4. Tag der 4. Etappe des Volvo Ocean Race
30. Januar 2002
Die unbarmherzige Suche nach Kälte und Wind
Extreme Hochdruckwetterlage beschert weiter warme, leichte Winde
Auckland – Ein Blick auf die Seekarte lässt jeden Freizeitskipper den Kopf
schütteln: Obwohl die Yachten beim Volvo Ocean Race schon einige hundert
Seemeilen von der „Ideallinie“ zwischen Auckland und Rio de Janeiro
entfernt sind, steuern sie seit Tagen konsequent weiter Richtung Süden,
statt nach Ostsüdosten, wo die direkte Strecke von Neuseeland zum Kap
Hoorn verläuft. Grund: Die kürzeste Entfernung ist vermeintlich nicht die
schnellste Route. Diese vermuten alle Navigatoren noch unterhalb der 50.
Breitengrads, wo westliche Stürme das verlorene Terrain mehr als
wettmachen sollen. Doch noch hat keines der acht Boote die ersehnte Region
erreicht. Angeführt von der „SEB“ lagen am Mittwoch Mittag fast alle –
darunter auch die Leverkusener „illbruck“ – innerhalb von wenigen
Seemeilen zusammen.
Wind und Wetter sind so ungewöhnlich wie der Kurs der Hochseesegler. Dort,
wo sonst schon schwere Stürme aufziehen können, herrscht eine leichte
sommerliche Brise. Mitten in den berüchtigten Brüllenden Vierzigern
(Roaring Forties) am 46. Grad südlicher Breite hat sich eine umfangreiche
Hochdruckzone breit gemacht. Sie verschont die Teilnehmer der härtesten
Segelregatta der Welt seit vier Tagen vor den Bedingungen, zu denen sie
alle eine Hassliebe entwickelt haben. Schneidende Kälte und fliegendes
Wasser wollen sie, denn dann geht so richtig die Post ab.
Hochgeschwindigkeitssegeln vom feinsten.
illbruck Challenge-Meteorologe Chris Bedford hat Hoffnung: „Von der
Südinsel Neuseeland zieht eine Kaltfront auf die Flotte zu. Spätestens am
Freitag dürfte der Wind auf Stärke sechs bis sieben aufgefrischt haben,
wenn die Isobaren zwischen dem Hoch und der Front immer dichter
zusammengedrückt werden.“ Doch das werde noch längst nicht das Ende des
Abtauchens nach Süden sein. Mitte nächster Woche werden die Boote sogar
südlich des 60. Breitengrads erwartet, wo die Wasser- und Lufttemperaturen
um den Gefrierpunkt herum liegen.
„Die Strategie ist ein großes Spiel der Vermutungen“, schrieb Paul Cayard
von der „Amer Sports One“, „Las Vegas ist gar nichts gegen das
Hochseesegeln.“ Der Amerikaner hatte beim vorigen Rennen die Etappe von
Auckland nach Brasilien gewonnen, sucht derzeit aber noch wie alle anderen
nach dem Schlüssel zum Erfolg. Die „illbruck“ versucht ihr Glück mit eben
dem härtesten Verfolger in der Gesamtwertung, „Amer Sports One“ sowie
„Tyco“ (Bermuda) und „Assa Abloy“ in der Mitte, während „SEB“ und vor
allem „News Corp“ (Australien) am weitesten nach Osten vorangekommen sind.
Dagegen versuchen die Norweger von der „djuice“ am weitesten im Westen
nach ihrem Heil. Sie liegen daher rechnerisch nach den Frauen der „Amer
Sports Too“ am weitesten vom Ziel entfernt, allerdings am dichtesten an
der Kaltfront. Diese Zwischenergebnisse könnten zum Wochenende Aufschluss
darüber geben, wer als Erster den Zug zum Kap Hoorn erwischt hat.
