Oceanracing 2001 - Volvo Ocean Race 2001/2002

Volvo Ocean Race 2001/2002

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Tagesberichte

Southampton, England, January 2, 2002 2200 GMT
Stop and Go At Cape Reinga.
Neal McDonald and the rest of his afterguard have worked extremely hard to claw their way around the patches of light air at Cape Reinga, while the fleet closes up towards them from behind. McDonald’s ASSA ABLOY is just rounding North Cape to head down the east coast of New Zealand towards the finish of leg 3 of the Volvo Ocean Race in Auckland. Amer Sports One, however, took a more inshore route and has been struggling to pass round Cape Reinga.
Meanwhile, the fleet has been closing up on the race leaders in the last few hours, with illbruck still leading News Corp and Tyco. The next battle they face will be as they round the point at Cape Reinga some 30 miles away, which could give djuice an opportunity, as she is currently closing on the three boats, in around 15 knots of wind.
Further back Amer Sports Too is now enjoying 30 knots of wind, having been stuck in a patch of light air earlier.

Southampton, England, January 1, 2002 1600 GMT
Land Ahead… New Zealand!
ASSA ABLOY is now just over 18 miles from her landfall at Cape Reinga.
This should provide the last hurdle for ASSA ABLOY to indextain her lead on the rest of the fleet and with every hour that the wind holds up, her first place is looking more secure.
Amer Sports One is in a similar situation to indextain her second place, as she is a comfortable distance ahead of the battle between illbruck, News Corp and Tyco. However, should the wind go lighter, this could provide her with the opportunity to reduce the distance on ASSA ABLOY.

Southampton, England, January 2, 2002 Day 8
Who Will be the First Kiwi into Auckland?
To every New Zealander on the Volvo Ocean Race fleet, to be the first Kiwi into Auckland rates extremely high in their list of achievements for this leg. Grant Dalton from Amer Sports One when asked how important for him personally to lead into Auckland, said in Hobart, “As important as any other Kiwi in this race, won the last two and I would like to win this one.” Richard Mason from ASSA ABLOY having just achieved line honours for the Sydney to Hobart race said, “Let’s see if we can win into Auckland as well, I would be the happiest man in the World!”
With a total of 28 New Zealanders on this leg in the fleet, not all of them can win; but so far things are looking hopeful for the crew of ASSA ABLOY with Richard Mason and Stu Wilson aboard. On Amer Sports One, Grant Dalton and Phil Airey are both locals on the way into Auckland. Illbruck has a point to prove with six kiwis in the crew, which no doubt will spur them on in their current battle with News Corp and Tyco.
Sharon Ferris who will be celebrating her birthday at home in New Zealand on the 17th January, is one of the three kiwis on Amer Sports Too, along with Bridget Suckling the bowman, and Keryn Henderson. It was Keryn, who took the swim in Hobart to check the underwater damage in the pit stop, when the team discovered that the rudder needed urgent repairs before continuing to Auckland.
Claudio Celon, one of the trimmers on Amer Sports One, was bowman on Prada during the last Americas Cup in Auckland. Kiwi, the New Zealand defender, beat the Italians in the final, to win the America’s Cup. Maybe history could repeat itself as Amer Sports One is once again for Claudio, currently second.

