Pressemitteilung der illbruck Challenge am 9. Tag der 4. Etappe des Volvo
Ocean Race
4. Februar 2002
„illbruck“ kontrolliert Gegner und zieht davon
59 Seemeilen vor dem Zweiten „Amer Sports One“
Die nächste Schwerwetterfront für die Weltumsegler ist im Anmarsch, und
die Leverkusener Hochseeyacht „illbruck“ zieht auf und davon. Seit
Übernahme der Führung am Wochenende baut die Crew ihren Vorsprung auf der
vierten Etappe des Volvo Ocean Race kontinuierlich aus. Am Montag Abend
hatte sie der zweitplatzierten „Amer Sports One“ (Finnland/Italien) schon
59 Seemeilen, fast 100 Kilometer, abgenommen. „Tyco“ (Bermuda) und „News
Corp“ (Australien) hielten 74 und 77 Seemeilen zurück noch halbwegs
Schritt. Dagegen lagen „djuice“ (Norwegen/130), „Assa Abloy“ (131) und
„SEB“ (156), beide Schweden, schon deutlich hinten. Die Frauen der „Amer
Sports Too“ waren 331 Seemeilen hinter der Spitze abgeschlagen.
Der Wind hatte im Southern Ocean vorübergehend auf Stärke fünf bis sechs
abgenommen. „Zeit zum Verschnaufen, die mehr als willkommen war“;
berichtete Dirk de Ridder von der „illbruck“. Dennoch lief das deutsche
Boot im Mittel noch mehr als 16 Knoten, rund 1,5 Seemeilen pro Stunde
schneller als die meisten anderen. Taktisch richteten sich Skipper John
Kostecki und Navigator Juan Vila wieder stärker Richtung Süden, um die
Konkurrenz nicht zu weit aus dem Augen zu lassen. Insgesamt jedoch hat
sich der geradlinige Kurs im Vergleich zur unentschlossenen
Zickzack-Strategie der Gegner bereits ausgezahlt.
Weitere Informationen:
Andreas Kling
Tel: 0172/2578817
akling@illbruck-Challenge.com
http://media.illbruck-Challenge.de
http://www.illbruck.com
Southampton, England, February 4, 2002 Day 9
Dodging icebergs in record breaking conditions
Conditions reindex testing for the V.O.60s in the Southern Ocean, with snow
now adding to the iceberg dodging and the freezing temperatures. For some
the snow created a small amusing diversion, for others it was the cold
that hit them, making life on board extremely uncomfortable and wet.
Waffler [Stu Bettany] used the opportunity to pelt his crew on illbruck
with snowballs, “Waffler started running around doing all his preparations
for the change [sail], as the wind was getting lighter quickly and a
serious amount of snow was coming down. Because the wind dropped 10 knots
and the decks were keeping dry, the snow stayed on deck and for Waffler,
this turned him into a 5 year old who was playing with the snow and
throwing snowballs at everybody,” wrote Dirk de Ridder.
While on News Corp it was the cold that was the issue, along with the
icebergs as Ross Field put it, “Very pleasant sailing, but its cold, very
cold. Had snow earlier on this morning and have only sighted one
iceberg, which is very encouraging. It will still be the full radar watch
tonight.”
Neal McDonald from ASSA ABLOY said earlier, “It’s pretty cold. It’s not
unpleasant, but it’s not somewhere you would go on holiday, that’s for
sure.” Of their goals over the next 24 hours, he explained, “We need to
secure our position on djuice and break down into the leaders over the
next 12 to 24 hours.”
Neal had also been watching the relative boat speeds, “Up to now I thought
the boats were very equal {on speed], but it would appear from what I’m
seeing that illbruck has got an edge in some of these reaching conditions.
I think they [the other boats] are reasonably equal. It’s more a
question of where you are and what wind situation you are in.”
The next 24 hours could prove crucial to the place standings as McDonald
pointed out, it really is a question of where you need to be on the race
course, relative to the next weather pattern and the rest of the fleet. A
new low pressure system is heading towards the boats. Big winds are
expected, up to around 35 knots, along with large seas up to around 6
metres. Conditions change extremely rapidly in the Southern Ocean, which
can provide opportunities to each of the boats to find the best passing
lane. This weather system could also provide the opportunity for one of
the boats to set a new 24-hour record, which is currently held by SEB from
leg 2 when she managed an astonishing 460.37 nautical miles.
Paul Cayard, from Amer Sports One expected one further night of iceberg
watch and was also viewing that there would be plenty of opportunities for
place changes, “The next 30 hours should see the fleet gybing a few times
so there will be some opportunities to reshuffle the positions. We are
reaching a sort of wall to the south so options will be more open to those
to the north.”
Jez Fanstone from News Corp summed it up, “Cape Horn is 2300 miles away
with some heavy air forecast for the next few days and the racing as tight
as ever. Get ready for a wet ride.”
Southampton, England, February 4, 2002 1600 GMT
Good blend for a challenge
Gybing in 25 – 30 knots of wind can be a challenge at the best of times.
Add to that icebergs, growlers, snow and darkness and it provides a blend
for some of the most exciting sailing on offer. The fleet have been
putting in gybes and currently Amer Sports One is the only V.O. 60 on
starboard gybe putting in more distance south.