Weitere Informationen:
Andreas Kling
Tel: 0064/21/184-7474
(0172/2578817)
akling@illbruck-Challenge.com
http://media.illbruck-Challenge.de
http://www.illbruck.com
Southampton, England, January 30, 2002 2200 GMT
Spreading
Different navigators have different opinions on what the local wind
systems are holding for them. ASSA ABLOY, one of the most westerly yachts
just 24 hours ago decided to move all the way across the fleet. Now she
sails with SEB and News Corp in the eastern group and on the most easterly
course, closest to the great circle route.
Just a few miles away, Tyco still trusts in maximising the advance to the
south and has managed to take more latitude out of their closest
competitors illbruck and djuice. Amer Sports One seems to be indifferent
and stays in the middle of both groups, leaving both options open and
avoiding unnecessary risk.
Volvo Ocean Race Position Report, Day 4, 2200 GMT
PS Yacht Latitude Longitude DTF CMG SMG TFHR DTL DTL-C ETA PO
1 TSEB 48 29.84S 178 36.76W 05909 166 10.8 240 0 +0 19 FEB 02 19
2 AART 48 28.96S 178 39.36W 05911 167 10.7 239 2 +1 19 FEB 02 22
3 NEWS 48 26.72S 178 36.64W 05912 166 10.6 239 3 +2 19 FEB 02 22
4 AONE 48 28.32S 178 47.20W 05914 169 10.4 236 5 +3 19 FEB 02 23
5 TYCO 48 32.68S 178 57.04W 05915 171 10.6 242 6 +4 19 FEB 02 16
6 ILBK 48 28.48S 178 53.04W 05917 170 10.2 237 8 +6 19 FEB 02 24
7 DJCE 48 30.20S 179 03.80W 05920 172 10.4 241 11 +6 19 FEB 02 12
8 ATOO 48 00.40S 179 18.28W 05949 180 11.0 231 40 +6 19 FEB 02 6
Southampton, England, January 30, 2002 1600 GMT
Chess On The Water
Over the last hours Tyco sailed slightly higher on the wind, making her
way into the west of the fleet. This move brought them further south as
well, that’s where they want to be for the approaching low pressures
system. The front of this system is expected to be with the fleet by
tomorrow morning. As Cape Horn lies to the east, the computer calculation
for the position report table is holding Tyco in sixth position, as the
easterly yachts are closer to this waypoint and therefore favoured in the
calculation.
News Corp holds her position to the east, Amer Sports One, illbruck, ASSA
ABLOY and leader SEB are very even. Djuice, another yacht in the west has
managed to gain which can be promising if they manage to get further to
the south than the rest of the fleet.
For the leading group, the sea temperature has dropped to 16 degrees
Celsius, Amer Sports Too, just 30 miles back has still got pleasant 24
degrees.
Volvo Ocean Race Position Report, Day 4, 1554 GMT
PS Yacht Latitude Longitude DTF CMG SMG TFHR DTL DTL-C ETA PO
1 TSEB 47 23.84S 179 01.60W 05972 169 10.6 229 0 +0 20 FEB 02 19
2 NEWS 47 22.44S 178 59.72W 05973 170 10.7 228 1 +1 20 FEB 02 23
3 AART 47 23.52S 179 02.48W 05973 165 10.2 230 1 +1 20 FEB 02 21
4 AONE 47 23.88S 179 05.84W 05974 166 10.2 228 2 +1 20 FEB 02 23
5 ILBK 47 25.12S 179 09.32W 05974 169 10.6 229 2 +0 20 FEB 02 25
6 TYCO 47 26.76S 179 13.40W 05974 170 10.9 230 2 -1 20 FEB 02 15
7 DJCE 47 25.00S 179 16.64W 05977 166 10.4 232 5 -1 20 FEB 02 12
8 ATOO 46 51.00S 179 18.68W 06006 173 09.7 218 34 +7 20 FEB 02 6
Southampton, England, January 30, 2002 Day 4
Calculate the Variables
The Volvo Ocean Race fleet have completed one ‘major’ manoeuvre in the
last 12 hours, as Gordon McGuire on News Corp put succinctly earlier
today, “What have we done recently? Well we’ve done a gybe!” The News
Corp crew, however, were enjoying the fine sailing conditions ahead of
what will be in store for them, when the stronger westerlies help to push
them on their way fast forward towards Cape Horn.
