Sport-heute: Sailing - VOLVO OCEAN RACE FLEET ENCOUNTERS MULTITUDE OF DANGERS IN THE MALACCA STRAIT

30. Januar 2012, 11:11

VOLVO OCEAN RACE FLEET ENCOUNTERS MULTITUDE OF DANGERS IN THE MALACCA STRAIT

Strait of Malacca – One week after the restart of Leg 3 of the Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12 in Male, Maldives, the race’s six-boat fleet has made its way south through the Malacca Strait, while confronting a multitude of natural and man-made dangers along this particular stretch of waterway. A Malaysian fishing boat gives us a cheer as we sail past onboard CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand during leg 3 of the Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12, from Abu Dhabi, UAE to Sanya, China. (Credit: Hamish Hooper/CAMPER ETNZ/Volvo Ocean Race).

Zürich, 30.1.12 Red. (mk) The race officially entered the 500-mile long (800km) Strait of Malacca on Friday as Team Telefónica rounded Pulau We island narrowly ahead of the trailing fleet. With Telefónica, PUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG and Groupama sailing team just 300 metres apart at times over the weekend as they headed south, the three lead boats were keeping a close eye on one another.

But as much as the teams focused on match racing each other, the race leaders and three other boats – CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand, Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing and Team Sanya – were equally focused on the unique challenges posed by the Malacca Strait.

This stretch of water between the Malay Peninsula and the Indonesian island of Sumatra is the major shipping channel between the Indian and Pacific Oceans, carrying roughly 25% of the world’s traded goods.

Three days into the Strait, the Volvo Ocean Race fleet has contended with massive commercial ships, unlit fishing vessels, underwater fishing nets and general ocean debris. The teams are on constant watch, with team navigators even asking commercial ships to alter course on occasion.

The Strait is also notorious for unpredictable weather with shifting winds and powerful currents common in the area. CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand dropped anchor at one point over the weekend, due to lack of wind and strong currents.

As the race heads south towards Singapore Island on Monday, the racing boats will have to further contend with the congested Phillips Channel, which narrows to a width of just 1.5 miles (2.8km) before the fleet head north for their final push across the South China Sea and the Leg 3 finish into Sanya, China.

Team Telefónica currently lead the overall standings with 71 points to CAMPER’s 64. Groupama is in third place with 51 points. The race made a stop in Singapore during the 2008-09 edition.

VNR SHOTLIST #1 – MALACCA VNR
00:00-00:10 OPEN SLATE
00:10-00:34 Fleet rounding Pulau We entering Malacca Strait
00:34-00:40 Telefónica, Groupama and PUMA in close proximity
00:40-00:50 PUMA watching other boats
00:50-00:55 Local fishing boat
00:55-01:01 On-board radar & navigation
01:01-01:05 Commercial ship
01:05-01:10 Commercial ship & mini-cyclone
01:10-01:16 Quote – Chris Nicholson, Skipper, CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand
“I don’t know how many boats we would have passed today. Couple hundred, at least. Worst case is that he’s dragging a long net across the service. There’s no rules out here for these guys. And there’s no gybe because then we just run into the next guy on the other side.”
01:25-01:32 Floating debris
01:32-01:42 PUMA looking for floating debris
01:42-01:47 Fishing boats
01:47-01:59 Quote – Ken Read, Skipper, PUMA Ocean Racing
“This really is an incredible place to sail and the sad part is really how much stuff there is in the water… how much junk there is in the water. How people in the world can’t treat the ocean with more respect is just fully beyond me.”
02:00-02:21 Aksel Magdahl, Navigator, Team Sanya asking a commercial ship to alter course
02:21-02:35 Quote - Aksel Magdahl, Navigator, Team Sanya
“I asked him politely but still we are a sailing vessel and he’s a fast boat which can over take. We had the rights on our side. Quite often these boats don’t care. But this was a nice one.”
02:35-02:45 View of commercial ship from Team Sanya
02:45-02:51 View of commercial ship from Groupama
02:51-03:00 View of commercial ship from Abu Dhabi
03:00-03:10 END SLATE

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Swedes Martin Stromberg and Martin Krite onboard Groupama Sailing Team during leg 3 of the Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12, from Abu Dhabi, UAE to Sanya, China. (Credit: Yann Riou/Groupama Sailing Team/Volvo Ocean Race)

Groupama Sailing Team Jean-Luc Nelias and Brad Marsh looking at the cargo ship passing by during leg 3 of the Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12, from Abu Dhabi, UAE to Sanya, China. (Credit: Yann Riou/Groupama Sailing Team/Volvo Ocean Race)

Groupama Sailing Team, Martin Stromberg during leg 3 of the Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12, from Abu Dhabi, UAE to Sanya, China. (Credit: Yann Riou/Groupama Sailing Team/Volvo Ocean Race)

Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing, Justin Slattery doing a wind check during leg 3 of the Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12, from Abu Dhabi, UAE to Sanya, China. (Credit: Nick Dana/Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing/Volvo Ocean Race)

Michi Mueller patiently waiting for action on the foredeck. PUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG during leg 3 of the Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12, from Abu Dhabi, UAE to Sanya, China. (Credit: Amory Ross/PUMA Ocean Racing/Volvo Ocean Race)

Tom Addis looking to leeward for advancing weather. PUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG during leg 3 of the Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12, from Abu Dhabi, UAE to Sanya, China. (Credit: Amory Ross/PUMA Ocean Racing/Volvo Ocean Race)

Skipper Ian Walker onboard Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing, chasing down CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand in the Strait of Malacca, during leg 3 of the Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12, from Abu Dhabi, UAE to Sanya, China. (Credit: Nick Dana/Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing/Volvo Ocean Race)

Richard Mason shares a joke onboard Team Sanya during during leg 3 of the Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12, from Abu Dhabi, UAE to Sanya, China. (Credit: AndrŽs Soriano/Team Sanya/Volvo Ocean Race)