Pressemitteilung der illbruck Challenge am 17. Tag der 4. Etappe des Volvo
Ocean Race
12. Februar 2002
Das Feld jagt die „illbruck“ nach Rio
Nach Anfangsverlusten zahlt sich die Taktik aus: „Amer Sports One“ 49 sm
zurück
Falkland Inseln – Gebannt blicken die Skipper und Navigatoren alle sechs
Stunden auf den Computerbildschirm unter Deck. Viermal am Tag kommt beim
Volvo Ocean Race Round the World der Positionsreport von der
Regattaleitung aus Southampton/England. Eine Art Zwischenbilanz der harten
Arbeit und strategischen Überlegungen, die alle Mannschaften rund um die
Uhr leisten. Am Dienstag Mittag hatte das Leverkusener Team illbruck
Challenge wieder Grund zur Freude: Nach zwei Tagen, in denen der Vorsprung
geschmolzen war, baute die „illbruck“ ihre Führung auf der vierten Etappe
von Auckland nach Rio de Janeiro vor der „Amer Sports One“
(Finnland/Italien) um neun auf 49 Seemeilen aus. Bleibt das bis ins Ziel
so, würde sie an der Spitze der Gesamtwertung mit 29 Punkten einen
weiteren von „Amer“ (25) davonziehen und das Rennen rund um die Welt
zunehmend ein Zweikampf.
„Nur die Zeit wird zeigen, wer Recht hatte“; schrieb „illbruck“-Wachführer
Mark Christensen noch in der Nacht etwas verunsichert, nachdem Verfolger
„Amer Sports One“ auf der Ostseite der Falkland Inseln eine Seemeile nach
der anderen gutmachte. Zwei gegensätzliche Wettermodelle hatten das Feld
an der vor Jahrezehnten umkämpften Inselgruppe geteilt. Hinter
Spitzenreiter „illbruck“ folgten „Tyco“ (Bermuda), 69 Seemeilen zurück,
sowie „News Corp“ (Australien/88) und „Assa Abloy“ (Schweden/94) der
Überzeugung, hoch am Wind auf der Wetterseite der Falklands direkt in eine
neue Front hineinzusegeln, die günstige Vorwindbedingungen bringen soll.
„Amer Sports One“ und „djuice“ (Norwegen/81) dagegen hofften, auf der
Rückseite so lange wie möglich von der alten Front profitieren und eine
Zone schwächeren Winds zwischen den Fronten vermeiden zu können.
Was anfangs dem Verfolger um Skipper Grant Dalton Vorteile verschaffte,
schien nach dem Morgengrauen „illbruck“-Navigator Juan Vila zu bestätigen.
Hinter den Falklands konnte das deutsche Boot die Schoten auffieren und
segelte mit 12,5 Knoten im Durchschnitt die schnellste Geschwindigkeit
aller. Bis ins Ziel waren noch gut 1.750 Seemeilen zurückzulegen. Dort
wird der Sieger am Montag oder Dienstag (18./19. Februar) erwartet.
Weitere Informationen:
Andreas Kling
akling@illbruck-Challenge.com
http://media.illbruck-Challenge.de
http://www.illbruck.com
Southampton, England, February 12, 2002 Day 17
White Water Rafting On Bucking Bronco
But it’s a round the world yacht race! Neal McDonald, skipper of ASSA
ABLOY gave a vivid analogy of the boat being ‘tossed around like a cork’
from his ‘white water rafting trip from hell’ through very strong current,
in a near gale. Meanwhile his wife Lisa, skipper of Amer Sports Too, was
fighting the end of the Southern Ocean before rounding Cape Horn in near
hurricane conditions, and had to shout for all hands on deck to make an
urgent change to storm sails.
Following Neal’s unnerving experience, he then had to take a swim in
freezing water of around 3 degrees Celsius to remove kelp from the keel.
A relieved McDonald was winched from the water by some of the crew to dive
below decks into a sleeping bag, to raise his body temperature before
there was any risk of him becoming hypothermic.
Neal McDonald wrote later that it was certainly not his idea of a fun
night out with concern gripping him for the safety of the boat and crew as
much as it had in their wild ride through the Southern Ocean. “In the
pitch black we could not see what we were about to get into, but below
Rudi had found a spot where he felt we would have some good current
flowing in our direction - generally a good thing. This time though we had
bitten off a bit more than we could chew. The current suddenly shot up to
6 or 7 knots, the wind speed to 38 knots and we were on for a white water
rafting trip from hell. The conditions kicked up; sea conditions that were
unimaginable. The boat bounced around like a bucking bronco, 18 tonnes of
boat being tossed around like a cork. In the middle of this we had to tack
- a terrifying procedure. I was on deck and in the pitch black I have to
say I was just as concerned as I was in the Southern Ocean. The boat was
banging and crashing around. I had no idea when it would end or what was
going to break.” Fortunately this terrifying ride only lasted for 30
minutes, before the tidal rip eventually abated and the seas and wind
reduced to manageable proportions.
