Sport-heute: Sailing - TELEFÓNICA BLUE LEG THREE DAY 5 QFB: received 17.12.08 0600 GMT

17. Dezember 2008, 15:50

TELEFÓNICA BLUE LEG THREE DAY 5 QFB: received 17.12.08 0600 GMT

RISKY BUSINESS FOR TELEFÓNICA BLUE

We are separated from the fleet. Why, because we think we can make a gain with an expected SE wind shift to come. The risk is that the shift will not mature and then we are in trouble, as being south it means as well that we have lighter winds than all the others do.

cochin-singapore (mk) It is like playing chess, sometimes you have to make an offer to realise checkmate. Not that we need this until the finish, but we would like to cross the scoring waypoint of course first.

Is it risky what we do? Yeeessss, very risky, but we didn't have a real opportunity to tack to the north, so we stuck to our guns and believe what we see on the weather charts. These are the days that your tummy gets squeezed in like mad, and we all have to try to relax. It is matter of breathing in and out, and staying calm, we all have faced worse moments in our sailing lives. Another 24 hours we will see how our strategy is paying off, very easy to go from the penthouse to the s^%t house.

Cheers,

Bouwe Bekking - skipper

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ERICSSON 3 LEG THREE DAY 5 QFB: received 17.12.08 0732 GMT

Gustav Morin, our Media Crew Member, has a stomach infection and is out of business, so I am allowed to write a few words today. We hope he will get better again soon, as he does not seem to enjoy it too much.

He has been trying different locations onboard. His bunk - very risky - the toilet, and the stern. Suddenly there was an outbreak of black humour onboard, and one after one commented to Gustav about different matters. Someone took his measurements for a coffin, and someone offered him a beefsteak with béarnaise sauce. And most guys asked him if they could have his chocolate bars for the rest of the trip.

Otherwise, things go on as usual. The guys were not very impressed by tacking five times through the night, moving all the gear from side to side every time. We have discussed whether a tropical wave is a Tsunami or a weather phenomenon - some of the crew were told during leg one, that it is a Tsunami. And they are now trying to argue for that. Who has the worst body smell is also a common topic.

We broke a rope on the bow last night in very rough sea state, and Martin Krite, Jens Dolmer and Anders Dahlsjö got the honour of sitting up there for half an hour, being smashed around while we were sailing at full speed. I tried to get on the helm for a short while to try to find some big waves, but was not allowed.

We have tried to sail consistently fast and smart without taking wild risks during the past days. Finally, we have almost caught up to Green Dragon, and seeing them just ahead of us certainly keeps our performance a level sharper.

Greetings from all E3 crew.

Aksel Magdahl - navigator

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TELEFÓNICA BLUE LEG THREE DAY 5 QFB: received 17.12.08 0600 GMT

We are separated from the fleet. Why, because we think we can make a gain with an expected SE wind shift to come. The risk is that the shift will not mature and then we are in trouble, as being south it means as well that we have lighter winds than all the others do.

It is like playing chess, sometimes you have to make an offer to realise checkmate. Not that we need this until the finish, but we would like to cross the scoring waypoint of course first.

Is it risky what we do? Yeeessss, very risky, but we didn't have a real opportunity to tack to the north, so we stuck to our guns and believe what we see on the weather charts. These are the days that your tummy gets squeezed in like mad, and we all have to try to relax. It is matter of breathing in and out, and staying calm, we all have faced worse moments in our sailing lives. Another 24 hours we will see how our strategy is paying off, very easy to go from the penthouse to the s^%t house.

Cheers,

Bouwe Bekking - skipper

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RISKY BUSINESS FOR TELEFÓNICA BLUE

On day five of the Volvo Ocean Race leg three, 1950 nautical miles from Cochin to Singapore, the Telefónica Blue team (Bouwe Bekking/NED) although retaining their position at the head of the fleet, has found themselves strung out to the south and in a very vulnerable position, separated by over 100 nm from the rest of the fleet.