With the yachts so closely matched, each yacht is searching for a tactical
advantage through better understanding of the dynamics in the atmosphere,
called the weather. The days are gone where the “go east or south”
decisions were made by the experienced salty seadog looking at the clouds
and the barometer. Nowadays the navigator has an IT job, processing loads
of information through computers that model the weather situation and
facilitate the making of the final decision. With outside routing
prohibited in the Volvo Ocean Race, Race headquarters in Southampton
provides the boats with digital weather (GRIB) files that can be fed into
the onboard routing computer. As models usually give just an approximate
picture of real world, the navigators check the information against
weather maps and other models available via the Internet and adjust the
provided files to their personal believes. That is the point where the
experience of the navigator comes in and where the basis for different
decisions is laid. Some crews have even got meteorologists on board (Nick
White on News Corp, Jean Yves Bernot on djuice), others consult
meteorologists before the start of each leg to get a better understanding
of what lies ahead of them. All have on thing in common, they are very
secretive with their ideas about the weather development in the future, as
Nick White wrote: “I have been trying to figure out when to gybe out of
the high and have a few ideas, but unfortunately I cant share them with
you since our fellow competitors may read it.”
The routing software used by the racing sailors has its roots in the
software that helps large cargo ships to optimise their routes for speed
and fuel efficiency.
Tyco led the fleet into the gybe, with the rest of the leaders all
completing their gybe over approximately the next half hour. Roger Nilson
on Amer Sports One said earlier, “We expect the wind to increase and to
move to the left…”. The forecasters agree that the wind should pick up
and it has already moved left into the northwest. If the navigators have
confidence in the forecast, they will push their waypoints and predictions
out further in time, using their favoured model. At this stage in the
race the model is most likely to be either from the UK, Europe or the USA,
which is then combined with their onboard weather router. Sometimes the
navigators need to tweak the information from the models, in order to
obtain the best possible solution from the router.
The weather routers provide the larger picture, but cannot necessarily
provide definitive solutions for local conditions, as Paul Cayard from
Amer Sports One commented, “Suddenly the wind headed the fleet by 30
degrees. Was this a shift in the gradient wind or the coastal effect?
Everyone hung on a bit as we were still fetching the shoreline, albeit
close. Finally the fleet tacked to starboard. Those that went out first
gained as we sailed back into better pressure offshore and the original
gradient wind, which was to the left.”
In addition, he likened the tactical decision making to gambling, “It is
amazing what a guessing game it is. Las Vegas has nothing on ocean
racing.” His solution for the overall analysis and resulting decisions
were left firmly with weather routing, “So the tactics are tough here. So
many variables and all going on simultaneously. That is why we use the
routing tool. It is the best calculator of all the variables. But it is
only as good as the input it gets. That’s why we have to research the
weather and adjust the model that is used by the router.”
Amer Sports Too were trying to avoid gaps in the breeze, caused by the
high pressure system now centred to the north, but were questioning why
the routing wanted them to go to the east. Lisa McDonald wrote, “Being
this close to the centre of such a big high pressure system is like
walking on eggshells. As soon as the wind shifts and starts to drop I
hold my breath for a quick glance at the barometer… so far so good. We
are just skirting the edge of the system and staying in enough breeze to
keep us rolling… It seems crazy with all the weather routing wanting us
to go east, east, east and yet the fleet stays tight and dives south. “
Steve Hayles, navigator on Tyco was more concerned with the relative
positions of the V.O.60s on the race track, “The racing, as I am sure
everyone is fed up with hearing, is very close and position reports mean
very little, as we have constant visual or radar contact with most of the
boats and the leader board has little relevance with so many miles to go
and such a small distance separating the boats.” Just 17 miles separates
the fleet from west to east and less than 6 miles from first to seventh
place.
djuice were anticipating the big winds yet to come, “We are sailing along
the edge of a very large high pressure system, which is keeping our speed
down and prolonging our excitement of the high speed reaching and running
in the Southern Ocean [to come]. We must wait another couple of days for
this pleasure!” however they were enjoying the weather, “The upside to
this is that our clothes are dry and we are enjoying the sun.”
