Sport-heute: Sailing - RACING SUSPENDED DUE TO WEATHER FOR FIRST TIME IN 39-YEAR HISTORY OF VOLVO OCEAN RACE

19. Februar 2012, 16:04

RACING SUSPENDED DUE TO WEATHER FOR FIRST TIME IN 39-YEAR HISTORY OF VOLVO OCEAN RACE

TELEFÓNICA WILL START LEG TO AUCKLAND AHEAD, AFTER PUMA HIT TROUBLE; RESTART SCHEDULED FOR MONDAY MORNING IN SANYA.Sanya, China – Overall race leaders Team Telefónica will enjoy a head start on their rivals when Leg 4 restarts on Monday after the Spanish team finished Sunday’s sail more than two minutes ahead of their nearest rivals, Groupama sailing team. -Team Telefonica, skippered by Iker Martinez from Spain, finish first on the first stage of leg 4 of the Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12, from Sanya, China to Auckland, New Zealand. (Credit: PAUL TODD/Volvo Ocean Race)

Sanya, 19.2.12 Red. (mk) Sunday’s racing, which marked the official start to Leg 4 from China to New Zealand, was cut short by race organizers who made the decision late Saturday night to contest only a 40-nautical mile sprint and keep the boats in Sanya overnight until Monday as a safety precaution.

A weather system that includes winds over 40 knots and waves reaching 8 metres in height is forecast for the South China Sea on the route to Auckland early in the week and the delayed start lowers the risk of boats hitting monsoon-like conditions and a dangerous sea state.

It is the first time in the 39-year history of the Volvo Ocean Race that the race has suspended or delayed off-shore racing.

The race re-start is schedule for 0700 local in Sanya on Monday morning (2300 UTC) and will be staggered in the same order of finish based on Sunday’s sailing times.

Iker Martínez’s Team Telefónica finished front of the pack again on Sunday after dominating Saturday’s Sanya Haitang Bay In-Port Race one day earlier. Groupama followed them into Sanya's marina 2 minutes 32 seconds behind, coming back after a mistake at the start line, while Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing also clawed their way back from last place during the day to cross the line in third.

Mike Sanderson’s Team Sanya had the fourth-best time on the day, while CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand finished fifth and will start Monday 9 minutes 32 seconds behind current leg leaders Telefónica.

The biggest shock of the day was on board American-entry PUMA Ocean Racing powered by Berg, when their lead of more than a mile disappeared completely after sailing into a windless area shortly after starting the return stretch back to Sanya. They finished a massive 39 minutes 17 seconds back and will be the last boat to start Monday morning in the re-start.

The teams will restart racing from Sanya, China at the following times:
Team Telefónica: 2300 UTC, Sunday February 19
Groupama sailing team: 23:02:34
Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing: 23:03:36
Team Sanya: 23:07:32
CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand: 23:09:13
PUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG: 23:39:17

VNR SHOTLIST – WEATHER DELAY VNR
[120219 Weather Delay VNR.mov]
00:00-00:05 OPEN SLATE
00:05-00:13 GVs – race village
00:13-00:22 In-Port Race footage
00:22-00:34 Map graphic Leg 4 start
00:34-01:47 Quote – Gonzalo Infante, Race Meteorologist
01:47-02:21 B-roll of Leg 4 in Volvo Ocean Race 2008-09 (Singapore to China)
02:21-02:32 Quote – Gonzalo Infante, Race Meteorologist
02:32-03:06 B-roll of Leg 4 in Volvo Ocean Race 2008-09 (Singapore to China)
03:06-03:21 Quote – Gonzalo Infante, Race Meteorologist
03:21-03:31 END SLATE

INTERVIEW #1 – RACE CEO KNUT FROSTAD
[120219 CEO Knut Frostad Interview.mov]

INTERVIEW #2 – RACE DIRECTOR JACK LLOYD
[120219 Jack Lloyd Interview.mov]

VNR SHOTLIST – LEG 4 START PRE-RACE VNR
[120219 Leg 4 Start_Early VNR.mov]
00:00-00:05 OPEN SLATE
00:05-00:14 GVs – race village
00:14-00:19 “Tiger” Teng Jiang He, Team Sanya
00:19-00:24 Fans cheering Team Sanya
00:24-00:29 Groupama walk-out with skipper Franck Cammas
00:29-00:35 GVs – race village
00:35-00:39 CAMPER walk-out
00:40-00:45 GVs – race village
00:45-00:51 Telefónica walk-out
00:52-01:02 Chinese dance
01:02-01:18 Kapa Haka performance
01:18-01:28 Mayoral handover Sanya-Auckland
01:28-01:33 Team Sanya
01:33-01:38 Fans
01:38-01:43 Groupama departure
01:43-01:48 CAMPER departure
01:49-01:53 Telefónica departure
01:53-01:58 GVs – race village
01:58-02:03 END SLATE

VNR SHOTLIST – LEG 4 START MIDRACE VNR
[120219 Leg 4 Start VNR.mov]
00:00-00:05 OPEN SLATE
00:05-00:25 Race start & fleet shot
00:25-00:39 Groupama does turn at start
00:39-00:42 Fleet shot, Groupama trailing
00:43-00:55 PUMA at mark 1
00:55-00:59 CAMPER at mark 1
00:59-01:04 Telefónica at mark 1
01:04-01:11 On-board PUMA
01:11-01:16 Fleet shot
01:16-01:21 PUMA rounding mark 2
01:21-01:31 CAMPER rounding mark 2
01:31-01:38 Telefónica rounding mark 2
01:38-01:49 Fleet shot, PUMA leading
01:49-02:03 PUMA at mark 3
02:03-02:08 CAMPER at mark 3
02:08-02:38 Boats converge on mark 3
02:38-02:43 Abu Dhabi problem
02:43-02:49 PUMA leading
02:49-02:54 KEY SHOT: Fleet
02:54-03:02 Team Sanya/Groupama duel
03:02-03:08 On-board CAMPER
03:08-03:13 Fleet shot
03:13-03:23 PUMA
03:23-03:29 On-board CAMPER
03:29-03:34 PUMA/Telefonica duel
03:34-04:05 Boats rounding mark 6
04:05-04:15 Gold Medallist swimmer XUE JUAN LUO
04:15-04:31 Gold Medallist gymnast YANG WEI

Leserkommentare (0) »

PUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG, skippered by Ken Read from the USA, at the start of leg 4 of the Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12, from Sanya, China to Auckland, New Zealand. (Credit: PAUL TODD/Volvo Ocean Race)

Bowman Casey Smith from Australia looking for wind, onboardPUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG, skippered by Ken Read from the USA, at the start of leg 4 of the Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12, from Sanya, China to Auckland, New Zealand. (Credit: PAUL TODD/Volvo Ocean Race)

PUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG, skippered by Ken Read from the USA leads the fleet of Volvo Open 70's, at the start of leg 4 of the Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12, from Sanya, China to Auckland, New Zealand. (Credit: PAUL TODD/Volvo Ocean Race)