Below decks McDonald had time to study the relative positions of the
fleet, and was pleased that things seemed to be going well against News
Corp; they reindexed neck and neck for a while and then disaster struck.
It appeared from the radar and onboard computer, that ASSA ABLOY was
losing speed and distance on the fleet, which the performance figures
supported. This was also confirmed by the sail trimmers and urgent checks
were made around the boat by torchlight. At the time, they were still
leaping off enormous seas and eventually, there was just enough daylight
and stability to see that they had caught a large amount of kelp around
the keel. Three attempts at backdowns to sail away from the weed were to
no avail and there was no alternative for McDonald, it was time for a
swim. “I was livid having been up all night and wanted rid of this piece
of weed. There was nothing else for it, but for someone to get in the
water and wrestle with it. I looked round and I was by far the fastest and
the most angry, so I ripped of my clothes, put on a harness and leapt in.
I knew it would be cold but I had no idea just how cold until I hit the
water. It took my breath away. I did not have to go that deep but I did
wonder if the cold was going to beat me before I had achieved my goal.
After two dives down with the boat jumping up and down in the heavy seaway
and drifting fast with the index up in 30 knots, I eventually ripped off
the whole forest.”
Amer Sports One, had also suffered kelp problems, which was making for a
busy watch, and Paul Cayard reported back, “We ended up doing four sail
changes and a back down for kelp all in one four-hour watch. The kelp we
got on the rudder was like a tree. We have stopped and backed down twice
in the last 36 hours to clear kelp from our keel and rudder. We have
backed down twice more this morning so far. Obviously a kelp cutter on
any of the foils would easily pay for itself.”
illbruck’s crew were still discussing the Southern Ocean with a ‘would
they, wouldn’t they do it again’ view, “There was a lot of talk onboard
yesterday about ever again. Most people were asked and most would not
answer straight. Most agreed that they would not in these same boats. It
seems that even a few days dulls the memories,” wrote Mark Christensen.
Tyco had a private air display from the Royal Air Force, “Finally clear of
the Southern Ocean and heading north, the temperature is increasing
already. We have just been buzzed by two RAF Harriers, flown out from the
Falklands,” wrote Kevin Shoebridge. The crew were delighted with the low
pass, “…. very impressive.”
As SEB heads for the rendezvous’ with the cargo ship “BBC Anglia” in Punta
Arenas on 15th February, their minds have turned to chocolate eating
competitions, “Chocolate trading has all but ceased but now the lesser
value bars (Kit-Kat, Nuts, Picnic and Lion) have been reduced to fuel for
the head to head eating competitions. Record time is 54 seconds for a
Kit-Kat by 'the mouth of the south' Rodney Ardern,” wrote Scott Beavis.
There were also other advantages, “We discovered another benefit of having
two hatches, more people can look out from below. An example of this was
when Wombat (Anthony Merrington) was on the helm during a nasty hailstorm.
Eleven of the other crewmembers watched with great amusement as golf ball
sized hailstones pelted him.”
The call from djuice after Cape Horn to pass outside Isla de los Estrados,
not only kept her well out of a wet and windy ride, but also pulled her
into fourth position, which she has hung on to.
There were vivid memories also for News Corp of the fast and very wet ride
through the strong current, “The seas developed into a huge washing
machine with massive tide 'over falls'. The poor old boat was launched
into mid air and then crashed down. Water everywhere and the waves were
like your favourite surf beach. Of course all this in the middle of the
night, a night that was as black as 'the inside of a cow',” wrote Ross
Field. They had also noticed that ASSA ABLOY had unfortunately dropped
back, but at that stage were not aware why, “ASSA ABLOY was right on our
tail, two miles back and something obviously went wrong with them because
they disappeared behind.”
- - ends - -
The Volvo Ocean Race Online
Join our LIVE Chat with Jez Fanstone, skipper of Team News Corp on
Wednesday 13 February at 1400 GMT, on http://www.VolvoOceanRace.org.
LizaMcDonald AmerToo berichtet:
February 12, 2002 0700 GMT
The antisocial storm
It never ceases to amaze me how quickly the sea and sky can change. Only
yesterday we were in 40-50 knots and gale force conditions with a wild
frothing sea larger than life. The heavy sky met the sea, we were engulfed
in wintry mist and rain and we were being hurled through the air in a
raging angry sea.
