Oceanracing 2001 - Volvo Ocean Race 2001/2002

Volvo Ocean Race 2001/2002

www.VolvoOceanRace.org

zurück zur Übersicht

Nachfolgend eine Email von Bord, die Steuermann und Segeltrimmer Ray Davies am Wochenende schrieb:
Grauer Himmel, kaltes Wasser, Wind und ein Albatross
Von Steuermann und Segeltrimmer Ray Davies 20. Oktober 2001 Allmählich bekommen wir einen Vorgeschmack auf das, was noch kommt: Grauer Himmel, kaltes Wasser, Wind und ein Albatross. Zeichen des Südens. An Bord der „illbruck“ werden die Dinge langsam verrückt, denn wir haben in den vergangenen sechs Stunden 89 Seemeilen geschafft, soviel wie noch nie zuvor in dieser Etappe. Dadurch haben wir auch fünf Seemeilen auf die „Amer Sports One“ aufgeholt. Das war unser erster bedeutender Gewinn seitdem wir sie verfolgen. Aber wir müssen auf dem letzten Stück nach Kapstadt mindestens noch ein interessantes Wettersystem durchqueren. Darin wird der Wind um 180 Grad drehen mit einem Sprint zum Ziel auf dem anderen Vorwind-Bug. Voraus gibt es immer noch Überholspuren. Vergangene Nacht hatten wir eine Inquisition wegen eines vermissten „Mars “-Riegels. Das war wirklich ein schwerwiegender Fall, denn es war Juan Vilas Riegel, und der Snack des Tages macht normalerweise 40 bis 50 Prozent seiner gesamten täglichen Nahrungsaufnahme aus. Wegen der Vorkommnisse in den zurückliegenden Wochen zeigten alle Finger logischerweise gleich auf Cheese (Dirk de Ridder). Cheese hatte aber einen glaubhaften Zeugen in Rosco (Ross Halcrow), mit dem er ein Tauschgeschäft eingegangen war: einen ganzen großen Eiweißriegel („PowerBar“) für ein „Mars“-Riegel. Das mag merkwürdig klingen, aber wenn ihr bedenkt, dass ein Eiweißriegel um die Hälfte größer ist als ein „Mars“-Riegel, wird sofort klar, was Cheese sich dabei gedacht hat (Quantität über Qualität). Die Finger zeigten dann auf Stuart Bannatyne, wegen seiner Deals mit Soapy (Ian Moore). Aber das wurde von Stu sofort heftig dementiert. Wir können doch keinen korrupten Wachführer haben, oder? Dadurch wurde Ian der Hauptverdächtige, den Riegel gestohlen zu haben; oder vielleicht ist er über seine vielen verschiedenen Deals, die er gemacht hat, auch nur völlig durcheinander gekommen. Nur zur Erinnerung: Das ist der gleiche Mann, der zuvor einen Schokoriegel über Bord geworfen und den Meeresgöttern geopfert hatte. Wir werden den wahren Dieb wahrscheinlich nie identifizieren. Mit Soapy haben wir zumindest Mitgefühl: Er hat sich eine schlimme Schürfwunde zugezogen, die sehr unangenehm sein muss. In seinem Interesse hoffen wir alle, dass sie heilt bevor er Kapstadt erreicht. Wir ihr euch also vorstellen könnt, das Leben an Bord ist immer interessant. Wir haben eine Menge Spaß und Humor an Bord, was die Stimmung hochhält. Ray Davies Amer Sports One
33,25.66S 007,34.70W, October 20, 2001 1808 GMT
The Sail Exploded To Pieces
Another interesting day at sea.... often people ask, 'isn't getting boring out there, just water around for so many days?' I must say, very seldom it is getting boring as the ocean, the winds, the situation onboard and with the other competitors it is always different.
This morning started with full action about 0320 since our gybe to port, two days ago, we have been sailing a big part of the distance with our small reaching kite, Code 5. As the wind freed, it was time to change to code 3, a larger reaching spinnaker. It all went smooth and we were just settling in with the powerful sail that was repaired since the damage north of the equator.
Just as we were receiving the positions from the other boats, a gust hit us, the boat rounded up, rolled over, broached, and bang...the hundreds of working hours repairing the Code 3 were wasted. The sail exploded to pieces and was painfully recovered.