The boats are setting themselves up for the next weather system to come
through, expected in the next few hours and it is anticipated that this
will bring winds up to around 35 knots and big seas up to around 6 metres,
providing exciting surfing conditions.
The boats are still watching for ice on their radars and keeping a good
lookout on watch, with night vision goggles and most have reported snow in
the last 24 hours.
Volvo Ocean Race Position Report, Day 9, 1558 GMT
PS Yacht Latitude Longitude DTF CMG SMG TFHR DTL DTL-C ETA PO
1 ILBK 58 28.64S 132 08.68W 04282 104 16.3 382 0 0 19 FEB 02 29
2 AONE 59 02.44S 134 42.20W 04341 122 14.0 343 59 +13 19 FEB 02 25
3 TYCO 58 47.48S 135 01.96W 04356 095 13.0 333 74 +23 19 FEB 02 18
4 NEWS 59 24.72S 135 41.52W 04359 106 13.0 334 77 +20 19 FEB 02 21
5 DJCE 59 21.44S 137 35.84W 04412 088 15.1 320 130 +17 19 FEB 02 14
6 AART 58 54.68S 137 12.00W 04413 084 15.0 326 131 +21 19 FEB 02 18
7 TSEB 59 41.60S 138 51.04W 04438 090 15.8 310 156 +12 19 FEB 02 13
8 ATOO 57 52.68S 143 22.32W 04613 131 15.2 287 331 +7 20 FEB 02 6
Southampton, England, Month Day, 2002 1000 GMT
Two Quick Gybes
This morning djuice and SEB were the first yachts to feel the influence of
the massive low that is forming behind the fleet. Their wind veered
further to the west and both yachts responded with a gybe to the
northwest. ASSA ABLOY followed shortly later, when djuice has already
reassessed their decision and gybed back, heading south again.
Illbruck got slightly lifted in front as well and John Kostecki decided to
take the opportunity to go further to the south and get a better cover on
the nearest competitors Amer Sports One, Tyco and News Corp. Amer Sports
Too to the northwest of the fleet already sails in a building
northwesterly breeze. That could give them the chance to catch up with
some of the boats in front.
The low-pressure system in the west is deepening and should give the
yachts a fast ride to Cape Horn once it catches up with the fleet.
Volvo Ocean Race Position Report, Day 9, 0956 GMT
PS Yacht Latitude Longitude DTF CMG SMG TFHR DTL DTL-C ETA PO
1 ILBK 58 04.64S 135 07.24W 04378 106 15.2 384 0 +0 19 FEB 02 29
2 AONE 58 18.12S 136 58.32W 04424 104 14.2 362 46 +7 19 FEB 02 25
3 TYCO 58 40.16S 137 31.12W 04429 100 13.4 354 51 +13 19 FEB 02 18
4 NEWS 59 03.28S 138 06.56W 04435 098 13.7 349 57 +12 19 FEB 02 21
5 AART 59 04.76S 140 04.64W 04488 109 11.9 330 110 +19 19 FEB 02 19
6 DJCE 59 24.16S 140 32.76W 04491 108 11.1 319 113 +24 19 FEB 02 13
7 TSEB 59 40.84S 141 58.16W 04522 108 10.4 305 144 +28 19 FEB 02 13
8 ATOO 56 54.48S 145 28.36W 04702 114 13.7 288 324 +9 20 FEB 02 6
Southampton, England, February 4, 2002 0400 GMT
Halfway Through The South Pacific
The pace for the Volvo Ocean Race has slightly eased off, giving the crews
slightly improved living conditions onboard their yachts. While illbruck
is still reaching in 30 knots of southwesterly breeze the yachts behind
get the wind more and more from the west and lighter. It is likely that
the 40-mile gap that separates illbruck from Tyco, Amer Sports One and
News Corp will widen.
Even though being struck by gear failure, the indexsail clew ring broke,
and heavy snowfall, djuice manages to keep control over the fight for
fifth place against ASSA ABLOY and SEB. SEB is less than forty miles from
60-degree south. Amer Sports Too was the first yacht to get into lighter
westerlies and has to gybe downwind to keep the northerly position.
Volvo Ocean Race Position Report, Day 9, 0348 GMT
PS Yacht Latitude Longitude DTF CMG SMG TFHR DTL DTL-C ETA PO
1 ILBK 57 39.20S 137 55.96W 04469 095 16.5 404 0 +0 19 FEB 02 29
2 TYCO 58 25.44S 140 06.56W 04507 105 14.7 381 38 +5 19 FEB 02 19
3 AONE 57 57.60S 139 37.72W 04508 110 15.3 381 39 +1 19 FEB 02 24
4 NEWS 58 51.44S 140 48.20W 04514 110 14.9 368 45 +3 19 FEB 02 21
5 DJCE 59 02.64S 142 38.76W 04558 113 15.0 347 89 +2 19 FEB 02 14
6 AART 58 40.88S 142 18.56W 04560 112 15.0 351 91 +1 19 FEB 02 18
7 TSEB 59 20.92S 143 58.12W 04585 114 13.2 337 116 +12 19 FEB 02 13
8 ATOO 56 20.20S 147 47.40W 04784 070 14.2 295 315 +42 20 FEB 02 6
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