The Last 24 Hours – “Wet and Uncomfortable”
For the last 24 hours, the boats are discussing the soaking wet conditions below decks. As the sun has come out, the hatches have opened and slowly the boats are drying out. Jez Fanstone, skipper of News Corp was claiming 12 smelly dogs were on the boat, “This has been accompanied by a continual soaking so that the boat below smells like it is inhabited by 12 wet labradors.” He also reported that sail changes were starting to drain the crew’s energy, “This leg seems to have been the hardest physically so far. I don’t know if it is because of the stopover in Hobart and the fact that we haven’t recovered from the trip down there properly but moving the ton of wet sails around the boat is a daunting task at the moment. We have had a lot of gear changes in the last few days requiring us to change sails and move all the gear around in the boat, which has been draining, on the bodies’ reserves.”
Mark Christensen from illbruck wrote that the close battle with News Corp and Tyco had required an amount of tough sail changing, “At daybreak this morning we could see News Corp about four miles behind and Tyco is just out of sight. It has been tough, hard sailing with a lot of changes in the wind strength and direction. Three days ago the roles were reversed and I know it sounds strange but it is almost easier in the conditions we have had to be behind. Two days ago for example we were tacking up wind in light but puffy wind. As each wind-shift or puff came down the course, we would watch the boats ahead with binoculars, see what they did (either tack or change sails) and be ready in advance. Each time this happened we would gain a few tenths of a mile.”
While on Tyco, Kevin Shoebridge was glad that the last 24 hours wet, uncomfortable conditions were over for now and that the boat was drying out, “Nice sailing this afternoon after 24 hours of wet and uncomfortable blast reaching. 240 miles to Cape Reinga so we should be rounding some time tomorrow afternoon if the breeze holds. Almost summer onboard, the hatch is open for the first time in a few days so hopefully we will dry out and the smell will go.”
Will Dr Nylof Please Report to Bunk 3… Now Bunk 5
‘Dr Nylof’ on ASSA ABLOY has been tending the sick and wounded, “Klas “Klabbe” Nylof, our senior onboard physician, has been a busy boy. Since departing Hobart, there have been daily calls for him to treat three onboard patients. First, Magnus took a bad fall coming into Hobart and injured his back and ribs. He has been confined to duties below deck, which has been a huge help for us always having food and hot drinks, as well as helping me in the Nav station,” reported Mark Rudiger. Then Jason Carrington became ill with a suspected internal infection, and Guillermo (Altadill) also had lower stomach pain. Mark Rudiger continued, “If I had to pick an outstanding sailor for this leg it would be Dr. Nylof.”
On Amer Sports One, Dee Smith, reflected from a tactical point of view, “All is well on the fat bottom girl, just reaching through life. Still chasing ASSA ABLOY and catching a little and the boats behind are catching us. All because the wind is lightening as we approach New Zealand. We hope the wind will fill when we arrive at the corner and ASSA ABLOY will be waiting for us. If not, we will gladly sail around by ourselves. This should be the last passing spot, but there can always be others.”
“The race behind is fun to watch. illbruck just gunned down Tyco and News Corp in a power reach. But the other two are close enough when the wind gets light to make a pass. We might have found a kink in illbruck's armour. Four boats passed them in Storm Bay in light air.”
“We are looking forward to the next stop over in Auckland. I’m sure many of the boats will have a lot of work to do after bashing to Hobart. Even these very strong boats can break when you drive them so hard.” As the boats sail on to Auckland, the wind is dropping, the boats are drying out, and ASSA ABLOY now only has 334 miles to sail to the finish line.
Southampton, England, January 2, 2002 1000 GMT
Illness Strikes Carrington on ASSA ABLOY
Onboard ASSA ABLOY Jason Carrington has been ill for three days and it was considered to take him off the boat at Cape Reinga. A Short time ago the decision was taken to keep Carrington onboard until the finish. After that he will be thoroughly examined.
It started when Carrington collapsed on deck just after the Hobart restart. The Englishman was laid down in a bunk and closely looked after by Klabbe Nylof, who is responsible for onboard health. Carrington was running a fever and suffered from serious abdominal pains. Due to that he was not able to eat and drink properly. Also Carrington had traces of blood in his urine. The team consulted the official race doctors in England and reindexs in contact with the onshore doctors through Volvo Ocean Race headquarters.

ASSA ABLOY is currently 64 miles from Cape Reinga. Amer Sports Too has picked up speed in the fresh north-north-westerly breeze.

Southampton, England, January 2, 2002 0400 GMT
Last Hurdle for ASSA ABLOY
The high-pressure system that is still blocking the passage at Cape Reinga for ASSA ABLOY is soon expected to start moving to the east, opening the path to Auckland. ASSA ABLOY is expected to round the Cape in approximately 12 hours time. The crew’s prime concern will be the prevention of gear failure as this will be one of the threats left to rob them off the victory they need so badly.
Amer Sports One in second and djuice in fifth are sailing their own races with big cushions to the leading yacht as well as to the trailing one. Still open is the struggle for places three to five, and each of the three yachts illbruck, News Corp and Tyco will do all they can to be in front of their rivals at Cape Reinga.