Southampton, England, October 20, 2001 2200 GMT
1000 Miles Beating
If not the lead on the water, illbruck claims back the best 24-hour run so far with 349 miles. Grant Dalton had to take a slightly more southerly route as the Code 3 reaching spinnaker blew out after a change from the smaller Code 5. After setting a full size Code 4 running spinnaker they couldn’t hold the course and had to bear away. These last six hours have cost Amer Sports One 13 miles on illbruck. News Corp is still on her way south in the attempt to get first into the predicted southerly. Over the next 12 to 24 hours, the leaders will run out of the northerly wind and a southwesterly breeze will set in.
ASSA ABLOY started short tacking on the wind shifts in ten knots of wind, losing precious miles on fourth placed TYCO.
No danger comes from the trio at the back of the fleet, where djuice and SEB match race each other and Amer Sports Too follows in safe distance. For the next 1000 miles all three can leave their spinnakers stowed away as only headwind is predicted.

Volvo Ocean Race Position Report, Day 28, 2200 GMT
PS Yacht Latitude Longitude DTF CMG SMG TFHR DTL ROC ETA PO
1 AONE 33 43.24S 006 45.16W 01254 110 13.0 336 0 00.0 25 OCT 01 8
2 ILBK 33 11.64S 007 13.00W 01281 107 14.7 349 27 02.2 25 OCT 01 7
3 NEWS 33 16.08S 011 16.24W 01481 153 08.1 253 227 -07.4 26 OCT 01 6
4 TYCO 29 57.24S 011 47.64W 01553 113 09.8 248 299 -02.7 26 OCT 01 5
5 AART 28 27.96S 012 32.36W 01618 110 07.5 270 364 -04.9 27 OCT 01 4
6 TSEB 25 26.08S 018 48.48W 01997 098 09.0 184 743 -03.9 28 OCT 01 3
7 DJCE 25 22.56S 018 47.36W 01997 096 09.4 191 743 -03.8 28 OCT 01 2
8 ATOO 25 32.28S 019 33.08W 02031 074 09.7 182 777 -04.9 28 OCT 01 1

Southampton, England, October 20, 2001 1600 GMT
Dalts Sets Pace
Amer Sports One topped illbruck’s latest top 24 hour run by another 4 miles to 339 and moved away from illbruck another 10 miles within the last six hours. Both yachts are almost on the same latitude as the finish in Cape Town 1320 miles to the east. While these two are still surfing with more than 13 knots towards the finish, all other yachts have to accept much lower speeds, most less than 10 knots.
270 miles north of the island of Tristan da Cunha, News Corp has jibed and heads south in the hope of catching the predicted southerly change earlier than the leading opposition.
ASSA ABLOY has closed to within 85 miles of Tyco and will try to engage Kevin Shoebridge in battle for the fourth place.
The trailing group of Team SEB, djuice and Amer Sports Too even had to accept beating into light headwind and just after lunch time the breeze from the south started to fill in with 10 knots.

