.3
2			CMPR	2.20	62.0	12.1
3			PUMA	5.00	55.0	14.1
4			SNYA	11.50	32.0	11.6
5			ADOR	13.00	14.0	7.1
6			GPMA	82.90	63.0	14

Samstag 17.12.11 10.00

Leg 2
Report: 17/12/2011 10:03:23 UTC
	DTL	DTLC	BS
1			CMPR	0.00	3.0	13.9
2			PUMA	1.40	2.0	13.5
3			SNYA	15.10	9.0	10.6
4			ADOR	16.70	17.0	6.7
5			TELE	32.70	11.0	11.9
6			GPMA	108.10	18.0	12.7

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Sailing a Volvo 70 is rarely a dry experience, as evidenced here by PUMA Ocean Racing in the Indian Ocean. PUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG during leg 2 of the Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12, from Cape Town, South Africa to Abu Dhabi, UAE. (Credit: Amory Ross/PUMA Ocean Racing/Volvo Ocean Race)

MIchi Mueller moving the sail stack out and aft in anticipation of another change in weather with the cloud line on the horizon. PUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG during leg 2 of the Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12, from Cape Town, South Africa to Abu Dhabi, UAE. (Credit: Amory Ross/PUMA Ocean Racing/Volvo Ocean Race)

Groupama Sailing Team during leg 2 of the Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12, from Cape Town, South Africa to Abu Dhabi, UAE. (Credit: Yann Riou/Groupama Sailing Team/Volvo Ocean Race)

Franck Cammas at the navigation station onboard Groupama Sailing Team during leg 2 of the Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12, from Cape Town, South Africa to Abu Dhabi, UAE. (Credit: Yann Riou/Groupama Sailing Team/Volvo Ocean Race)