Meanwhile Gurra Krantz, skipper from SEB, had noticed that the crew’s
minds were also turning to the Southern Ocean and that they were anxious
to ensure that the heaters would not fail them, “Our two heaters have been
tested for days… you want the heaters to work. To be able to dry your
socks will make all the difference when you get on watch. … you can at
least start with warm and maybe dry socks. It is the difference between
heaven and hell.”
Volvo Ocean Race Position Report, Day 4, 0954 GMT
PS Yacht Latitude Longitude DTF CMG SMG TFHR DTL DTL-C ETA PO
1 TSEB 46 20.16S 179 19.92W 06031 184 10.0 231 0 0 20 FEB 02 19
2 AART 46 22.88S 179 26.04W 06031 183 10.1 232 0 -1 20 FEB 02 22
3 NEWS 46 18.08S 179 16.44W 06031 182 09.9 228 0 -1 20 FEB 02 22
4 AONE 46 23.32S 179 27.92W 06032 183 10.0 230 1 0 20 FEB 02 23
5 ILBK 46 21.44S 179 27.52W 06033 184 10.1 228 2 0 20 FEB 02 25
6 TYCO 46 21.52S 179 30.16W 06034 183 10.1 228 3 -1 20 FEB 02 15
7 DJCE 46 22.92S 179 39.48W 06037 184 10.3 232 6 -1 20 FEB 02 12
8 ATOO 45 51.64S 179 28.68W 06058 179 09.0 224 27 +2 20 FEB 02 6
Southampton, England, Month Day, 2002 0400 GMT
Fleet Gybes for Stronger Winds
All the V.O. 60s except Amer Sports Too have gybed in the hope of finding
stronger winds, which they expect to pick up soon, helping them to obtain
a faster route south. Roger Nilson, navigator on Amer Sports One, said,
“We expect the wind to increase and to move to the left… we are currently
within half a mile of ASSA ABLOY.”
The weather predictions expect the high pressure which has caused the
lighter winds of the last couple of days, to elongate and reindex slow
moving just to the north of the fleet. As Nilson is predicting, the
forecast also expects the wind to pick up to around 20 knots later from a
northwesterly direction.
This could give djuice an opportunity to gain some distance first, as she
is the furthest west of the fleet. News Corp and SEB are furthest to the
east and therefore have fewer miles to sail at this time, but it reindexs
to be seen what will happen, as Amer Sports One is now the most southerly
boat.
Volvo Ocean Race Position Report, Day 4, 0359 GMT
PS Yacht Latitude Longitude DTF CMG SMG TFHR DTL DTL-C ETA PO
1 TSEB 45 22.00S 179 14.80W 06076 150 09.3 239 0 0 19 FEB 02 19
2 AART 45 24.64S 179 21.08W 06077 152 09.5 240 1 0 19 FEB 02 22
3 NEWS 45 20.60S 179 13.20W 06077 151 09.3 237 1 0 19 FEB 02 22
4 AONE 45 25.16S 179 23.24W 06077 153 09.4 236 1 0 19 FEB 02 23
5 ILBK 45 22.92S 179 21.28W 06078 153 09.3 234 2 1 19 FEB 02 25
6 TYCO 45 23.20S 179 25.64W 06080 156 09.2 234 4 2 19 FEB 02 15
7 DJCE 45 23.68S 179 33.68W 06083 152 09.8 237 7 -3 19 FEB 02
12
8 ATOO 44 59.48S 179 29.56W 06101 154 09.2 237 25 2 20 FEB 02 6
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