Southampton, England, October 20, 2001 Day 28
Hot, Wet and Hungry
Within 24 hours time, illbruck has broken her own top 24 hour run of 310 miles already three times, standing right now at 335 miles, or an average speed of 13.96 knots. This run is not exceptional for a V.O.60 design and gives only evidence of a very slow leg. On the next leg the yachts are expected to improve another 50%.
Grant Dalton, skipper of leading yacht Amer Sports One is thoroughly enjoying his unexpected role: “Up until Trinidade I considered a loss to illbruck of five miles quite acceptable after the preparation time they have had compared to us. But now that we have had a sniff of our nose in front, the competitive instincts take over and you get mad as hell……Each wave is anticipated and the sheets are played to get the boat on and accelerating. The Southern Ocean is going to be a hell of a ride as I get the sense that these boats are quite a bit faster than the boats from last time [1997-1998 Whitbread Race].”
Also the crews on the boats behind enjoy the fast sailing as that’s what they came for. Ross Field of News Corp described lively: “We're on our way doing 16.5 knots with a shy kite [spinnaker] on in 22 knots of wind. I can hear the water powering over the deck, Scottie [Jeff Scott] steering, Joe [Spooner] and Jez [Fanstone] on the pumps (grinders), Gundy [Jon Gunderson] trimming (and talking) and Justin [Slattery] on the main.”
A cold front almost overhead of the leaders is keeping them moving with 15 to 20 knots of northerly wind. This is expected to back about 15 degrees on the passage of the front before backing further as the day progresses. To the north the front has lost most of its wind and the main effect will be rain with the wind becoming light and variable.
The overall picture does not become any easier or more optimistic for a fast finish. The high pressure to the southeast is weakening and moving slowly away, whilst the low pressure to the south is filling and becoming more of a trough. Looking to the west, the high pressure is strengthening and moving towards the race fleet. If this were not enough, slack low pressure over South Africa is expected to move off the coast early next week possibly making the last 400 miles a parking lot.
ASSA ABLOY and Tyco still have some wind but it is likely to drop leaving them to watch the southerly yachts move away. For Steve Hayles and Mark Rudiger (the navigators) they must soon accept that the first three have got away and it is a battle between themselves, whilst always remembering the three behind, as Tyco Skipper Kevin Shoebridge told: “The future is looking good for the lead boats who will probably extend by a large margin. The rest of the fleet will be affected by a southerly change which will be followed by a period of more light air.” After the unsuccessful expedition to the north, ASSA ABLOY finally came back south, trying to engage Tyco in battle.
The humour has not lost Team SEB, even though they would have definitely more fun being at the top of the fleet. In the latest email, skipper Gurra Krantz wrote: “If djuice and Amer Sports Too are interested, we are willing to trade (at a very handsome rate) freeze dried food against any type of chocolate, delivered in any shape and size.” Having no meat on board and the only flesh being themselves, they started to imagine what dish to cook out of each other. Gurra continued: “For our Kiwi guests we serve small boys, made out of Gareth Cooke and David Rolfe, dipped in tomato sauce.”

Southampton, England, October 20th, 2001 10.00hrs GMT
Like Compound Interest
The 30 odd mile gap between Amer Sports One and illbruck has remained similar over the last six hours, but, along with third placed Team News Corp, the leading trio are slowly but surely sailing away from the remaining five Volvo Ocean Race yachts on the first leg to Cape Town.
The forecast for the leading three yachts is for them to retain their current breeze and continue to pull away from the rest of the fleet over the next three to four days. Beyond that the forecast is not clear.
Tyco and ASSA ABLOY have been feeling the effects of a slow moving north bound cold front, but are predicted to be back up to speed towards Cape Town within the next day. Both have already suffered substantial losses.
“We have just spent the last 15 hours under the effects of a black cloud,” explained Tyco skipper Kevin Shoebridge, who has lost 12 miles to Amer Sports One over the last six hours alone. “In the process we have lost 50 miles to ASSA ABLOY while the lead bunch has done an horizon job,” continued Shoebridge.
For Team SEB, djuice and Amer Sports Too, the forecast at the rear of the fleet isn’t pleasant reading. They could well remain parked in their current hole for another two to three days before picking up a fast lane to Cape Town.
Southampton, October 20th, 2001 04.00hrs GMT
Dalton Holds On
After losing nine miles of his lead over 12 hours yesterday to the illbruck team, Grant Dalton on Amer Sports One has held onto his 31 mile advantage over the last six hours as the leading trio in the Volvo Ocean Race speed east, 1500 miles from South Africa.
Meanwhile, Team SEB, djuice and Amer Sports Too, fighting for sixth position at the rear of the fleet, have sailed into a hole and are now over 600 miles adrift of the leaders.
“As hard as it is, we have to accept that we are in the second group and have to fight hard for our position. There is still 2,000 miles of racing with as many opportunities as there are traps,” noted Gunnar Krantz from SEB yesterday evening.
These three are now expected into Cape Town two days after the leaders.