A low pressure system approached from behind us at an alarming pace. We
thought we were safe as it ducked below us, unfortunately only to sit
there and swell up into a most unsociable storm - Southern Ocean kind.
Our weather [reports] had been intermittent with weak satellite signals so
far south. We knew it was coming but not necessarily what it could do.
We toughed it out through the night with minimal sail area up. Katie
[Pettibone] and Emma [Westmacott] did a good job of keeping the boat going
well in such nasty conditions. In the morning I saw a storm warning
notice from the Chilean Met Centre, which said that it could gust up to
50-70kts.
I couldn't believe it; we had seen 50 and did not want to see 70. With
the whole crew up [on deck] we went to our storm sails, trysail and storm
jib which was plenty enough rag [sail] up for the minute. After a few
more hours, the storm abated and we went from safe sailing mode to full
sails up and flat chat [full speed]. 24 hours later the wind is light from
behind. There is a bit of residual swell from the storm. The crew is
drying out and we are only +/-100nm from Cape Horn, where we will leave
this all behind. Many a story for fireside chats will come from a leg of
the race such as this one I can assure you.
Tell you one later...
Cheers
Lisa [McDonald]
Southampton, England, February 12, 2002 2200 GMT
Boats On A Bungee
The Volvo Ocean Race fleet is still in a close reach with water flying all
over the yachts. Even though News Corp reports that the temperatures are
rising and that cloves and balaclavas are gone. This sked illbruck comes
out favoured in the changing conditions as all the yachts behind were
losing. Amer Sports One and djuice in the east gained on the three yachts
in the west, Tyco, News Corp and Amer Sports One. It looks very much as if
all the yachts are connected by a bungee that continuously stretches and
pulls back a bit.
Amer Sports Too has shortly passed the Le Maire Strait and can expect
easier conditions on her way north. Just the wind speed has dropped over
the last hour.
SEB is currently less than 300 miles away from the coastline and could be
expected in Punta Arenas, in the Magellan Strait in three days time.
- - ends - -
The Volvo Ocean Race Online
Join our LIVE Chat with Jez Fanstone, skipper of Team News Corp on
Wednesday 13 February at 1400 GMT, on http://www.VolvoOceanRace.org.
Volvo Ocean Race Position Report, Day 17, 2152 GMT
PS Yacht Latitude Longitude DTF CMG SMG TFHR DTL DTL-C ETA PO
1 ILBK 47 43.84S 056 01.88W 01612 046 13.3 294 0 +0 19 FEB 02 29
2 AONE 49 19.24S 053 58.96W 01665 043 13.1 286 53 +3 19 FEB 02 25
3 TYCO 48 47.28S 056 35.40W 01679 050 13.1 288 67 +4 19 FEB 02 18
4 DJCE 49 54.36S 053 59.76W 01698 047 13.5 292 86 +3 19 FEB 02 15
5 NEWS 48 51.28S 057 29.44W 01699 044 12.2 279 87 +6 19 FEB 02 20
6 AART 48 59.12S 057 17.72W 01702 048 12.4 289 90 +6 19 FEB 02 18
7 ATOO 54 40.32S 064 59.92W 02143 034 13.2 271 531 -2 21 FEB 02 7
8 TSEB 55 11.56S 081 23.96W 02733 069 06.7 148 1121 +41 01 MAR 02 12
Southampton, England, February 12, 2002 1600 GMT
Amer Sports Too Rounds Cape Horn
For the leading yachts the wind has gone from north to northwest. Sheets
were cracked first on illbruck, allowing them to speed up. In these
fire-hose reaching conditions News Corp and ASSA ABLOY are racing neck and
neck with four miles between them, having gained a mile on Tyco 20 miles
in front.
The westerly track is paying at the moment. Amer Sports One and djuice
have to accept losing valuable miles to their competitors. Overall,
neither of the two Falkland strategies has given huge returns to anybody.
Less than 100 miles between the leading yacht and sixth placed ASSA ABLOY
leaves the race open for another 1600 miles.
Amer Sports Too rounded Cape Horn at 1128 GMT, February 12, 2002.