Why? Because Bouwe Bekking and his men believe they can make a gain with an expected southeasterly windshift. If the windshift does not materialise, then they are in trouble, as, in the south, they will have lighter winds that the rest of the fleet. However, if it works, then there are huge gains to be made.

Is it risky? 'Yes, very risky,' says Bekking. 'We didn't have a real opportunity to tack to the north, so we stuck to our guns and believe what we see on the weather charts.'

The crew is trying to be patient. 'It is a matter of breathing in and out and staying calm,' explains Bekking. 'We have all faced worse moments in our sailing lives.' The waiting game will be over in about 24-hours and then the team will see if their strategy is paying off.

The fleet is hard on the wind, not the fastest point of sailing, and the scoring gate at Pulau We, located at the entrance to the Malacca Strait, lies 516 nm directly upwind of Telefónica Blue and about two and a half days sailing at her current speed. At 1300 GMT today, Bekking had pulled out a lead of 39 nm over overall race leader Ericsson 4 (Torben Grael/BRA), who had moved into second place.

Meanwhile, there is a proper dogfight for the third spot. Green Dragon (Ian Walker/GBR), although losing the second place the team held at 1300 yesterday, is engaged in battle with Ericsson 3 (Anders Lewander/SWE) who has moved up a place to third and is three miles ahead, and Telefónica Black (Fernando EchÃ¡varri/ESP), who is level pegging. All three boats are in sight of each other.

Further back, Kenny Read/USA has taken PUMA to the north, losing a place in the process, and is about to cross the track of Ericsson 4, but 16 nm behind.

The gap then widens considerably to Kosatka Team Russia (Andreas Hanakamp/AUT) who are way up in the north, and is 99 nm behind Telefónica Blue and Delta Lloyd (Roberto Bermudez/ESP) who is following a more conservative track in the middle of the group, but trails by 106nm.

With 1087 nm to run for the leader, progress is slow, but better now that they are free of the adverse current of the past few days. Boats speeds hover around the 11-knot mark, although Kosatka is averaging 12.3 knots.

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

Telefónica Blue ESP (Bouwe Bekking/NED) DTF 1087
Ericsson 4 SWE (Torben Grael/BRA) +39
Ericsson 3 SWE (Anders Lewander/SWE) +47
Green Dragon IRL/CHN (Ian Walker/GBR) +50
Telefónica Black ESP (Fernando EchÃ¡varri/ESP) +50
PUMA Racing Team USA (Ken Read/USA) +55
Team Russia RUS (Andreas Hanakamp/AUT) +99
Delta Lloyd IRL (Roberto Bermudez/ESP) +106

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Sander Pluijm/Team Delta Lloyd/Volvo Ocean Race Bowman Morgan White changing the sheet on the masthead C-O, on leg 3 of the Volvo Ocean Race from India to Singapore.

Gabriele Olivo/Telefonica Blue/Volvo Ocean Race Daryl Wislang checking bearings on PUMA Ocean Racing while holding the mainsheet on the other hand, onboard Telefonica Blue, on leg 3 of the Volvo Ocean Race from India to Singapore.

Guo Chuan/Green Dragon Racing/Volvo Ocean Race (l-r) Navigator Steve Hayles and skipper Ian Walker plan their next move onboard Green Dragon, on leg 3 of the Volvo Ocean Race from India to Singapore.

Gabriele Olivo/Telefonica Blue/Volvo Ocean Race A day with lots of stacking changes. Iker Martinez and Daryl Wislang moving the foul weather gear, onboard Telefonica Blue, on leg 3 of the Volvo Ocean Race from India to Singapore.

Gustav Morin/Ericsson 3/Volvo Ocean Race Anders Dahlsjo runs to the bow during a sailshift onboard Ericsson 3, on leg 3 of the Volvo Ocean Race from India to Singapore.