Volvo Ocean Race Position Report, Day 17, 1554 GMT
PS Yacht Latitude Longitude DTF CMG SMG TFHR DTL DTL-C ETA PO
1 ILBK 48 38.72S 057 27.76W 01688 050 12.8 269 0 +0 19 FEB 02 29
2 AONE 50 15.44S 055 20.48W 01738 043 12.2 274 50 +1 19 FEB 02 25
3 TYCO 49 37.48S 058 07.32W 01751 054 14.1 266 63 -6 19 FEB 02 18
4 NEWS 49 43.52S 058 46.52W 01769 045 13.4 267 81 -7 19 FEB 02 21
5 DJCE 50 49.32S 055 31.68W 01771 043 12.1 278 83 +2 19 FEB 02 14
6 AART 49 48.28S 058 43.00W 01772 054 14.6 271 84 -10 19 FEB 02 18
7 ATOO 55 44.84S 066 16.88W 02221 043 12.9 264 533 -5 21 FEB 02 7
8 TSEB 55 25.88S 082 30.00W 02768 082 05.6 150 1080 +39 01 MAR 02 12
Southampton, England, February 12, 2002 1000 GMT
Freezing swim to clear kelp
Neal McDonald, skipper of ASSA ABLOY took a freezing swim in water
temperature of just 3 degrees Celsius to clear kelp from their keel, after
three attempted backdowns to clear the, “forest of weed wrapped around the
keel,” had failed. Kelp was also an issue for Amer Sports One, with Paul
Cayard reporting that they had made four backdowns to clear it on
different occasions. He concluded, “Obviously a kelp cutter on any of the
foils would easily pay for itself.”
Amer Sports Too’s current heading for Cape Horn is taking her 40 miles to
the south of the point and she is now less than 20 miles from the north
south line. illbruck has taken a small gain back on the rest of the
fleet, sailing in marginally more breeze. djuice’s gains yesterday have
paid off well, with her hanging on to fourth position.
Volvo Ocean Race Position Report, Day 17, 0956 GMT
PS Yacht Latitude Longitude DTF CMG SMG TFHR DTL DTL-C ETA PO
1 ILBK 49 27.60S 058 57.04W 01759 051 12.5 246 0 0 19 FEB 02 29
2 AONE 51 10.04S 056 41.08W 01808 039 10.9 277 49 +9 19 FEB 02 25
3 TYCO 50 26.68S 059 53.44W 01828 047 11.8 243 69 +3 19 FEB 02 18
4 DJCE 51 42.32S 056 50.00W 01840 048 11.7 275 81 +6 19 FEB 02 15
5 NEWS 50 40.16S 060 14.08W 01847 051 11.9 243 88 +4 19 FEB 02 20
6 AART 50 40.00S 060 32.72W 01853 049 12.0 245 94 +2 19 FEB 02 18
7 ATOO 56 40.56S 067 51.64W 02297 088 11.9 272 538 +14 21 FEB 02 7
8 TSEB 55 30.68S 083 28.36W 02800 089 05.8 155 1041 +38 01 MAR 02 12
Southampton, England, February 12, 2002 0400 GMT
The Falklands sandwich
The Falkland Islands are right between two schools of thought with
illbruck leading the westerly pack of Tyco, News Corp and ASSA ABLOY and
Amer Sports One leading djuice on the eastern side.
Amer Sports One has gained three miles on illbruck since the last position
report, and both she and djuice have been indextaining higher boat speeds
of one to two knots more over the period.
According to illbruck, this split decision has been caused by two of the
weather models disagreeing. One indicated that she should stay on
course, or even slightly high and wait for a front to bring some running
conditions and the other showed that they should reach into the back of
the old front and avoid the light spot between the two. Time will tell
which was the right decision.
Amer Sports Too has under a 100 miles to Cape Horn and should round later
today.
Volvo Ocean Race Position Report, Day 17, 0359 GMT
PS Yacht Latitude Longitude DTF CMG SMG TFHR DTL DTL-C ETA PO
1 ILBK 50 14.68S 060 26.88W 01830 040 10.6 234 0 0 19 FEB 02 29
2 AONE 51 59.24S 057 44.28W 01870 045 11.5 294 40 -3 19 FEB 02 25
3 TYCO 51 14.52S 061 14.24W 01896 032 09.7 241 66 +5 19 FEB 02 18
4 DJCE 52 28.56S 058 14.84W 01905 049 11.3 282 75 -1 19 FEB 02 15
5 NEWS 51 24.72S 061 41.56W 01914 035 09.5 233 84 +6 19 FEB 02 20
6 AART 51 26.60S 061 59.08W 01922 036 09.5 228 92 +6 19 FEB 02 18
7 ATOO 56 42.64S 070 00.92W 02354 095 12.0 260 524 -4 21 FEB 02 7
8 TSEB 55 31.40S 084 28.72W 02833 086 06.6 165 1003 +25 01 MAR 0 12
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